Share templates through Team Template Cloud with GitHub Gist

Prerequisites

• A GitHub Gist dedicated to Team Template Cloud and its correct Gist ID.
• Internet access to the GitHub API with valid HTTPS certificate verification.
• A GitHub token able to write the Gist on machines that upload, edit, or delete; read-only machines can omit it for a public Gist.
• An upload source that exists under My Templates with its main file still available locally.

Supported modes

• Desktop Mode — Configuration, sync, and Team Template management are available from Studio in Desktop Mode. A downloaded template still needs Desktop-compatible commands if you intend to run it in this mode.
• Browser Mode — The cloud actions also work in Browser Mode. The chrome_cdp metadata is advisory; Chrome/CDP is only needed when running or testing the template web commands.

What it does

Team Template Cloud uses a separate GitHub Gist as a distribution source. The Gist holds team_templates_manifest.json plus one Base64 file per template. On Sync, RunMacro downloads the Gist, rebuilds the local cache, and lists entries under Team templates. A My Template entry can be uploaded by ID with its metadata, version, and timestamp recorded in the manifest. Read-configured machines can Copy & Open or Add entries, while upload, edit, and deletion require a token able to write the Gist.

When to use it

• Several machines need the same standardized workflows or reusable blocks.
• One maintainer publishes templates while other machines mainly download and use them.
• You need to update or remove shared entries by ID from a Gist you control.
• You want the team template repository separated from the regular PMacro/QMacro Cloud Sync Gist.

When not to use it

• You only reuse the template on one machine — My Templates is sufficient.
• You need member permissions, approval workflow, or concurrent editing; this feature operates on a Gist and does not add those controls.
• You want to synchronize the open macro and its sub-macros — use regular PMacro/QMacro Cloud Sync.
• The template contains secrets written directly into commands and the Gist may be readable by others.

Configuration steps

1. Create a GitHub Gist dedicated to team templates and copy the Gist ID from its URL.
2. On an uploading machine, prepare a GitHub token able to write Gists; a public-Gist download-only machine can skip this.
3. In RunMacro, open Cloud › Settings or Settings › Cloud and locate the Team Template Cloud card.
4. Enter the Gist ID and, when writing or reading a private Gist, the Gist access token; click Save settings. A non-empty Gist ID enables the feature.
5. Open File › Open macro template..., expand Team templates, and click Sync.
6. Select a Team entry, review its metadata and commands, then use Copy & Open or Add.
7. To publish, save and test the macro as a My Template entry with a stable ID and suitable Version.
8. Select that My Template entry and click Upload Team. If the same ID already exists at an equal or higher version, read the warning and choose whether to overwrite.
9. After an upload, metadata edit, or Team deletion, have other machines press Sync so their cache reflects the new manifest.

Every option explained

Expected result

The Gist contains team_templates_manifest.json plus team_template__<id>.pmacro-template.b64 for each entry. After sync, files are Base64-decoded into the local cache and appear under Team templates. Opening or inserting works on a copy or clone rather than directly editing the cached file.

Real example

Limitations and failure cases

• Team Template Cloud uses a Gist for storage; RunMacro provides no member directory, roles, approval workflow, or concurrent-edit lock.
• Entries are identified by ID and upload replaces the same ID. The RunMacro interface has no merge, check-out, or version history.
• Version is comparison metadata. A user can still confirm overwrite with a local version that is lower than or equal to the remote one.
• Team entries do not refresh merely because the library opens; receiving machines must press Sync to fetch the latest manifest.
• Each sync deletes the current Team cache directory and rebuilds it from the Gist. A remotely removed file disappears from the local cache.
• Remote IDs are slug-normalized to lowercase letters, digits, -, or _ and truncated to 80 characters; an empty ID becomes template. Unusual IDs are therefore not simply rejected, and distinct IDs can collapse to one value. Entries with a missing Base64 file or malformed Base64 are skipped while the cache is rebuilt.
• Base64 is not encryption. Anyone who can read the Gist can retrieve the template package and inspect an unprotected PMacro.
• The Team path has no per-content SHA-256 or signature like system template sync; only use a Gist you trust.
• Upload Team only accepts a source under My Templates; the button cannot directly republish a built-in or Team entry.
• Upload sends the main macro package and manifest metadata, not a separate README file; a Team entry may have no README available to View.
• Team sync requires verified HTTPS; the ordinary Cloud download SSL exception does not create a separate unverified Team transport path.

Tips & common mistakes

Verification details

• core/team_template_cloud.py
• core/template_library.py
• ui/main_window.py
• ui/cloud_sync_dialog.py
• core/settings.py

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