--- a/makeitso/template.py	Mon Jan 03 14:18:59 2011 -0800
+++ b/makeitso/template.py	Tue Jan 04 07:38:49 2011 -0800
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@
 basic API template class
 """
 
+import os
 import sys
 from makeitso import ContentTemplate
+from makeitso import PolyTemplate
 
 class Variable(object):
     """variable object for MakeItSo templates"""
@@ -38,7 +40,38 @@
         else:
             return 'Enter %s:' % description
 
-class MakeItSoTemplate(object):
+class MakeItSoTemplate(ContentTemplate):
+    """API template for MakeItSo"""
+
+    # name of the template
+    name = ''
+
+    # templates to interpolate
+    # paths are relative to __file__ unless absolute or URIs
+    templates = []
+
+    # variables
+    vars = []
+
+    # inspect the templates for more variables
+    look = False
+
+    def __init__(self, output=None, interactive=True, **variables):
+        assert self.templates
+        self.output = output
+        self.interactive = interactive
+        self.location = os.path.dirnme(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+        self.defaults = variables.copy
+
+        # ensure all of these templates exist
+        for template in self.templates:
+            if template.startswith('http://') or template.startswith('https://'):
+                continue
+            if os.path.isabs(template):
+                path = template
+            else:
+                path = os.path.join(self.location, template)
+            assert os.path.exists(template)
 
     def pre(self, **variables):
         """do stuff before interpolation"""
@@ -47,3 +80,5 @@
         """do stuff after interpolation"""
         
 
+class PasteScriptTemplate(MakeItSoTemplate):
+    """template for backwards compatability with PasteScript"""