Wiki Essentials

1. Wiki Essentials What you need to know http://wiki.mismo.org

2. What is a Wiki? Some Common Wikis Important Wiki Concepts Wiki’s Role in MISMO Getting Around Left Menu Search/Quick Navigation Document Tabs Top Menu Getting Setup Creating Wiki pages Editing Pages Two Editor Options Some Wiki Syntax Plain Text Editor Side-by-Side Example WikiWizard (WYSIWYG Editor) Formatting Page Structure Bulleted & Numbered Lists Links Expanded Tables & Tabs Plugins Customizing & Extending the Wiki Best Practices Most Common Formatting Rules Table of Contents Table of Contents

3. What is a Wiki? • “wiki” comes from the Hawaiian word which means “fast” • You can see a pretty good definition at Wikipedia, but it is basically a web application that supports collaborative authoring of Web pages. The model is very dynamic and non-hierarchical. Wikis are extremely useful in places where the relationships between web pages are non pre-defined. Table of Contents

4. Some Common Wikis • There are thousands of Wikis in use today. Wikis can provide a benefit any time there is a community of people with a shared interest in some subject. • Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org) • The granddaddy of them all. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia of everything • LostWiki (http://lostwiki.abc.com) • ABC's Wiki on the TV show "Lost". • Solar Cooking Site (http://solarcooking.wikia.com) • A site about solar cooking • Wookieepedia (http://starwars.wikia.com) • Star Wars encyclopedia and all things Wookie. Table of Contents

5. Important Wiki Concepts • Keyword-based/Topic-based documents • Documents have an absolute name indicating their topic • Example document names; • PhotoSynthesis • NamespaceApproach • XmlSchema • Expectation is that there is single page for a given topic. • Reuse (References Rather than Embedding) • When one topic needs to reference another, links are used rather than repeating content • PhotoSynthesis -> Chlorophyll • NamespaceApproach -> LinkingApproach • XmlSchema -> Internationalization • Linking • Lightweight Approach – links just use the keyword rather than complete URLs • Links can be made in anticipation of content that is not there Table of Contents

6. Wiki Concepts (cont…) • Flat Repository • No assumptions about hierarchy and relationships among documents • Edit in Place • Changing content is easy, is done right in the same browser that is used for navigating and viewing. • Source Control happens automatically • Pages compared on check-in to make sure no collision occurs • Lightweight Syntax • Markup is lightweight and text based. • Rendering with different looks and feels done with styles • Can edit with text editor or WSIWYG editor Table of Contents

7. Wiki's Role in MISMO • For Managing • I-Guides • Engineering Guidelines • Commonly referenced documentation • Rapidly changing documents like task lists • Changing the Process • More collaboration • Smaller more manageable topics • Re-use and Modularity • Lighter-Weight process • More inter-linking • Why not Sharepoint? • Strict Hierarchy versus web of data • Sharepoint is subscriber-only • Wiki has more comprehensive linking support Table of Contents

8. Getting Around Search/Quick Navigation Breadcrumbs Left Menu Document Tabs Top Menu Main Content Area Table of Contents

9. Left Menu • This is a nod to hierarchy • Contains common starting points for navigating the Wiki • Content to be finalized Table of Contents

10. Search/Quick Navigation • Allows search on document names and content • In Upper right Corner Basic Mouse-Over Search for term “Secondary” Table of Contents

11. Document Tabs • View Tab • Displays main content of the page & available menus • Attach Tab • Shows list of existing attachments and allows authenticated users to upload and manage documents. Table of Contents

12. Document Tabs: Info Tab • Version History Sub-Tab • Note: you can link to specific versions • Incoming Links Sub-Tab • Outgoing Links Sub-Tab Table of Contents

13. Top Menu • Home • Link to the MISMO Wiki Home Page • Edit • Only available if you are logged in • Comment? • Option to add a comment to a page • Index • Displays an Alphabetical list of all documents (pages) • Changes • Displays recent changes for entire MISMO Wiki site, not a particular document • Prefs • Allows you to change your user preferences • Login/Logout • Allows you to Login to edit or Logout from the wiki • Login is not required to view pages Table of Contents

14. Getting Set up • Your Preferences • Can adjust setting • Most important thing is your “skin” • Controls look and feel of site • Logging in • You must be logged into edit content • On the honor system – not tied to formal security • Full names should be used • “JohnSmith”, not “SurferBoy312” Table of Contents

15. Creating Wiki Pages • Start with References • Pages are only useful if people can find them • Is your page related to pages that exist already? • Linking to non-existent page creates a placeholder • Page Name Standards • Wiki uses MixedCamelCase – For example “MyTopicPage” • Plurals don’t matter • Create a link in Sandbox page • http://wiki.mismo.org/MISMOWiki/Wiki.jsp?page=Sandbox • Links take the form [<linktext>] or [<displaytext>|<linktext>] • *[MyTopicPage] • *[My Topic Page] • *[My Topic|MyTopicPage] • *[MyTopicPages] Table of Contents

16. Editing Pages • Follow “Edit” link in the Top Menu to edit existing pages (link only appears when logged in). • Must use Wiki markup. For help when editing a page, a “Help” Document tab appears with the most common formatting rules. • Complete Syntax Guide in Wiki document TextFormattingRules • http://wiki.mismo.org/MISMOWiki/Wiki.jsp?page=TextFormattingRules Table of Contents

17. Two Editor Options • Plain Text Editor • WikiWizard Table of Contents

18. Some Wiki Syntax • Formatting Text • Bold by bracketing with “__”: “__BoldText__” • Italics by bracketing with “’’’”: “’’’ItalicText’’’” • CSS for complex formatting: • %%(color:red) This text is red. %% • Embedded Images • Just create a link to them • Example: • [{Image src='BREWDiagram.jpg' width='900' height='800‘ align='center' }] Table of Contents

19. Plain Text Editor • Must learn simple wiki Markup • See sample on next slide • Screen background will change colors (usually blue) “Plain” editor is selected Table of Contents

20. Edit in Place Changing content is easy, is done right in the same browser that is used for navigating and viewing. Source Control happens automatically Pages compared on check-in to make sure no collision occurs Lightweight Syntax Markup is lightweight and text based. Rendering with different looks and feels done with styles Can edit with text editor or WYSIWYG editor *__Edit in Place__ **Changing content is easy, is done right in the same browser that is used for navigating and viewing. **Source Control happens automatically **Pages compared on check-in to make sure no collision occurs *’’Lightweight Syntax’’ **Markup is lightweight and text based. **Rendering with different looks and feels done with styles **Can edit with text editor or [WYSIWYG|wikipedia:Wysiwyg] editor !!!Side By Side Example Side By Side Example Table of Contents

21. WikiWizard • WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor • Useful when working with tables “WikiWizard” editor selected Table of Contents

22. WikiWizard w/ Tables Equivalent Plain Text Editor ||Date||Agenda ||Minutes ||Type ||Discussion ||Documents |July 10, 2007|[Agenda|Agenda071007]|[Minutes|Minutes071007]|Conference Call|[Discussion|Meeting071007Discussion]| [Bulk Bid Use Case |https://sharepoint.mismo.org/secondary/Shared%20Documents/3.x%20Work/Pricing/Bulk%20Bid%20Pricing/Bid%20Process%20Business%20Use%20Case%20Draft%2020070709.doc], [Bulk Bid Pricing Worksheet|https://sharepoint.mismo.org/secondary/Shared%20Documents/3.x%20Work/Pricing/Bulk%20Bid%20Pricing/BulkBidPricingWorksheet.xls] |June 19, 2007|[Agenda|Agenda061907]|[Minutes|Minutes061907]|Conference Table of Contents

23. Page Structure • Headers are used for high level page structure • Headers visually partition a page • Headers create Anchors for direct links to sub-topics • Headers drive the table of contents • Syntax Wiki MarkupWhat You See • !!!Biggest Header Biggest Header • !!Medium Header Medium Header • !Smaller Header Smaller Header Table of Contents

24. Wiki Markup *Parent Bullet **Child Bullet ***Grandchild Bullet # Parent Bullet ##Child Bullet 1 ##Child Bullet 2 ###Grandchild Bullet What You See Parent Bullet Child Bullet Grandchild Bullet Parent Bullet 1. Child Bullet 1 2. Child Bullet 2 1. Grandchild Bullet Bulleted and Numbered Lists • * and # for bulleted and numbered lists respectively • Repeat for indentation Table of Contents

25. Links Expanded What You See • Link to a local wiki page • Syntax: [<displayname>|<page>] or [<page>] • Example: [Mismo Word Guidelines|ClassWords] Mismo Word Guidelines • Link to an Attachment • Syntax: [<displayname>|<attachment name>] • Example: [Project Schedule|schedule.xls] Project Schedule • Page subtopic • Syntax: [<displayname>|<page>#<header>] • Example: [Guideline|Terms#Guideline] Guideline • Foreign Links • Syntax: [<displayname>|<url>] • Example: [SISAC|http://www.sisac.org/default.html] SISAC • InterWiki Links • Assumes administrator has set up alias • Syntax: [<displayname>|<wikiname>:<page>] • Example: [Mortgage|wikipedia:Mortgage] Mortgage Table of Contents

26. Tables & Tabs • Tables • Example ||Header 1||Header2 |Row1Col1|Row1Col2 |Row2Col1|Row2Col2 • Will make table sortable by column headers if you enclose within %%sortable %% • Can be more easily maintained with WikiWizard • Tabs • Example %%tabbedSection %%tab-Tab1 <Tab 1 content> %% %%tab-Tab2 <Tab 2 content> %% Table of Contents

27. Plugins • When using any plugin, the syntax is as follows: • [{<PluginName>}] • Some Important Plugins • Table of Contents • Displays TOC with links to sections. • Based on header names. • [{TableOfContents}] • InsertPage Plugin • Embeds the content of another page in this one • [{InsertPage page=‘<PageName>'}] Section Menu Table of Contents

28. Customizing & Extending the Wiki • We can create custom Plugins • We can create New Templates and skins Table of Contents

29. Best Practices • Keep pages small and on-topic • Create obvious page names • Don’t re-invent the wheel (look for similar pages before making a new one) • Compose complex “documents” from small topics • Don’t hesitate to put drafts out there, Refactor, redo later • Work the Undefined Pages • Create Page references for concepts that need to be fleshed out Table of Contents

30. Most Common Formatting Rules Table of Contents