Sharing Templates

There are two ways to export and import content from one project to another: one using the .pbt files, the other one using the Community Content

.pbt files

PBT files are files generated by Core containing all the information and the properties of an object. All templates exist as .pbt files in your project folder (Maps). However, to share a template with all of its custom materials packaged with it, you will need to use the Core Export.

Note: The template files that you export in Core are not model files, like a .blend file, but rather assembly instructions to create your template using Core assets, so it will not be possible to import them into a program besides Core.

Export a Template

1. In the Project Content window, open the My Templates section, and locate the template that you want to share.
2. Right click the template and select Export. This exports the file and opens up a folder called Templates in from your Project Folder
3. Select the file that has the name of your template, followed by the .pbt file type. This can be e-mailed, sent via chat programs or uploaded to a cloud drive like any file.

Import a .pbt file to your Project

1. Open your project directory from the Core Editor by going to File > Show Project in Explorer.
2. Open the Data folder, and then the Templates folder.
3. Close the project in the Core Editor by going to File > Back to Main Menu.
4. Move your template .pbt file into the Templates folder.
5. Open the project again in the Editor, and find your added template in the Project Content window under My Templates.

Note: If you add a template while the project is open, it will not appear in the My Templates folder, and then will be deleted by the next save, so always close the project before adding a .pbt file.

Import from Community Content

To browse the templates shared by the community, open the Community Content window.

1. Use the Search bar to find the templates you need.
2. Click on the template and press Import to import it to your project.
3. Open the Core Content to find the imported template at the top-left of the window.
4. Drag and drop the object in your scene.

Tip: most Community Content scripts come up with a README file that you must read before starting to use the templates.

Publish to Community Content

Once your template is created, you can now publish the template to Community Content for sharing with others and between different projects.

Open the Publishing Dialogue

1. Find the template in the Project Content window.
2. Click the Publish To Community Content button in the Properties menu.

Name and Describe the Template

1. Give the template a name. This does not need to match the template name in the project, and can be more descriptive or specific to help creators understand the template.
2. Write a description for your template. This section can include a list of the individual objects in the template, possible uses, and attributions to other creators who helped with the template.
3. Add tags. These are important so your content shows up properly in search and the browse sections.

Add a Screenshot

Screenshots are the most effective way to showcase a template and help others understand what it is.

Upload a Screenshot

Uploading a screenshot allows you to use external image-editing software to improve your screenshot. This can be most useful when you need to convey abstract information, like what a script does.

1. Use the Print button on your keyboard to copy a screenshot to your clipboard.
2. Paste the captured image into an image editor, and save the file when you have finished editing it.
3. Select the Screenshots button to upload a screenshot from your computer.

Publish to Community Content¶

1. Mark your permissions as either public or private.
   • Private templates can only be seen in Community Content by the creator who published them.
   • Public templates can be seen and used by everyone in Community Content.
2. Click Review & Publish and review your settings. Don’t worry about it being perfect, as this may all be edited after publishing.
3. Click Publish.

In Project Content, the template’s name should turn from white to green.

You can search for the published template in the Community Content window. Templates are displayed chronologically, so your template will most likely be at the top of the list.

Publishing Template Packs

For Community Content, it often makes sense to publish more than one template together as a pack. This works exactly the same as publishing a single template, except that you use Ctrl to select multiple templates. Once all the templates for the pack are selected, you can use the Publish Content button or right-click and select Publish to Community Content to publish the templates together as a single package on Community Content.

Republish a Shared Template

Updating templates will change all the instances in your game, but to update the version that has been published to Community Content, we will need to re-publish the template.

1. In your Project Content window.
2. Find the My Shared Content folder on the right side.
3. Right click the template in the left-side navigation, and select Republish.
4. In the publishing prompt, add a description of the most recent changes to the Release Notes section, so that creators know what to expect.

Creators will be able to get updates to the template by right-clicking the template and selecting Download Latest.