Create From Template

import Foundation
import IMGLYEngine

@MainActor
func fromTemplate(engine: Engine) async throws {
  let baseURL = try engine.guidesBaseURL
  let templateURL = baseURL.appendingPathComponent("ly.img.templates/templates/cesdk_business_card_1.scene")

  try await engine.scene.load(from: templateURL)

  let templateString = try await engine.scene.saveToString()
  try await engine.scene.load(from: templateString)

  try await engine.scene.applyTemplate(from: templateURL)

  if let firstTextBlock = try engine.block.find(byType: .text).first {
    try engine.block.replaceText(firstTextBlock, text: "Your Company")
  }
}

Templates provide consistent layouts and styling that users can customize for their own needs. CE.SDK loads templates from remote or local scene URLs, from serialized strings, and applies template content to an existing scene while preserving its page dimensions.

Load a Template from URL#

The most common approach is loading a template from a .scene file URL. Point load(from:) at the URL of your template, and the engine replaces the current scene with the loaded template.

try await engine.scene.load(from: templateURL)

The scene file references its assets by URL, so those assets must stay reachable at their original locations. For a fully self-contained template, use an archive instead — see Load a Scene.

Load a Template from String#

When a template is stored as a serialized string — in a database or local storage — load it with the same load(from:) method. The string is the scene content produced by engine.scene.saveToString().

let templateString = try await engine.scene.saveToString()
try await engine.scene.load(from: templateString)

This is useful for restoring saved user designs or serving templates from your backend.

Apply a Template to an Existing Scene#

To populate an existing scene with template content while keeping its current page dimensions, use applyTemplate(from:). The template’s content is automatically adjusted to fit the existing page size and design unit.

try await engine.scene.applyTemplate(from: templateURL)

Use this when the canvas size is already set — for a fixed output format, for example — and you want to drop in template content without changing those dimensions.

Modify Template Content#

After loading a template, customize its content with the block APIs. Find the elements you want to change and update them.

if let firstTextBlock = try engine.block.find(byType: .text).first {
  try engine.block.replaceText(firstTextBlock, text: "Your Company")
}

Common modifications include:

• Replacing text: engine.block.replaceText(_:text:) swaps the content of a text block.
• Swapping images: set fill/image/imageFileURI on a graphic block’s image fill — see Image Fills.
• Adjusting colors: set fill/color/value on a block’s fill — see Color Fills.

Troubleshooting#

Template fails to load

• Verify the URL is reachable and returns a valid .scene file.
• Ensure the template format is compatible with your CE.SDK version.

Assets not displaying after load

• Scene files store asset references as URLs; ensure those URLs remain reachable.
• Use an archive (.zip) for a self-contained template with bundled assets.
• Configure a URI resolver if assets are hosted on a different server.

API Reference#

Methods#

Next Steps#

• Load a Scene — Load saved scenes from various sources
• Save a Design — Save your customized template
• Import a Design — Load previously saved scenes, self-contained archives, or create editable scenes from images and videos.