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I know a wiki is more or less a free form content block, but can the provided wiki allow me to templatize wiki entries? For example, let’s say I want my wiki to be nothing but entries for an API documentation project. I would want to have sections shown during the edit that prompted or encouraged…okay forced..users to enter information in the appropriate fields. e.g. function name, paramters, description, return values, exceptions, see also. That kind of thing.

Does EE handle this, or do anyone have a sense for the level of complexity to modify it to do so?

Thanks in advance!

Cheers

That really isn’t the kind of thing a wiki would be good for.

But you can easily make a weblog (or data container) do that for you.

Members could add entries via a SAEF (stand alone entry form) where you have set up fields that are required.

The problem with using SAEFs is that the formatting capabilities are lost in those forms; outside of simple bold, italic, underline, etc tags. The reason a wiki would be ideal is because of the rich formatting functions for this like code blocks, tables, lists, etc. I really need the flexibility of the text formatting, with the gentle prodding of the fields in order to ensure there is some consistency across wiki entries.

So are you implying that the wiki code is not modifiable to constrain entries?

stoneman, I’m not following about the formatting capabilities being lost. If anything, you can set more options and do so per field, if you use the SAEF….

You might be able to create some sort of form that would submit to all one textarea, in a formatted manner, in the wiki; but it is not an out of the box option.

So are you implying that the wiki code is not modifiable to constrain entries?

Wiki entries by their nature are just single field entries.

You have exp_wiki_page, which links to exp_wiki_revisions.

exp_wiki_revisions has a field called page_content which stores the wiki entry. (This table has the revisions for individual entries.

The problem with using SAEFs is that the formatting capabilities are lost in those forms; outside of simple bold, italic, underline, etc tags.

There are third party addons that should work with the SAEF to give you better formatting choices. They work with textarea fields.

stoneman, I’m not following about the formatting capabilities being lost. If anything, you can set more options and do so per field, if you use the SAEF….

Yeah, sorry I should have clarified more. By formatting I don’t mean CSS-type stuff that is global to the site. I mean within the wiki page using wiki-markup tags. I may be spoiled but I use a wiki product by Atlassian called confluence. It is pretty powerful with respect to formatting within a wiki entry. It provides all kinds of markup coolness I don’t even have words for so check out the markup help page here to see what kinds of widgets are possible. I haven’t used the EE wiki yet since I am still in pre-purchase mode, and I would be surprised if the wiki markup provided was as rich, but I am presuming that the wiki markup is richer than what a blog/container entry can provide. Is that a false assumption?

So, to rephrase my questions: how hard is it to modify the wiki code module to have custom fields? And is the wiki-markup easily extensible to allow me to add new styles similar to how Atlassian has extended their wiki markup? Technically I know how it is probably done under the hood in the wiki code, it is likely another templating engine that parses the tags and substitutes divs and spans accordingly; another css drives the actual presentation. I just want to know if it is easy to find these hooks at customize them myself. Has anyone done this before, or can you support folks poke around in the source code and see if it looks moderately easy.

Thanks for such fast repsonse. You support folks are great. It took 3 days for another CMS company to get back to to me with answers to my pre-sales questions.

p.s. I didn’t expect out-of-the-box to solve the problem BTW.

There are third party addons that should work with the SAEF to give you better formatting choices. They work with textarea fields.

Okay, that might be cleaner alternative to tweaking the wiki module. Can you provide links so I can check them out?

Thanks.

Did you get any more information to answer your question?

I also need to edit the wiki to force users to type in a title for the article and then have a few fields to input information.  In my case it would be a lot more efficient not to have to teach someone how to input an entry using the [[category::...]] method.

Here’s another example:

Using the ee wiki as a member contact base.  Once you click on the category you are directed to a page that has a field for the title(member name) and then fields for phone number, fax number, email address, etc.  Once they click submit the article is posted or sent for moderation.

Anyone out there know how hard it is to modify the ee wiki to do something similar to my example?

As was explained to stoneman, what you are describing is a perfect task for using weblogs.  Using a wiki for that purpose would be trying to use the wrong tool for a job that the perfect tool was already available.

Thanks for the reply.

Do you know of any sites that are using weblogs that way?

Search the user guide and forums for the term SAEF, and also search for the Form Helper plugin (available from Solspace).  You’ll find tons of users, examples, and implementations.

Alright thanks again!

Also to help you along your way with the validation part of the process I would definitely recommend Live Validation.

This is a fantastic Javascript which I pretty much use on every single form on sites that I build nowadays. Exceptionally simple to use and it won’t allow your users / data entry people to even submit a form until they have filled out the fields in whatever manner you want them to be. Comes with error messages and even regex if you want!! 😊 A great little script perfect for times like this.

Best wishes,

Mark