PI 1.3 Controller Templates

Question

Is there a way to create a template based on a controller.
For example I have a controller that has all the settings and configurations i want to mirror accross my other controllers. Can i use that controller as a basis for the template in Prime 1.3?

Answer 1

Hi Don:
You're right about "Discover Templates from Controller" being the way to learn a controller's entire config and make templates out of it. 
One does not have to use Config Groups to apply individual templates to a new or existing controller;  controller config templates can be chosen individually and applied as needed. 
Another common misconception about Config Groups is that one must contain one of every kind of controller config template, and that's not true.  One can put just the basics into the Config Group, since things like guest user accounts don't necessarily need to be exactly, lock-step the same on all the controllers in the Config Group.  The primary purpose of Config Groups is to police the controllers and make sure that whatever controller config templates are in the Config Group do indeed appear out on the controllers in the group.  "...changes could be lost..." is exactly right--feature works as designed, it will put something back that was taken away, or take away something it deems isn't supposed to be there.  The rigidity of ill-applied Config Groups is the main reason folks tend to shy away from them.
Controller config templates can be individually applied (outside of a Config Group) and won't be policed.  If a human goes into the controller directly and makes changes to "undo" what a particular template just configured, the discrepancy will show up in the audit report, but nothing will be forced back (unlike with a Config Group).
Safest bet:  don't make changes directly on the controller, use the management station and let it do it's job.