The File menu has a sub-menu listing built-in prototypes. These are a series of prototypes pre-configured for quick use. On first addition of one or more of these predefined prototypes to a TBX, Tinderbox adds a root-level container called 'Prototypes'. After the first addition, any other built-in prototypes added are put in the same container.
The built-in types only use system attributes for their customisations, though the user can further customise the basic prototype with user attribute once added to a TBX. The sub-menu is disabled in read-only documents.
Note that a prototype that is also an export template (e.g. 'HTML Template', below) will not be listed in the Template pop-up menu. This is so that a note can inherit template status via a template without cluttering the template listing with prototypes.
Some built-in templates are not listed in the normal menu listing and these are denoted in the list below with a '†' suffix. Such prototypes are added by Tinderbox on first use of the associated feature. Once so added to a document they can be viewed and edited as with any other built-in prototype. Below is a listing of built-in prototypes:
- Action.
- Code.
- Dashboard.
- Event.
- Exploded Notes.
- HTML.
- Imported From DEVONthink (†).
- Imported From Finder (†).
- Imported from Notes (†).
- Imported From Tot (†).
- Markdown.
- Person.
- Place.
- Poster.
- Reference.
- Task.
- any shared prototypes.
The prototypes of watched features (except Tot) specify that watched notes are imported with a $TextBackgroundColor of white, even if using dark styles in Tinderbox, since external documents are most likely compatible with light background colours.
There is nothing stopping the user from further modifying these prototypes once they are in a TBX, for instance by adding user attributes to the Displayed Attributes, etc.
The default 'Prototypes' container
The TB-default-created "Prototypes" container is set with $OnAdd of $IsPrototype=true; to ensure that any child notes added by the user as automatically set as prototypes. The container is also set with $HTMLDontExport as true and $HTMLExportChildren as false. That change ensures that neither the container or its content get exported as this is usually the desired condition. Adding a built-in Template will cause this container to be added, in order to hold the HTML Template prototype needed for the templates.
Storing prototypes for re-use
See Shared prototypes.