Templates problem

[nicjr...@gmail.com]

Why can't I open a template file to create a new ad?

Thanks!

[San Khong]

Please try the following so you can start fresh to see if the problem can still be reproduced:

Quit Google Web Designer if it's running.

Delete the following folder:

• Windows: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Google Web Designer\ (note: you need to enable “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” in Folder options View tab)
• Mac: /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Google/Web Designer/ (if Library is not shown, Click on Finder, click on Go menu, press the option key to see Library)
• Linux: ~/.local/share/google-web-designer/

Launch Google Web Designer and try creating a file from template again.

Thanks,

San

GWD Team

[Jenny Graves]

I tried all of that and it still would not work~~

[San Khong]

Hi Jenny,

Can you please provide a screenshot so we can see the path and the filename you use?

Thanks,

San

Google Web Designer Team

[toppl...@gmail.com]

I get the same error message... Please help!

[SSB]

Did you find a solution to this? We have had similar (I think) problems with GwD.

We are unable to save and open our own templates to the path specified in GwD on our Windows users. Our IT department figured it had something to do with security/firewalls I think, and I have to launch a "VMware Horizon Client" (with different security/user settings than my regular Windows-account) to create templates and save files from templates in GWD. Apparently IT also reported this to Google and they were supposed to make a fix for businesses in a coming update. Now that was a year ago or more.

Does this make any sense to anyone, and does anyone have a solution? This makes creating new files in GwD such a hazzle as I have to switch back and forth between the two Windows environments.

[San Khong]

Hi SSB,

We are working on feature which will let you customize the location of your own templates.  It will be in our next major release next year.

Thanks,

San

Google Web Designer team

[SB]

Thank you for your reply! Do you have any idea when next year..?

[lho...@wamu.org]

Hi San,

When I try to create a new file from a template, the template gallery never loads. See screenshot

[San Khong]

Hi lholtz,

Can you please quit Google Web Designer, delete the following folder:

• Windows: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Google Web Designer\

• Mac: /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Google/Web Designer/

• Linux: ~/.local/share/google-web-designer/

Relaunch and give it a few minutes then check to see if the templates can load now.

[Stan]

I get the exact same thing. I've tried the fix above and same problem. I've uninstalled, reinstalled, same thing. tried fix above again - same thing. Coworker in my office downloaded on the same day last week. his worked immediately. I uninstalled and reinstalled off of his download file, same problem. Are systems are identical running on the same network with the exact same security protocols. This is very frustrating. please help!

[San Khong]

Hi Stan,

I'm sorry you're running into this issue.

Can you please help us try to figure out what the problem is by doing the following:

1. Please let us know what your OS platform.

2. Please browse to the following folder and check if there's any folder/files in it:

• Windows: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Google Web Designer\webapp\gwdtemplates
• Mac: /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Google/Web Designer/webapp/gwdtemplates
• Linux: ~/.local/share/google-web-designer/webapp/gwdtemplates

3. Please turn on verbose logging, quit Google Web Designer and relaunch, then quit and send us the log files (share the file with us as the forum does not allow zip attachment).

[San Khong]

Thanks Stan.  I've forwarded the log to our engineer to take a look but I'm afraid the log doesn't tell us much.

Can you please tell us if your username has any special character in it? That seems to be the only difference on your system and your coworker's system.

In the mean time, can you please try getting the files in the gwdtemplates folder from your coworker on your system and relaunch to see if the template will be shown in the template gallery?

[lho...@wamu.org]

Hi San,

I'm using Windows 10. When I checked the 'gwdtemplates' folder, there are no files in it.

Thanks,
Lori

[San Khong]

Hi Lori,

Can you please also check if there is a gwd_preferences.json in the webapp folder next to gwdtemplates folder?  We are trying to determine if it's a permission issue.

[lho...@wamu.org]

Hi San,

Yes, I do see the JSON file next to the gwdtemplates folder.

[San Khong]

Hi Lori,

Is your machine controlled by a system admin at work? Do you know if there is a firewall or if they need to whitelist any URL? It's possible that to support Google Web Designer, they whitelisted https://www.gstatic.com/ninja/beta. Starting in 1.8.0 release that we launched in May of this year, we decoupled the templates from the web app so the templates are stored in https://www.gstatic.com/ninja/templates instead and this URL will also need to be whitelisted too in some network configuration. 

This doesn't explain why it works for Stan's coworker but not Stan but this is the only thing we can think of to explain why the templates are not installed.

[San Khong]

We did a few tests and it seems that if Google Web Designer cannot write to the gwdtemplates folder, the templates will not be installed of course, and also will fail to load even if the templates are there.  

Stan and Lori, do you run Google Web Designer as an administrator? If not, can you please try running it as an administrator? Right click on the Google Web Designer shortcut in the start menu and select "Run as Administrator".

Please also try launching Google Web Designer, rearrange the panels, dock them to the left for example. Quit and relaunch and check if the panel layout is remembered. This is to check whether we can write to the gwd_preferences.json in the webapp folder.

There is one more thing that you can help us. Please uninstall Google Web Designer. Reinstall it. Turn on verbose logging. Launch Google Web Designer, open Templates gallery, let it run for a few minutes. Quit, and send us the log files again. 

Thank you so much for your help.

[SB]

Hi - I am wondering if there is any news on when this new major release where we will be able to save templates in our own directories will be ready?

Thanks.

[weare...@gmail.com]

Hi San,

I've been experiencing the same issue when updating to the latest version of Google Web Designer it wouldn't update the folder 'gwdtemplates'. I have since fixed this by downloading the latest version on a different machine and copying the 'gwdtemplates' folder to the 'webapp' folder on my Mac and now GWD pulls in all of the latest templates!

Hope this helps. :)

[San Khong]

Thanks for letting us know. Can you please try accessing this url in your browser and see if it can load for you?

https://www.gstatic.com/ninja/templates/06232017/formatlist.json

Thanks,

San

[weare...@gmail.com]

Hi San,

The link you sent loads in the browser as expected. We're currently in the middle of building a set of Dynamic AdWord banners and i've noticed that as part of GWD 1.9.0.0619 release you've removed the Dynamic Remarketing Blank Slate template.

Is there any reason that this has been removed? Should I be warned of any issues with the blank slate template?

Thanks.

[San Khong]

There is no issue with the blank slate template. We removed it because we found that it is difficult to build a dynamic template from scratch (blank slate) so it's much better to start from one of the other templates. We also checked analytics and blank slate was rarely used. Can you please let us know if you use blank slate often? If so, is there an issue if you start from one of the other templates?

Thanks,

[weare...@gmail.com]

Hi San,

I originally attempted to build a new dynamic template from using one of these templates however I had to start from the blank slate because using the pre-built templates created a lot of issues. (for example there was a blank white canvas when previewing the HTML in the browser)

I'm really happy with the blank slate template and fortunately I got to create one banner from it which I was able to re-purpose for other sizes.

Would it be possible to implement the blank slate when creating a new banner ad from the 'Create New Blank File' dialog box when selecting Environment > AdWords? As doing this at the moment doesn't create the relevant files you need to serve the ad on AdWords but the blank slate does. We generally use GWD daily and create hundreds if not thousands of ads for global brands. It's a feature which I feel would make sense and we love using GWD!

I've always found that GWD is far more intuitive to use when creating banners for DoubleClick for numerous reasons. I know there is great resources available for creating ads for AdWords but they are very difficult to find. Perhaps it would be an idea to implement the current video's available within the 'TEMPLATE GALLERY' section? Or even have a 'HOW TO SECTION' for people who are new to GWD and AdWords in-particular?

I know this feedback is very extensive for this group! So if you'd prefer me to post this elsewhere, let me know, as I'd love to contribute in making GWD better, as you guys continue to do!

Thanks.

[Kent Myers]

I did a quick test for how you can get a Blank Slate template still. 

File > New from Template... > Dyn RMKTG for Adwords:

In the template gallery choose the first one "Dynamic Remarketing Single Page with No Details", when it opens delete everything from "the stage".

When previewing I see no errors, and I believe you should be good to go, just like using Blank Slate.

Let me know if you run into any trouble.

Hope that helps,

Kent

Google Web Designer team

[weare...@gmail.com]

Thanks Kent,

That's very helpful of you. We'll continue to re-size the original blank slate template from 'My Templates' but in future we'll give your method a go and let you know if we run into any problems. It's strange because I followed the exact method you have just done but when I started adding elements it wouldn't preview in the browser?

Will this guide be updated following the removal of the Blank Slate template?
https://storage.googleapis.com/rich_media_gallery_public/templates/GWDDynamic/GWD_Dynamic_Ads_in_AdWords_Build_Guide.pdf

Thanks.

[Kent Myers]

For Blank Slate, I tried adding an item from the Library and it's previewing Ok. Just make sure you start with the template I mentioned and be aware that one is NOT set up for the swipeGallery component.

For the Guide, it should be updated now to reflect "Blank Slate"s removal. If you see Blank Slate referenced in that doc try to clear your cache and reload it.

[Kent Myers]

Blank Slate has returned. Restart Web Designer and you should see it.

[karthyt...@gmail.com]

unable to load templates....while login gst it shows like that why?

[Kent]

Could you provide a little more detail on the issue you are having?

Basic troubleshooting steps are to first ensure your Internet connection is active, then quit and restart Google Web Designer and let me know if you able to open a new file from a template, and specify which template you are attempting to open.

[Stuart Slaugh]

I just installed GWD 2.0.2 on Fedora 27. When I attempt to create a new file from an ad template, I am unable to enter text in the "Name" field. As a result, when I press the create button a red line appears in the blank "Name" field and a popup message scolds me that I must fill in the "Name" field. Which is impossible. Any suggestions?

Thank you. (Screen shot attached)

[ort...@gmail.com]

We have a few users installed on several machines. Some of them work with web designer the others as soon as they get to the template gallery the spinning loading symbol just goes more infinite.

I tried:
deleting the appData gwd folder
tried running as admin
tried reinstalling it
tried going here https://www.gstatic.com/ninja/templates/06232017/formatlist.json
a 404 pops up...

[business....@googlemail.com]

Same thing happening to me, except none of the machines at work are loading the templates.

[San Khong]

Hi Stuart,

Can you please try resizing the app and then typing in the Name field again?

Thanks,

San

Google Web Designer team

[San Khong]

For those with the templates loading issue on Windows, can you please try running Google Web Designer as an Administrator to see if it helps? From the log files, it looks like Google Web Designer could not create a directory.

Right click on Google Web Designer icon and select Run as administrator.

[business....@googlemail.com]

already tried, problem persists.
I tried all of this:
-Running as admin
-Reinstalling it
-Going here https://www.gstatic.com/ninja/templates/06232017/formatlist.json
opens a 404 error

[San Khong]

Can you please help me get the following? 

1. Your system OS.

2. Create a new banner ad to see if that works for you or if there's any error.

3. A screenshot of the following directory: 

• Windows: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Google Web Designer\webapp\gwdtemplates
• Mac: /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Google/Web Designer/webapp/gwdtemplates
• Linux: ~/.local/share/google-web-designer/webapp/gwdtemplates

4. If the gwdtemplates folder is empty, download this zip file and put the content in the gwdtemplates folder and relaunch Google Web Designer to see if the templates can load.

Thanks,

San

Google Web Designer team

[business....@googlemail.com]

My system is windows 7
Making a new banner from scratch works
The folder only had one file (screenshot 1)
When I put all the files from the zip into gwdtemplates (screenshot 2) it still didn't open the templates after relaunching GWD (screenshot 3)

[San Khong]

Thank you for the screenshots. Can you please attach the remoteManifest.text file in the gwdtemplates folder?

[San Khong]

One more thing that you can try for us. It's possible that Google Web Designer cannot write to the temp folder to unzip the template files. I searched and found that some people ran into the same issue (not with Google Web Designer) with not being able to write to the temp folder and the solution is to clear out the content in the temp folder.

Please try the following: 

Start > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup > TICK "TEMPORARY FILES" > Click OK.

or

Go to directory HD:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp\, and delete everything in that folder, leaving that folder blank.

Launch Google Web Designer again.

Thank you!

[business....@googlemail.com]

Here it is

[business....@googlemail.com]

I cleared the temporary files (with both methods) but it did not help the loading templates problem at all.

[San Khong]

Thanks for checking. Can you please help me with the following?

Check the following folder to see if there's any content there: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp\google_web_designer_temp_files. Please provide me a screenshot if there are content in the folder and its subfolder.

Quit Google Web Designer if it's running. Please replace the attached manifest.json with the one in the C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Google Web Designer\webapp\gwdtemplates folder. Relaunch Google Web Designer and check if the templates load for you.

[ort...@gmail.com]

https://imgur.com/tqKgUMK

also replaced the manifest. tried with and without the zipped file your provided us. Still no dice

[business....@googlemail.com]

Checked, it's empty (Screenshot 4).
Replaced the manifest.json file, still no templates (Screenshot 5)

[San Khong]

Can you please check the permission of the temp folder? Can you also please try to see if you can create a folder there?

We will work on adding more logging so at least we know more on what directory is not being created. Please hang on and help us debug this issue so it can be resolved. We appreciate your patience and assistance.

[ort...@gmail.com]

I have full access to do anything on my machine.
https://imgur.com/I63ISPk

[Stuart Slaugh]

San,

Thank you, resizing the window did the trick! Quick question: why is that? What's going on under the hood?

[ort...@gmail.com]

I'm still having the issue... half of our art department is having this issue.

[San Khong]

ortish,

Do the machines in your department have the same configuration? Is it possible that you can look at the machine with the issue and the one without to see there might be some differences in configuration, network settings or software (antivirus, Windows Defender settings, etc.) that might have locked some directories and prevented the templates to be downloaded and loaded?  We will release an update shortly this week to give more logging info such as the folder that could not be created so we can debug this issue further.

Thanks,

San

Google Web Designer team

[business....@googlemail.com]

Still having the same issue.
I checked and I do have all the permissions enabled on both the temp folder and the local "Google" folder.
It's not working on any of the computers in my company.
I checked in my home computer and it does work there, but I can't bring that to work.

[ort...@gmail.com]

My computer is the only one that is set up differently. they are all using the same model, brand and os

[San Khong]

We have just released a build, 2.0.3.0109 with more detailed logging. Please turn on Verbose logging in Edit > Preferences > Advanced. Quit Google Web Designer.

Delete the log files:

• Windows: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Google Web Designer\logs

Launch Google Web Designer.
Open the templates gallery.
Quit Google Web Designer.
Attach the browser.log to this post.

[ort...@gmail.com]

here is the log. looks like its failing to create a folder

[San Khong]

Thanks for the log. Can you please open the General Preferences and give me a screenshot so we can check the default path for My Templates location? Edit > Preferences > General.

Another thing that you can try for us is to save a file as template to see if there's any error.

When you create a new file, is the default in My Documents?

It looks like when Google Web Designer checks for the path to My Documents, on your system it doesn't return the path. We are still looking into the issue to see why the templates cannot load if this is the problem.

[San Khong]

One more thing, is it possible that your user Documents folder is on a network share? 

[ort...@gmail.com]

Yeah, it is on a network share.

[ort...@gmail.com]

https://imgur.com/DTsrktG

preferences

[San Khong]

Can you please try saving a file as template to see if you can access it from the Template gallery > My Templates tab?

Thanks,

San

[business....@googlemail.com]

My log file

[business....@googlemail.com]

This is the path for the templates (screenshot 7)

I tried to make a new banner, save as template and it will not go past this page (screenshot 8) no matter what I click or how many times I click save

I am on a network share.

[ort...@gmail.com]

it does not let me save templates

[San Khong]

Thank you so much for helping us narrow down the issue.  Without your help, we would not be able to investigate and fix the issue. We will have a fix out very soon to fix the issue with templates not loading when the user documents folder is on the network drive. We are not able to verify the fix because it's not possible to replicate the issue on our network so I will ask you to verify it for us.

In the meantime, can you please help me further by doing the following:

1. In the Preferences dialog, set the My Templates path to your Documents folder in your network drive? Click OK to save and relaunch Google Web Designer. Then open the templates gallery to see if the templates can load. Also check save a document as a template.

2. If that doesn't work, please let me know then set My Templates path to a local directory instead of network drive and check templates and save as template again. 

The fix we will release soon will not fix the issue with save as template when the path to the My Templates is unknown (when it's shown as Google Web Designer\templates without the full path). We will investigate the API that GWD uses to get the Documents path to see why it fails to return the path when the Documents is on the network drive. But at least you will be able to access the Google Web Designer templates.

[San Khong]

We have just released an update, 2.0.4.0112 that should fix the issue. We need your help verify the bug for us.

If you already applied the workaround by setting the My Documents path, please select Edit > Preferences, under the My Documents path, select Reset to default, click OK to close the Preferences dialog. Quit Google Web Designer and relaunch and verify if the templates load.

Thank you for reporting the issue to us and work with us to resolve it.

[business....@googlemail.com]

It finally worked! They loaded. Thank you

[San Khong]

There seems to be an issue still. They are loaded now but it's not possible to create a file from a template if the Documents directory is on the network drive. Can you please try creating a file from a template? 

Thanks,

[business....@googlemail.com]

:( You're right, I was excited to finally have the templates, but it still doesn't work. A sign came up on top that said it couldn't create a new file from the template (screenshot 10 attached)

[San Khong]

Thanks for confirming. We are investigating a quick and safe fix for this. We found a way to reproduce the issue by hard coding the user's Documents path.

[San Khong]

We have just released another update, 2.0.5.1119. Can you please check to see if you can create a file from templates and save a file as template with the user's Documents in the network drive?

Thank you.

[business....@googlemail.com]

It's still not working. Same as the previous version. I can see the templates, but when I try to create something from the template it gives an error saying "Could not open a new file from the template" (screenshot 11).
And also same when I try to save a file as a template it doesn't do anything. It just stays on the same save screen no matter how many times you click save (screenshot 12).

[San Khong]

Thanks for getting back to us. A few questions for you:

1. When you first started Google Web Designer and open the template gallery and click on a template, what is the default file path for Location (your first screenshot shows the network drive location)?  Is it something else and you changed it to your shared network drive or does it list your network drive path?

2. If you change the location to a local path, does it work? (it should).

3. Do you have the same issue with another app on the same machine when trying to save a file to the same location on the network drive?

To see the default file path for Location, please quit Google Web Designer, delete the cache folder and try again.

 C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Google Web Designer\data\cache\

[business....@googlemail.com]

I uninstalled and re-installed GWD, and there was no default path when clicking a template (screenshot 13).
I then created a local folder under my username called "GoogleWebDesigner", the path was C:\Users\karenm\GoogleWebDesigner
and it gave the same error message "could not open a new file from the template" (screenshot 14).

I don't have a similar problem with any other program. It's just this one giving me issues. I did create some banners on it already, but it would be really nice and time-saving to have the templates.

[San Khong]

When you create a banner, were you able to save a new file to the network drive? We are trying to see if this issue is only on creating a file from template issue. Can you please also attach screenshots 13 and 14?

Thanks,

San

[San Khong]

Can you please also attach the browser.log? We would like to see the error in the log when the template cannot be created.

Thank you so much for continuing to work with us on this,

San

[business....@googlemail.com]

Yes, when I create a banner I can save it anywhere on the network drive or local and it works. Only the templates are being problematic
Sorry about that, will attach now.
Browser.log attached too.

[San Khong]

Can you please check the Google Web Designer version number to see if you have 2.0.5.0119?

Thanks,

[business....@googlemail.com]

Yes, I do

[San Khong]

If you select Edit > Preferences and set the Location for My Templates to a local directory, can you please check to see if it will let you create a file from a GWD template?

[business....@googlemail.com]

It is by default in a local directory

[San Khong]

We will attempt to make another fix that hopefully can address this issue. For an unknown reason, the standard Windows API we use to get the user's Documents path, SHGetKnownFolderPath, is not returning the path to your user directory in the network drive.

Can you please try the following in the command line or Terminal to see what path is returned: 

echo %USERPROFILE% 

and

echo %LOCALAPPDATA%

Please also check the registry to see what is listed in the following: Start > regedit

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders\Personal

Thank you so much!

[San Khong]

We just release another update, 2.0.5.0124. Please verify if you can create a file from a Google Web Designer template when the user's directory on the network drive. 

Thank you so much for helping us verify it.

[San Khong]

Friendly ping. When you get a chance, can you please help us verify if creating a file from template now works when the user's Documents directory is on the network drive?

Thanks,

[business....@googlemail.com]

Hello, just checked now and it worked! I can finally open and save the templates. Thank you for resolving the issue.

[San Khong]

Glad to hear it's working for you now! Thank you for working with us to resolve this! 

If anyone still runs into the issue, please let us know.