Understanding Templates and Lisp Macros
“Templates” and “edit templates” are two totally different concepts. When used in the context of professional word processing applications, the term template is used to describe the process of creating a document from beginning to end by using an existing template. The template is used as the starting point for a work flow that progressively progresses to the creation of each individual document. Each document in such work flow is referred to as a template. Generally, word processors allow you to create a number of templates which can be organized in any way you like.
One thing that should be understood about templates is that they are not to be confused with layout templates or style sheets, although they are often thought to be the same thing. Layout templates are pieces of text that are used by Word to organize text documents in a particular way. Style sheets on the other hand, are simply pre-formatted text that one can use to customize the look and feel of a document. In simple terms, style sheets are used to give Word a systematic approach to how a document should be formatted.
Now let’s take a look at how templates can be used within Word. First, let’s look at the structure of a Word document. There are usually five parts in all documents: headings, body, content, list node or page node and reference node. The headings within a Word document are the most important part since they define the main topic or subject of the document. Headings are typically used to provide detailed descriptions of the contents of the document. It’s common for a head to have multiple paragraphs inside it to better describe the content of the document.
Next, let’s take a look at the structure of templates. Since templates provide a consistent and systematic way of organizing information in a Word document, one could write many different types of templates. For example, one could write sales letter templates or product manual templates. You could also use templates to help create professional looking resumes, though you would need to modify them for a more specific job opportunity.
Finally, let’s take a look at how templates could be used to create macros. Macros are special forms of functions that allow you to automatically perform some task. You could write your own macros to format data, create reports, or perform other repetitive tasks by using a special macro programming language known as the Microsoft plt scheme.
Now that you understand how templates can simplify the process of writing complex Word documents, you may want to learn more about how templates can be compiled into lisp macros. Compile-time meta errors can be avoided with the use of lisp macros. There are two options available when it comes to templates and compile-time error messages: either compile-time and metaprogramming. You’ll need to investigate both options before deciding on which type of software to use.