Help:Start a new page

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Please note that this page is still under construction (eg: there may be several broken links)

Contents

Logging into the Mashup Camp Wiki

Accessing the Mashup Camp Wiki

The Mashup Camp Wiki is freely accessible for viewing to anybody who visits the site. However, to edit unprotected pages on the Camp Wiki, or to create new pages, you'll need a user account.

Creating an account on the Mashup Camp Wiki

If you're a member of the Mashup Camp community, then one of the first things you should consider doing when coming to the Mashup Camp Wiki is creating an account. If you do not have an account already, you can create one here. Since Mashup Camp is a community of people who generally want to get to know each other, it's better etiquette to select a username that's based on your actual name rather than to "hide" behind an alias that makes you as a member of the community harder to find for everybody else. For example, the camp co-organizers picked the usernames David.Berlind and Doug.gold. A dot is not required in between your first and last name. CamelCase, where you mash your first and last name together and capitalize each is a good choice too.

Creating and Editing Pages

Red Ink, the good kind

Just about text you see in red in this wiki is clickable. But red means something special. It means it's a link to a page that doesn't exist yet. For example, if you just created your account on this wiki and you're logged in, then when you look near the upper-right hand corner of this Web page, you should see your username in red. That means it's clickable. As with any red text, when you click on it, it will take you to a brand new page that you can edit and load with your own text. At the top of any new page should be four tabs: article, discussion, edit and watch. You'll see the name of the page and you'll probably see some text that says "There is currently no text on this page." So, one way to get to a new page is to click on red links.

Starting a new page by its URL

Using the browser address bar to enter a URL to a new page is an easy way to start the new page process. Pages on the Mashup Camp Wiki follow the following format: 

http://wiki.mashupcamp.com/index.php/PageName (where "PageName" would be replaced with the actual page name)

If go to the address bar in your browser and enter a URL that conforms to the above format, substituting your new page name (using CamelCase of course) for "PageName", it will produce the same outcome as clicking on a red link. But instead of keying in a brand new URL, paste the URL from an existing page on the wiki, backspace over the page's name, and enter your own page name (again, using CamelCase).

Starting a new page by Search

Another way to start a new page on the Mashup Camp Wiki is to use its search function to generate a red link for you. Simply go to the search box on the left, enter the new name for your page (again, using CamelCase), and press the Go button. When the search finds nothing, you'll see the sentence "You can create this page" on the results page and a part of it will be a red link. Clicking on that red link will take you to a new page by that name.

Generating the red link in another page

OK, this could be your first exposure to something called wiki markup, but there's nothing to be afraid of. It's relatively simple. Wiki markup involves the usage of special codes and characters to invoke certain functionality within the wiki. Wiki markup is needed for several common page authoring practices. For example, causing graphics to appear, creating grids or tables, and hyperlinking text. We'll be offering more complete information on wiki markup basics elsewhere on this wiki. But, like HTML (the markup language for regular Web pages), the easiest way to see how to do something special on a wiki page with wiki markup is to go to an existing page in the Mashup Camp Wiki, click the edit tab, and look at the wiki markup that the page's author used to do certain things. It's important to note that there's no standard for wiki markup. In other words, from one type of wiki to the next, the markup language to do the same things may be different. The Mashup Camp Wiki is based on MediaWiki. MediaWiki is the same type of wiki used by the Wikipedia (so the markup language between the two is the same).

So, now that we've broken the ice on wiki markup, we'll give you a taste of it by showing you how to use it to link some text that appears on one wiki page to another wiki page. If that other wiki page doesn't exist, as discussed earlier, the text that links to it will appear in red.

Let's say you're editing your personal user page on the Mashup Camp Wiki and you want to link some text on it to a page that's going to describe a discussion that you're going to propose at Mashup Camp. But let's say that description page doesn't exist yet and you want to finish editing your personal user page first. First, if you're not there already, go to your personal user page (by clicking your user ID), and on the top, click the "edit" tab. This puts you into the editing mode for that page. Now, in the editing window, type in the following: 

My name is John Doe and I'll be proposing a discussion on mashup widgets at Mashup Camp 2

Now let's say you want to link the part that says "a discussion on mashup widgets" to a page named DiscussMashupWidgets (did you notice the use of CamelCase?). To do that, you would follow the following format: 

[[Name of Page to link to|text that should be linked to that page]]

The most important parts to take note of are the double left brackets ([[) at the beginning, the vertical bar that separates the name of the page to link to and the text that gets linked (usually generated by pressing shift-backslash on your keyboard), and the double right brackets at the end ((]]).

So, here's how you'd enter the John Doe text from above (using wiki format) when editing a wiki page: 

My name is John Doe and I'll be proposing [[DiscussMashupWidgets|a discussion on mashup widgets]] at Mashup Camp 2

The key things to notice are the name of the page which appears between the double-left brackets and the vertical bar and than the the text that links to that page after the vertical bar. Now, provided that nobody has created page named DiscussMashupWidgets on the Mashup Camp Wiki, the line above should appear with a red link as follows once you click the "Save Page" button at the bottom of the editing page (the page that's shows itself when you've clicked the edit tab). 

My name is John Doe and I'll be proposing a discussion on mashup widgets at Mashup Camp 2

Then, as with all other red linked text, you just need to click on it to create the new page.

Please note that this page is still under construction (eg: there may be several broken links)

Wiki Markup Reference Guide

Please note, this section is under construction....Please see the the wikipedia's version for more complete information on using the MediaWiki markup language

This Editing Overview has a lot of wikitext examples. You may want to keep this page open in a separate browser window for reference while you edit.

Each of the topics covered here is covered somewhere else in more detail. Please look in the box on the right for the topic you are interested in.

Editing basics

Start editing

To start editing a MediaWiki page, click on the "Edit tab" at the top of the page. This will bring you to the edit page: a page with a text box containing the wikitext: the editable source code from which the wiki server produces a webpage. If you just want to experiment, please do so in the sandbox, not here.

Summarize your changes

You should write a short summary in the small field below the edit-box.

Preview before saving

When you have finished, press preview to see how your changes will look -- before you make them permanent. Repeat the edit/preview process until you are satisfied, then click "Save" and your changes will be immediately applied to the article.

Please note that this page is still under construction (eg: there may be several broken links)

Wikitext markup


Basic text formatting

What it looks like What you type

You can emphasize text by putting two apostrophes on each side. Three apostrophes will emphasize it strongly. Five apostrophes is even stronger. 

You can ''emphasize text'' by putting two
apostrophes on each side. Three apostrophes
will emphasize it '''strongly'''. Five
apostrophes is '''''even stronger'''''.

A single newline has no effect on the layout.

But an empty line starts a new paragraph. 

A
single
newline
has
no
effect
on
the
layout.

But an empty line
starts a new paragraph.

You can break lines
without starting a new paragraph.
Please use this sparingly. 

You can break lines<br>
without starting a new paragraph.<br>
Please use this sparingly.

You should "sign" your comments on talk pages:

Three tildes gives your user name: Karl Wick
Four tildes give your user name plus date/time: Karl Wick 07:46, 27 November 2005 (UTC)
Five tildes gives the date/time alone: 07:46, 27 November 2005 (UTC) 
You should "sign" your comments on talk pages:
: Three tildes gives your user name: ~~~
: Four tildes give your user name plus date/time: ~~~~
: Five tildes gives the date/time alone: ~~~~~

You can use HTML tags, too, if you want. Some useful ways to use HTML:

Put text in a typewriter font. The same font is generally used for computer code.

Strike out or underline text, or write it in small caps.

Superscripts and subscripts: x2, x2

Invisible comments that only appear while editing the page. Comments should usually go on the talk page, though. 

You can use <b>HTML tags</b>, too, if you
want. Some useful ways to use HTML:

Put text in a <tt>typewriter font</tt>.
The same font is generally used for
<code>computer code</code>.

<strike>Strike out</strike> or
<u>underline</u> text, or write it
<span style="font-variant:small-caps">
in small caps</span>.

Superscripts and subscripts:
x<sup>2</sup>, x<sub>2</sub>

Invisible comments that only appear while editing the page.
<!-- Note to editors: blah blah blah. -->
Comments should usually go on the talk page, though.

For a list of HTML tags that are allowed, see HTML in wikitext. However, you should avoid HTML in favor of Wiki markup whenever possible.

Organizing your writing

What it looks like What you type

Section headings

Headings organize your writing into sections. The Wiki software can automatically generate a table of contents from them.


Subsection

Using more equals signs creates a subsection.


A smaller subsection

Don't skip levels, like from two to four equals signs. Start with two equals signs; don't use single equals signs. 

== Section headings ==

Headings organize your writing into sections.
The Wiki software can automatically generate
a table of contents from them.

=== Subsection ===

Using more equals signs creates a subsection.

==== A smaller subsection ====

Don't skip levels, like from two to four equals signs.
Start with two equals signs; don't use single equals signs.
  • Unordered lists are easy to do:
    • Start every line with a star.
      • More stars indicate a deeper level.
  • A newline
  • in a list

marks the end of the list.

  • Of course you can start again. 
* ''Unordered lists'' are easy to do:
** Start every line with a star.
*** More stars indicate a deeper level.
*A newline
*in a list  
marks the end of the list.
*Of course you can start again.
  1. Numbered lists are also good:
    1. Very organized
    2. Easy to follow

A newline marks the end of the list.

  1. New numbering starts with 1. 
# Numbered lists are also good:
## Very organized
## Easy to follow
A newline marks the end of the list.
#New numbering starts with 1.
  • You can even do mixed lists
    1. and nest them
      • or break lines
        in lists. 
* You can even do mixed lists
*# and nest them
*#* or break lines<br>in lists.

Another kind of list is a definition list:

word 
definition of the word
longer phrase
phrase defined 
Another kind of list is a '''definition list''':
; word : definition of the word
; longer phrase 
: phrase defined
A colon indents a line or paragraph.

A newline after that starts a new paragraph.

This is often used for discussion on Talk pages. 
:A colon indents a line or paragraph.
A newline after that starts a new paragraph.
::This is often used for discussion on talk pages.

You can make horizontal dividing lines to separate text.

But you should usually use sections instead, so that they go in the table of contents. 

You can make horizontal dividing lines
to separate text.
----
But you should usually use sections instead,
so that they go in the table of contents.

Links

You will often want to make clickable links to other pages.

What it looks like What you type

Here's a link to a page named Official position. You can even say official positions and the link will show up correctly. 

Here's a link to a page named [[Official position]].
You can even say [[official position]]s
and the link will show up correctly.

You can put formatting around a link. Example: Wikipedia. 

You can put formatting around a link.
Example: ''[[Wikipedia]]''.

The first letter of articles is automatically capitalized, so wikipedia goes to the same place as Wikipedia. Capitalization matters after the first letter. 

The ''first letter'' of articles is automatically capitalized,
so [[wikipedia]] goes to the same place as [[Wikipedia]].
Capitalization matters after the first letter.

The weather in London is a page that doesn't exist yet. You could create it by clicking on the link, but please don't in this particular case. 

[[The weather in London]] is a page that doesn't exist
yet. You could create it by clicking on the link, but please don't in this particular case.

You can link to a page section by its title:

If multiple sections have the same title, add a number. #Example section 3 goes to the third section named "Example section". 

You can link to a page section by its title:

*[[List of cities by country#Morocco]].

If multiple sections have the same title, add
a number. [[#Example section 3]] goes to the
third section named "Example section".

You can make a link point to a different place with a piped link. Put the link target first, then the pipe character "|", then the link text. 

You can make a link point to a different place
with a [[Help:Piped link|piped link]]. Put the link
target first, then the pipe character "|", then
the link text.

*[[Help:Link|About Links]]
*[[List of cities by country#Morocco|
Cities in Morocco]]

You can make an external link just by typing a URL: http://www.nupedia.com

You can give it a title: Nupedia

Or leave the title blank: [1] 

You can make an external link just by typing a URL:
http://www.nupedia.com

You can give it a title:
[http://www.nupedia.com Nupedia]

Or leave the title blank:
[http://www.nupedia.com]

You can redirect the user to another page. 

#REDIRECT [[Official position]]

Category links don't show up, but add the page to a category.

Add an extra colon to actually link to the category: Category:English documentation 

Category links don't show up, but add the page
to a category. [[Category:English documentation]]

Add an extra colon to actually link to the category:
[[:Category:English documentation]]

The Wiki reformats linked dates to match the reader's date preferences. These three dates will show up the same if you choose a format in your Preferences: 

The Wiki reformats linked dates to match the reader's date
preferences. These three dates will show up the same if you
choose a format in your [[Special:Preferences|]]:
* [[July 20]], [[1969]]
* [[20 July]] [[1969]]
* [[1969]]-[[07-20]]

Just show what I typed

A few different kinds of formatting will tell the Wiki to display things as you typed them.

What it looks like What you type

Please note that this page is still under construction (eg: there may be several broken links)

Tips and tricks

Page protection

Recently in a few cases, where an administrator has protected a page, the link labeled "Edit this page" is replaced by the text "View source" (or equivalents in the language of the project). In that case the page cannot be edited. Protection of an image page includes protection of the image itself.


Edit conflicts

If someone else makes an edit while you are making yours, the result is an edit conflict. Many conflicts can be automatically resolved by the Wiki. If it can't be resolved, however, you will need to resolve it yourself. The Wiki gives you two text boxes, where the top one is the other person's edit and the bottom one is your edit. Merge your edits into the top edit box, which is the only one that will save.

Reverting

The edit link of a page showing an old version leads to an edit page with the old wikitext. This is a useful way to restore the old version of a page. However, the edit link of a diff page gives the current wikitext, even if the diff page shows an old version below the table of differences.

Error messages

If you get an error message upon saving a page, you can't tell whether the actual save has failed or just the confirmation. You can go back and save again, and the second save will have no effect, or you can check "My contributions" to see whether the edit went through.

Checking spelling and editing in your favorite editor

You may find it more convenient to copy and paste the text first into your favorite text editor, edit and spell check it there, and then paste it back into your web browser to preview. This way, you can also keep a local backup copy of the pages you have edited. It also allows you to make changes offline.

If you edit this way, it's best to leave the editing page open after you copy from it, using the same edit box to submit your changes, so that the usual edit conflict mechanism can deal with it. If you return to the editing page later, please make sure that nobody else has edited the page in the meantime. If someone has, you'll need to merge their edits into yours by using the diff feature in the page history.

Composition of the edit page

The editing page consists of these sections:

  • The edit toolbar (optional)
  • The editing text box
  • The edit summary box
  • Save/Preview/Cancel links
  • A list of templates used on the page
  • A preview, if you have requested one. Your preferences may place the preview at the top of the page instead.

Position-independent wikitext

No matter where you put these things in the wikitext, the resulting page is displayed the same way:

Minor edits

A logged-in user can mark an edit as "minor". Minor edits are generally spelling corrections, formatting, and minor rearrangement of text. Users may choose to hide minor edits when viewing Recent Changes.

See also

External links

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