Insert a Template

1. Open a file (org, markdown, or latex)

2. Press C-c T i or run Scimax: Quick Insert Template

3. Select a template from the list

4. Tab through placeholders to fill in values

Create a New File from Template

1. Press C-c T n or run Scimax: New File from Template

2. Select a template

3. Enter the filename

4. The file is created and opened with the template content

✅ Access via Hydra Menu

Press C-c C-m (Hydra menu), then t for Templates submenu.

✅ Org-mode Templates

Custom Exporter Templates

Every loaded custom exporter also contributes an org template, listed under the Custom Exporters category and named after the exporter. Inserting it writes the header that exporter needs -- for the CMU Memo example:

#+TITLE: Memo subject
#+AUTHOR: ...
#+DATE: 2026-09-02
#+LATEX_CLASS: cmu-memo

#+DEPARTMENT: Department of Chemical Engineering
#+TO: <<<TO>>>
#+FROM: ...
#+SUBJECT: Memo subject

Defaults from the manifest are filled in and required keywords appear as <<<PLACEHOLDER>>>. Scimax: Insert Custom Exporter Header does the same thing from the export side, and exporting with a required keyword missing offers it.

✅ Markdown Templates

✅ LaTeX Templates

✅ Tab Stops

Tab stops mark positions where the cursor should stop when pressing Tab:

${1:First placeholder}
${2:Second placeholder}
$0  # Final cursor position

After inserting, press Tab to move between placeholders.

✅ Auto-fill Variables

These variables are automatically replaced when the template is inserted:

✅ Named Variables

Named variables prompt the user for input:

${title}           # Prompts for "title"
${title:Default}   # Prompts with default value

✅ Template Directory Structure

User templates are stored in ~/scimax/templates by default (under scimax.directory). You can override this with scimax.templates.directory:

~/scimax/templates/
├── org/
│   ├── my-article.org
│   └── weekly-report.org
├── markdown/
│   └── project-proposal.md
└── latex/
    └── thesis-chapter.tex

Template File Format

Templates can include metadata in header comments:

The metadata block must be the first thing in the file and is terminated by a blank line. Everything after that blank line is template content, so an org template can begin with real keywords (#+TITLE:, #+AUTHOR:, #+TO: ...) without them being mistaken for template metadata.

Recognized metadata keys are NAME, DESCRIPTION, CATEGORY, FILENAME (or DEFAULTFILENAME), and FORMAT. A leading block that contains none of these is treated as document content and is kept in the template; its TITLE is still used to name the template when NAME is absent.

#+NAME: Weekly Report
#+DESCRIPTION: Weekly status report template
#+CATEGORY: Work

* Week of {{date}}
** Accomplishments
- ${1:Accomplishment 1}

** Next Week
- ${2:Plan 1}

** Blockers
${3:None}
$0

<!-- NAME: Project Proposal -->
<!-- DESCRIPTION: Proposal for new projects -->
<!-- CATEGORY: Work -->

# ${1:Project Name}

## Overview
${2:Brief description}

## Goals
- ${3:Goal 1}

$0

% NAME: Thesis Chapter
% DESCRIPTION: Chapter template for thesis
% CATEGORY: Academic

\chapter{${1:Chapter Title}}
\label{chap:${2:label}}

${3:Introduction paragraph}

\section{${4:Section Title}}
$0

Create Template from Selection

1. Select text in the editor

2. Press C-c T s or run Scimax: Create Template from Selection

3. Enter a name for the template

4. Optionally add a description

5. The template is saved to your templates directory

✅ Date Format Reference

The date and time formats use date-fns format strings:

✅ Project-Specific Templates

Create a .scimax-templates directory in your project for project-specific templates:

my-project/
├── .scimax-templates/
│   └── org/
│       └── experiment-notes.org
├── src/
└── docs/

Then configure scimax.templates.directory in your workspace settings.

✅ Template Libraries

Share templates across projects by:

1. Creating a Git repository for your templates

2. Cloning it to ~/scimax/templates (or your configured templates directory)

3. Pulling updates when templates change

✅ Combining with Capture

Templates and capture serve different purposes:

• Templates: Create complete documents or insert large content blocks

• Capture: Quick notes appended to existing files

Use templates for new documents, capture for quick additions.