FILE MENU OPTION FOR MAKING FILE TEMPLATES FROM PRE-EXISTING FILES

A system, method, and program of this invention enable a user to create a new file that is like a pre-existing file. When a file menu option, referred to herein as "New Like", is selected by a user, an "Open" dialog is displayed to a user which enables the user to specify any pre-existing file to be opened. When the pre-existing file is opened as the new file, the new file is opened without the pre-existing file name being associated with the new file. The new file contains a subportion of the data of the pre-existing file that has been designated to be copied from the pre-existing file to the new file upon the opening of the specified pre-existing file. Upon saving the new file for the first time, the user interface requires the user to save the new file under a new file name. As such, any pre-existing file can be used as a template for a new file without any accidental modifications to the pre-existing file and without managing special template files.