Updated the documentation about templates, the new 'new session' window and the new 'add track' one.

include/adding-tracks-busses-and-vcas.html

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 
-<figure class="right">
-    <img src="/images/add-track-or-bus.png" alt="the add-track dialog">
+<figure class="left">
+    <img class="mini" src="/images/add-track-or-bus.png" alt="the add-track dialog">
     <figcaption>
       The Add Track/Bus/VCA dialog.
     </figcaption>
@@ -18,23 +18,33 @@
 <p>
   Any of these actions will open the Add Track/Bus/VCA dialog.
 </p>
+
+<p>
+  The list of available track templates (both factory and user-created ones)
+  in the left panel allows to choose the <a href="@@track-types">track(s) type</a>
+  (e.g. Audio, MIDI, bus, VCA etc.). Some templates can do even more, like the
+  factory-provided <kbd class="menu">Live Band</kbd> that automatically creates
+  a number of usual tracks for a common band setup. See <a
+  href="@@newopen-session-dialog">New Session</a> for more information about
+  templates.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+  The common templates have parameters to tweak:
+</p>
+
 <table class="dl">
   <tr><th>Add</th>
-  <td>Selects the number of tracks, busses or VCAs to create, and their <a
-href="@@track-types">types</a>.</td></tr>
+  <td>Selects the number of tracks, busses or VCAs to create.</td></tr>
   <tr><th>Name</th>
   <td>Defines the name of the new track(s). If multiple tracks are created, or if
 a track with the same name already exists, a space and number will be happened
-at the end (e.g.: Audio 1, Audio 2&hellip;)</td></tr>
+at the end (e.g.: Audio 1, Audio 2&hellip;).</td></tr>
   <tr><th>Configuration</th>
   <td>This menu allows to choose from a number of route templates, which determine
 the number of input ports and optionally contain plugins and other mixer strip
 configuration. The most common choices here are <em>mono</em> and
 <em>stereo</em>.</td></tr>
-  <tr><th>Record mode</th>
-  <td>This option is only available for audio tracks and affects how it behaves
-when recording. See <a href="@@track-types#trackmodes">Track Modes</a> for
-details.</td></tr>
   <tr><th>Instrument</th>
   <td>This option is only available for MIDI tracks and busses and allows the
 selection of a default instrument from the list of available plugins.</td></tr>
@@ -43,20 +53,31 @@ selection of a default instrument from the list of available plugins.</td></tr>
   operations are applied to all members of a group at the same time (selecting
   record enable, or editing, for example). This option assigns the new track/bus
   to an existing group, or create a new group.</td></tr>
-  <tr><th>Insert</th>
+  <tr><th>Pin Mode</th>
+  <td>Defines how the number of output responds to adding a plugin with a
+  different number of outputs than the track itself. in <em>Strict I/O</em> mode,
+  the track will only use a few of the plugins I/O and will keep its own number of
+  output fixed, while in <em>Flexible I/O</em> mode, it will automatically adapt
+  to the I/O of its plugins. See <a href="@@trackbus-signal-flow">Signal flow</a>
+  to learn more about those options.</td></tr>
+  <tr><th>Record mode</th>
+  <td>This option is only available for audio tracks and affects how it behaves
+  when recording. See <a href="@@track-types#trackmodes">Track Modes</a> for
+  details.</td></tr>
+  <tr><th>Position</th>
   <td>Defines where in the track list is the track created. The default is
 <em>Last</em>, i.e. after all the tracks and busses, and can also be
 <em>First</em>, <em>Before Selection</em> (to place it just above the selected
 track) or <em>After selection</em>.</td></tr>
-  <tr><th>Output Ports</th>
-  <td>Defines how the number of output responds to adding a plugin with a
-different number of outputs than the track itself. in <em>Strict I/O</em> mode,
-the track will only use a few of the plugins I/O and will keep its own number of
-output fixed, while in <em>Flexible I/O</em> mode, it will automatically adapt
-to the I/O of its plugins. See <a href="@@trackbus-signal-flow">Signal flow</a>
-to learn more about those options.</td></tr>
 </table>
 
+<p>
+  Multiple tracks of different types can be created by using the <kbd
+  class="menu">Add selected items (and leave dialog open)</kbd> button, which, used
+  in conjunction with the <kbd class="menu">Add</kbd> field, allows for a very efficient
+  and fast way to create a base track setup. 
+</p>
+
 <p>
   New tracks appear in both the editor and mixer windows. The editor window
   shows the timeline, with any recorded data, and the mixer shows just the

include/newopen-session-dialog.html

@@ -37,31 +37,63 @@
   </figcaption>
 </figure>
 
+<figure class="right">
+  <img class="mini" src="/images/template_setup.png" alt="One of the Template Setup Dialogs">
+  <figcaption>
+    One of the Template Setup Dialogs
+  </figcaption>
+</figure>
+
 <p>
   This page allows to type in the name of a session, select a folder to save it in, and
   optionally use an existing <a href="@@session-templates">template</a>.
 </p>
 <p>
-  Under <dfn>Advanced Options</dfn>, some fine tuning can be done, like selecting
-  whether Ardour should create a Master Bus, or a Control Bus, and how many channels
-  the output should have.
+  The different templates, both the "factory" ones and the ones created by the user,
+  are easily available on the left-side panel. Depending on the chosen template,
+  a specific Template Settings window may be shown, allowing the user to fine-tune
+  the details of the template and/or choose between the different options of the
+  template.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+  Templates can be huge time savers when working on similar projects, or on
+  usual projects, as they allow to preset and tweak a lot of the <a
+  href="@@session-properties-dialog">session properties</a>, (like the
+  availability of a <a href="@@monitor-section">monitoring section</a>,
+  connection to a Master Bus, etc.), and handle the creation of <a
+  href="@@adding-tracks-busses-and-vcas">tracks</a> of any kind.
 </p>
 <p>
-  Other options also decide whether Ardour should automatically connect all inputs
-  to the hardware's physical ports. Ardour will do so
-  sequentially and in round-robin fashion, connecting the first track's
-  input to the first input of the hardware and so on. When Ardour has used
-  all available hardware inputs, it will begin again with the first physical
-  input.
+  The <kbd class="menu">Empty Template</kbd> preset allows to create a session
+  "from scratch". Everything a session template does can be done manually
+  &mdash;albeit more tediously&mdash; and the resulting sessions will not differ
+  whatsoever.
 </p>
 <p>
-  The number of hardware channels used by Ardour can also be limited.
+  As of Ardour 5.12, which introduced the new template dialog, the factory templates are:
+</p>
+
+<table class="dl">
+  <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Empty Template</kbd></th>
+      <td>Creates an empty session with no tracks and no monitoring. A stereo Master Bus is created, and any track created defaults to output on this bus.</td></tr>
+  <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Advanced Session</kbd></th>
+      <td>Like the Empty Template, but adds the ability to easily manage the Master bus (channels, hardware connection, and track autoconnection), and the creation of a monitoring section.</td></tr>
+  <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Recording Session</kbd></th>
+      <td>Like the Empty Template, but allows the fast creation of a number of tracks, optionnaly ready to record.</td></tr>
+  <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Live Band</kbd></th>
+      <td>Fast tracks the creation of usual tracks for a band setup (vocals, guitars, piano, ...), and optionnaly adds usual effects on these tracks.</td></tr>
+</table>
+
+<p>
+  Selecting a template will display its description in the right-side pannel, while
+  hovering over a template name will show a tooltip indicating if it is a factory
+  template, or, if it is a user-created one, which version of Ardour was used to
+  create it.
 </p>
 <p>
-  By default Ardour will connect all tracks and busses to the Master Bus if
-  there is one. However, it can also be told to automatically connect each
-  output to the physical outputs of the interface or sound card, and limit
-  the number of physical outputs used, as above.
+  Whether or not a template is used, and before the "Template Setup" dialog, the
+  Audio/MIDI Setup will be shown.
 </p>
 
 <h2 class="clear">Audio/MIDI Setup</h2>

include/session-templates.html

@@ -12,19 +12,13 @@
 <h2>Creating a Session Template</h2>
 <p>
   The <kbd class="menu">Session &gt; Save Template</kbd> shows a dialog asking
-  for the name of the new template.
+  for the name of the new template, and a description.
 </p>
 
 <h2>Using a Session Template</h2>
 <p>
-  In the New Session dialog, a combo selector allows to choose the desired
-  template.
-</p>
-<p class="note">
-  An existing session can also be used as a template, without saving it as one.
-  This is available as an option in the New Session dialog. Doing this will not
-  alter the existing session at all, but will use its track, bus and plugin
-  configuration just like a template.
+  In the <a href="@@newopen-session-dialog">New Session dialog</a>, a panel lists the different
+  template (factory and user-created).
 </p>
 <p>
   See also <a href="@@adding-tracks-busses-and-vcas">Adding Tracks and Busses</a>