next »

[askeeve]

I wonder if you would consider installing this extension (or one similar/or please educate me on an already existent way to accomplish a similar goal).
Extension:Boilerplate

My goal is for every page created to have certain things in common (like Category:Backup) and to make this slightly easier on users that might have trouble following directions.

Edit: This extension Extension:MultiBoilerplate would also be exceedingly useful for my purposes.  Thank you.

[Sasha Ehrenstein]

We have a backup system at the Hub Wiki that does the same thing; all you do is export and import the pages to add the backup system.  I'd say the Wikkii Backup System is better because the new page templates automatically appear and don't require users to select them.

[askeeve]

Ah perhaps I'm misunderstanding how the Wikkii Backup System works.  I did import and export the pages but I was having trouble figuring out how they worked.  I was under the impression that you would have to manually use one of those templates on every page.  If you have a minute could you please explain to me how it actually works?

Regarding MultiBoilerplate however, I still feel that this extension would be useful for my purposes.  My wiki is going to be composed almost entirely of 4 or 5 different kinds of pages.  Some of the users that might be adding to this wiki might have trouble remembering the names of the templates to use them manually.  If your backup system does automatically appear on every new page, perhaps I could simply edit that so in the comments it leaves clear directions to the structure of my wiki.

Just to clarify... I think what I'm confused about is how Extension:CreateBox works.

[askeeve]

From playing around more I think I understand how the Wikkii Backup Systemn (WBS) works.  Pages must be created through its CreateBox for the templates that include the backup category to be included.  Correct?

If that's the case, I still feel like the Boilerplate extension would be very useful as it defaults in any template you want (like the backup) on page creation regardless of how the page is created.  If you create a new page via a link, searching, or just typing the url, it seems to me like the WBS would not add the template, however the Boilerplate extension would.  Is this correct?  If so I feel it is a strong case for installing it.

I see now that to accomplish a similar goal as the MultiBoilerplate one could easily crate several different CreateBoxes with different templates.  Once again though, this will only work if a page is created with one of those CreateBoxes.  If it's not much trouble to install, I still believe in the usefulness of this extension as well.

I apologize for the misunderstandings when I first posted this request.  I think now I have a better picture of the situation.  If I am still missing something I beg your forgiveness.

[Sasha Ehrenstein]

I think you got it.  You use the special create box template that comes with the backup system, and you can make multiple auto loading layouts for new pages by adding more create boxes with corresponding templates.

I see your point about the extension being good for page creation through URLs to non existent pages, although I don't think that's too common among inexperienced users, and I think experienced users would go through the proper channels to create pages.  You could create a page like Project:Article creation and include all the create boxes on it and post links to that page on the main page and on the welcome template for new users.  The only time I ever had a problem with people not using the proper create boxes to appropriately categorize their work was when it turned out that they were just a troll who had been plagiarizing stories and user bios from fanfiction.net; the stories have been deleted.  I think the extension would have its place though.  As long as it doesn't require database changes, I think it's doable.

[askeeve]

Thanks for helping me understand more about the system (and more about wikis in the process). It seems to me like one of the most common ways of creating a page (the recommended method on wikimedia's wiki) is by linking to a page that doesn't exist yet (to mitigate orphaned pages I suppose).

My wiki will only have a limited number of contributors for a while so explaining to them how to use the WBS shouldn't be much of a problem. Eventually I plan on opening it to the world at larger and then I would certainly worry about people with other wiki experience breaking our system inadvertently.

Sascha, do you have the ability to install the extensions or does Wikkii have to handle that?

[Sasha Ehrenstein]

Wikkii has to do it.

They usually need demand from other people too.  They also can't install it if it needs database changes.  You can though if you have an advanced hosted wiki.