Create custom stencils and categories

What it is

A stencil is a reusable device template — a server, switch, patch panel, or UPS model. Stencils live in the Library panel on the left side of the Rack Editor. You drag them onto the canvas to place devices in a rack. Each stencil has a name, a height in rack units (U), an image, and a category (folder).

The library mixes two kinds of categories:

• Global categories — built-in stencils that ship with CreaRack. Read-only: their folders and stencils show no Edit or Delete buttons.
• Your categories — stencils created by your organization. Fully editable.

Stencils you create land in the Personal Devices folder. It always sorts first and opens expanded.

Managing the library needs an admin account. Creating, editing, deleting or moving stencils requires the administrator role — a read-only account can browse and use the library but not change it.

How to create a stencil from an image

1. Open any rack in the Rack Editor and expand the Library panel.
2. Click Image (tooltip: Import JPG/PNG) and pick an image file. Accepted formats: PNG, JPG, GIF, WebP or SVG (an SVG is cleaned automatically before it is stored).
3. The Import Image Stencil dialog opens with a preview. Set Stencil Name and Height (U) (1–48; 1U = 1.75 inches).
4. Click Import.

The stencil appears under Personal Devices, ready to drag onto the canvas.

Image tips: use a PNG with transparent background, horizontal front view of the device, at roughly double (2x) resolution so it stays sharp on HiDPI screens.

How to create a stencil from an existing device

Useful when you have already configured a device and want to reuse it as a template:

1. Save the rack first — unsaved devices cannot be turned into stencils.
2. Click the device on the canvas.
3. In the Properties panel, click Save to Lib (tooltip: Save as Template).
4. Enter a name. The stencil is saved to Personal Devices.

How to manage stencils and categories

Only stencils owned by your organization show action buttons:

• Rename a stencil — click Edit on the stencil and type the new name.
• Change height — click the U badge on the stencil (tooltip: Click to edit height) and enter the new value.
• Delete a stencil — click Delete on the stencil. Devices already placed in racks keep their current image.
• Move to another category — drag the stencil onto the target folder header. Requires an admin account.
• Rename a category — click Edit on the folder header. Admin only.
• Delete a category — click Delete on the folder header. This removes the folder and every stencil inside it. Admin only.

There is no standalone “create category” button. New categories are created when you import stencils into a new Category Name during a Visio/SVG import, or when you restore a backup.

How to hide folders you rarely use

1. Tick the checkbox next to each folder you want to hide.
2. Click Toggle Hidden at the top of the Library panel.

All ticked folders disappear and the button changes to Show Hidden. Click it again to bring them back. The selection is stored in your browser.

Half-width devices

Some stencils are flagged as half-width and show a (Half) tag next to their name. Two half-width devices fit side by side in the same U position — typical for compact access switches and media converters. The flag comes from Visio imports; image imports do not set it.

Related

• [[crearack—conceptos—stencils-conceptos]] — stencil and library concepts
• [[crearack—racks—importar-visio]] — import stencils from Visio files
• [[crearack—racks—stencils-backup]] — back up and restore the library
• [[crearack—racks—dispositivos]] — place stencils as devices in a rack

Véase también

• [[crearack—conceptos—stencils-conceptos]]
• [[crearack—racks—importar-visio]]
• [[crearack—racks—stencils-backup]]
• [[crearack—racks—dispositivos]]