Associating custom topic templates to multiple topics

[pwdita]

We are transitioning to DITA and will be converting content from Word, MadCap Flare, and FrameMaker. The bulk of the legacy content is FrameMaker. So far we've ported Word to DITA through MadCap Flare and plan to also use it as the engine for the FM content as well. I've created the first of probably three custom DITA reference topic templates (instead of one massive reference topic full of required and optional elements) and have successfully chosen it from the New Document wizard.

Is there a recommended process in Oxygen to do a "bulk" association of the custom topic template to the converted content files? I've started researching and reading the Oxygen help but would appreciate any guidance possible. Thanks.

[alex_jitianu]

Hello,

The new document templates are used only as starting points for new documents. Existing documents are matched to the proper framework when opened.

The new document templates should also sit inside the framework, because a framework bundles all the resources and configuration specific to a document type. Since you have DITA documents, you can extend the built-in DITA framework and put the document templates in it. There 2 options for extending an existing framework:
1. Creating a Framework through an Extension Script (newly added in Oxygen version 23)
2. Creating a Framework through the Configuration Dialog

Besides the new document templates, in this new framework you can customize other things, like the visual editing mode, validation, transformation etc.
Just give your newly created framework a higher priority, to make sure it's being used instead of the built-in DITA framework.

hope I've answered your question, but, if I haven't done so, please give me more details.

Best regards,
Alex