title: How to edit a list template in SharePoint 2010?
body: <p>I have made a number of lists using custom list template in SharePoint 2010. I would like to add a column to each of these lists. Microsoft offers the following <a href="http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-sharepoint-services-help/manage-list-templates-HA010099156.aspx" rel="nofollow">super helpful instructions</a></p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p><strong>Edit the list template properties</strong></p>
    
    <p>On the Site Actions menu , click Site Settings.</p>
    
    <p>NOTE   On a site for which the Site Actions menu is customized, point
    to Site Settings, and then click the settings that you want to view.</p>
    
    <ol>
    <li>In the Galleries column, click List templates.  </li>
    </ol>
    
    <p>NOTE   This option
    appears only to users who have the Manage Lists permission. Site
    owners have this permission by default.</p>
    
    <p>The List Template Gallery page appears.</p>
    
    <ol>
    <li><p>In the Edit column, click Edit Document Properties for the list
    template that you want to edit. </p></li>
    <li><p>Edit the information that you want to
    change, and then click OK.</p></li>
    </ol>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>What they neglect to mention is that this gives you access to exactly 3 things</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>the template file ( eg: myTemplate.stp )</li>
  <li>the template name</li>
  <li>the template description</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>My question is, how do you ACTUALLY EDIT THE TEMPLATE? ie: change columns</p>
  
  <p>I van crack open the file itself by downloading the .stp  renaming it to a .cab extracting the .xml and making changes there. But without some testing I have no idea what will happen if I try re-compressing that file and replacing an existing template with it.</p>
  
  <p>Has anyone done this themselves? Does anyone know of an alternative method to add a column to a list template?</p>