Creating a Template

Creating a template involves multiple steps:

  1. Add the name for the template to Sakai.
  2. Specify the layout for it.
  3. Add the required forms.
  4. Select supporting files.
  5. If you have based the template on passthrough.xsl, create an .xsl transformation file and add it to the template.

Step 1: Adding the Template Name

To give the template a name, access the Portfolios Templates tool and follow these steps:

  1. If the Portfolio Templates home page is not displayed, click the Reset button.
  2. In the Portfolio Templates menu bar near the top of the screen, click the Add button. Sakai displays the Add Portfolio Template, Step 1 of 4, screen.
  3. Enter a name for this layout in the Name box. If desired, enter a helpful description in the Description box. Under Show within Portfolio Navigation, specify whether portfolios based on this template will display in the window from which they are accessed or in a new window.



    Option Result
    Yes Portfolios based on this template will display in the window from which they are accessed.
    No Portfolios based on this template will display in a new browser window.


  4. To proceed, click Continue. Sakai displays the Build Template, Step 2 of 4, screen (see below). Or, to return to the Portfolio Templates home page without adding any of this information, click Cancel.

Step 2: Specifying the Layout

If you clicked Continue in step 4, above, Sakai displays the Build Template, Step 2 of 4, screen.

To specify the layout for this template, follow these steps:

  1. To the right of the Basic Template Outline box, click the Select File link. Sakai displays the Select Item.
  2. Select the .xsl file you need. (If you do not have a specific .xsl file for the portfolio template, select passthrough.xsl. To select the file, follow the instructions for selecting an item. After you click Finish, Sakai displays the Build Template, Step 2 of 4, screen again. The name of the file you selected is shown in the Basic Template Outline box.
  3. Optionally, provide outline options by following these steps:
  4. Click the Select File link to the right of the Outline Options box.
  5. Select the appropriate .xsd file by following the instructions for selecting an item. After you click Finish, Sakai displays the Build Template, Step 2 of 4, screen again. The name of the file you selected is shown in the Outline Options box.
  6. Use the pulldown list in the Outline Options File Element box to choose the desired root node from the file you have specified.
  7. Choose one of the following options:
    • To continue to build the template, click Continue. Sakai displays the List Content, Step 3 of 4, screen.
    • To stop working on this template and save the work you have done so far, click Finish. Sakai displays the Portfolio Templates home page. Your new template is listed on this screen. You may work on the template further at any time.
    • To return to the Add Portfolio Template, step 1 of 4, screen, click Back.
    • To exit without saving any of the information you have entered in this template creation session, click Cancel. Sakai displays the Portfolio Templates home page.

Step 3: Adding the Required Forms and Other Items

If you chose to continue in step 7, above, Sakai displays the List Content, Step 3 of 4, screen.

This screen allows you to identify the forms, matrices, uploaded files, URLs, and other content for portfolios that use this template. To select this material, follow these steps:

  1. In the Type box, use the pulldown list to select the type of item the site participant must add. A selection here is required. The list contains the names of all forms on the site, along with two other choices: Matrix and Uploaded File. If site participants must:
    • complete and attach a specific form, select the name of that form here.
    • attach a matrix, select Matrix.
    • attach any other type of resource (simple text, URL, file, etc.) select Uploaded file.
  2. Referring to the table below, enter an appropriate name in the Name box. This entry is required.



    Item Name Entry
    Form The root node in this file
    Upload file The name by which the .xsl file identifies this file; if the template is based on passthrough.xsl, any one-word name by which you want the final .xsl file to identify this file
    Matrix The name by which the .xsl file identifies this matrix; if the template is based on passthrough.xsl, any one-word name by which you want the final .xsl file to identify this file


  3. Enter a descriptive name for the item in the Title box. This entry is required as well.
  4. In the Description box, enter instructions to site participants on how to select an item, if desired. These instructions display to site participants when they use the template to create a portfolio.
  5. Under "Allow Multiple Selection," choose one of these options:
    • If the creators of these portfolios may include more than one instance of this information (as is the case for accomplishments, job experience, and other things that occur more than once), click Yes.
    • Otherwise, click No.
  6. Click Add to List. Sakai displays information about this item in the bottom part of the screen.
  7. To add another item to the template, repeat steps 1-6.
  8. To reorder items so they are displayed to the portfolio creator in a different order, change the numbers in the Sequence boxes. (This change will not affect the sequence of the items in the final portfolio. The order of items in the portfolio is determined by the .xsl file you selected.)
  9. To edit an item you have added, click the Edit link below its name and make changes as needed. For more information, see instructions in steps 1-6.
  10. To delete an item you have added, click the Delete link below its name. Sakai deletes the item immediately. Caution: Be sure you want to delete an item before clicking Delete. Sakai does not display a delete verification window before deleting the item.
  11. After adding as many items as you wish, choose one of the following options:
    • To continue to create the template, click Continue. Sakai displays the Select Supporting Files, Step 4 of 4, screen.
    • To stop working on this template and save the work you have done so far, click Finish. Sakai displays the Portfolio Templates home page. This template is listed on the screen. You may work on this template further at any time.
    • To return to the Build Template, Step 2 of 4, screen, click Back.
    • To exit without saving any of the information you have entered in this template creation session, click Cancel. Sakai displays the Portfolio Templates home page.

Step 4: Selecting Supporting Files

If you chose to continue in step 11, above, Sakai displays the Select Supporting Files, Step 4 of 4, screen:

This screen allows you to identify any additional files that are to be used in this template. These files may include .css files (style sheets) and image, sound, video, javascript, and other files that define the look and feel, navigation, graphics, and other features of the portfolio template.

To select this material, follow these steps:

  1. In the Name (used in xpath) box, enter the name for this file that is used in the .xsl file you chose in "Step 2: Specifying the Layout". If the template is based on passthrough.xsl, enter any one-word name by which you want the final .xsl file to identify this file. An entry in this box is required.
  2. To the right of the Choose File box, click the Select File link. (An entry in this box is required.) Sakai displays the Select Item screen.
  3. Select the file you need. To do so, follow the instructions for selecting an item. After you click Finish, Sakai displays the Select Supporting Files, Step 4 of 4, screen again.
  4. Click Add to List. Sakai displays the file name in the bottom part of the screen.
  5. To add another supporting file to the template, repeat steps 1-4.
  6. To edit a file you have added, click the Edit link below its name and make changes as needed. For more information, see instructions in steps 1-4.
  7. To delete a file you have added, click the Delete link below its name. Sakai deletes the item immediately. Caution Be sure you want to delete a file before clicking Delete. Sakai does not display a delete verification window before deleting the file.
  8. Choose one of the following options:
    • To save your work, click Finish. Sakai displays the Portfolio Templates home page. This template is listed on the screen. You may work on this template further at any time.
    • To return to the List Content, Step 3 of 4, screen, click Back.
    • To exit without saving any of the information you have entered in this template creation session, click Cancel. Sakai displays the Portfolio Templates home page.

Step 5: Finishing up When Using passthrough.xsl

If you have based your template on passthrough.xsl, follow these final steps:

  1. Use the Portfolios tool to create a portfolio based on this template.
  2. Display the portfolio.
  3. Display the XML file that the system will use to generate the final HTML file by right-clicking anywhere on the portfolio display and selecting View Page Source.
  4. Use any XSLT creator program to create an .xsl transformation file.
  5. Using the Portfolio Templates tool, replace passthrough.xsl with the .xsl file you have created.