Creating a Design Template

Templates are Domino databases that are installed by default for the Domino server and the Notes Designer. Typically, they have an .ntf filename extension and contain no data. However, a template could also have an .nsf extension. Nevertheless, templates contain design elements (outlines, framesets, pages, forms, views, agents, navigators, script, libraries, and other resources and design elements).

Prior to rolling an application out to production, it is generally a best practice to make a template copy. Simply make a copy of the database (as described earlier in this chapter), giving the database name an .ntf extension. Typically, you need to copy the design only (rather than the documents as well) and you should modify the database ACL to restrict access to the database from unauthorized users. Lotus recommends the access levels described in Table 2.2: