As discussed in the talk given at Vancouver
(slides at http://www.latex-project.org/talks/tug99.pdf)
we have been developing a new `template' system intended to give
a more natural interface to LaTeX class design.

I am pleased to announce that the first public test release of this code
is now available from the project web site.


The package is available as a compressed tar file, or as directory
of individual files from the following URL:

http://www.latex-project.org/code/experimental/template.tgz
http://www.latex-project.org/code/experimental/template/

template.dtx in that directory has a large section of documentation
at the front describing the commands in the interface and giving a
`worked example' building up some templates for caption formatting.

The package builds on the `ldcsetup' code that was posted to this list
as part of the xparse distribution. That code is also available from the
project web site at these URL:

http://www.latex-project.org/code/experimental/xparse.tgz
http://www.latex-project.org/code/experimental/xparse/


Please note that these experimental packages should _not_ be placed on
public archives, CDRoms or other distributions at the present time.

We welcome discussions of this interface on this list.


David