WIKI.MARKUP BASICS
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This page describes the wiki syntax used by JSPWiki, the Wiki Engine being used here.


When you've figured out how the editor works, then you should read WikiEtiquette so that you would know how to use your newly acquired skills. The SandBox is a great place to try them out.

Quick Reference#

----       = make a horizontal ruler. Extra '-' is ignored.
\\         = force a line break

[link]     = create a hyperlink to an internal WikiPage called 'Link'.
[this is also a link] = create a hyperlink to an internal WikiPage called
             'ThisIsAlsoALink' but show the link as typed with spaces.
[a sample|link] = create a hyperlink to an internal WikiPage called
             'Link', but display the text 'a sample' to the
             user instead of 'Link'.
~NoLink    = disable link creation for the word in CamelCase.
[1]        = make a reference to a footnote numbered 1.
[#1]       = mark the footnote number 1.
[link]     = create text '[link]'.

!heading   = small heading with text 'heading'
!!heading  = medium heading with text 'heading'
!!!heading = large heading with text 'heading'

''text''   = print 'text' in italic.
__text__   = print 'text' in bold.
{{text}}   = print 'text' in monospaced (fixed pitch) font.
[text|]    = print 'text' underscored (dummy hyperlink) - the link with a pipe, but no page to go to
* text     = make a bulleted list item with 'text'
# text     = make a numbered list item with 'text'
;term:ex   = make a definition for 'term' with the explanation 'ex'

Writing text#

You don't need to know anything about the Wiki text formatting rules to use Wiki. Just write normal text, and then use an empty line to mark a paragraph. It's just like writing an email. there is a powerful formatting capability, and a WYSIWYG toolbar to help you with the common ones. You don't have to know HTML or anything fancy like that to make things useful. Links between pages are indicated by enclosing the page name in brackets (i.e. [UserCalc] becomes UserCalc) or by providing text and then indicating a link (i.e. [user calculations|UserCalc] becomes user calculations).

Links to external sites can be made by indicating the UTL starting with a "protocol" like http:, ftp:, mailto:, https:, or news:. (i.e., to point at the java.sun.com home page, use [http://java.sun.com], which becomes http://java.sun.com/ or [Java home page|http://java.sun.com], which becomes Java home page).

Note that a link to another page will open in the same browser window/tab unless you indicate a different "target" (i.e. [from Adobe|http://get.adobe.com/|target='_blank'] becomes from Adobe which opens in a different page)

If you do not start the link with one of the above "protocols", the wiki assumes a normal link to another page in the wiki space, you need to use a letter as the first character of the page, purely numeric page names are not allowed. If you want to use square brackets ([]) in the page without creating a hyperlink, use two opening square brackets. So the text [[Example Non-Link]] will appear as [Example Non-Link].

To add a new page you just create a link to it from somewhere else. After all, there isn't much point in having a page if you can't access it! You'll then see a the link to the page name underscored in RED when you return to that page. Then click on it and you have created a new page!

Footnotes#

These are a special kind of hyperlink. By using nothing but a number inside a hyperlink you create a reference to a footnote, like this [1], which creates a footnote[1]. To make the actual footnote, you just put a [#1] where you want that footnote to point at. Look below to find the footnote.

You can also make a named footnote, just as if you were doing a normal hyperlink, such as [Footnote name|1] as another way of referring to the first footnote[Footnote name]. Or you can put the custom name at the footnote itself[2]. [2-The other footnote]

Formatting a Page#

Bulleted lists#

Use an asterisk (*) in the first column to make bulleted lists. Use more asterisks for deeper indentation. For example:
* One \\ one and a half
* Two
* Three
** Three.One
creates

Numbered lists#

Just like with bulleted lists, but use a hash (#) instead of the asterisk. Like this:
# One \\ one and a half
# Two
# Three
## Three.One
creates
  1. One
    one and a half
  2. Two
  3. Three
    1. Three.One
If you want to write the list item on multiple lines, just add one or more spaces on the next line and the line will be automatically added to the previous item. For example:
* This is a single-line item.
* This is actually a multi-line item.
  We continue the second sentence on a line on a line of its own.
  We might as well do a third line while we're at it...
  Notice, however, as all these sentences get put inside a single item!
* The third line is again a single-line item for your convenience.
produces:

Definition lists and comments#

A simple way to make definition lists is to use the ';:' -construct:
;Construct:Something you use to do something with
is rendered as:
Construct
Something you use to do something with
Another nice use for the ';:' is that you can use it to comment shortly on other people's text, by having an empty 'term' in the definition, like this:
;:''Comment here.''
Which would be seen as
Comment here.

Text effects#

You may use bold text or italic text, by using two underscores (_) and two single quotes ('), respectively. If you're on a Windows computer, make sure that you are using the correct quote sign, as there is one that looks the same, but really isn't. A underscore effect can be produced by using a hyperlink to nowhere, like this: [underscore|]

Preformatted text#

If you want to add preformatted text (like code) just use two consecutive braces ({) to open a block, and two consecutive braces (}) to close a block.
select PERSON_CODE from P2K_HR_IDENTITIES;

Tables#

You can do simple tables by using pipe signs ('|'). Use double pipe signs to start the heading of a table, and single pipe signs to then write the rows of the table. End with a line that is not a table. For example:
|| Heading 1 || Heading 2
| ''Gobble'' | Bar \\ foo
| [Main] | [SandBox]
gives you the following table. Note how you can use links also inside tables.
Heading 1 Heading 2
Gobble Bar
foo
Main SandBox

tables can also be "striped" by prefixing it with the special style %%zebra-table and ending the table with %%

Referencing Attachments like Images#

This is achieved by firstly attaching your document to a wiki page and then referencing it in a similar fashion to wiki pages links or external url's.

For example, referencing a file attached to another wiki page :

[wikipagename/attachment.pdf]

Or, if the file is attached to the current wiki page you can use :

[attachment.pdf]

CSS styles#

While not in line with the keep it simple principle, CSS styles can be used inline for those special occasions when you really need to emphasize part of a page (i.e. changing fonts or font sizes, or colors, etc.)

Things to note while editing#

Conflicts#

If someone happens to edit the same page as you at the same time, JSPWiki will prevent you from doing changes and show a conflict page instead. Sorry to say, but the first one to make changes wins...

A word of warning: If you use the Back button of your browser to go into the Edit page, you will almost certainly get a conflict. This is because the browser thinks it's still editing an earlier copy of the page.

Adding new pages#

Create a link that points to a new (not existing) page using its WikiName. Click that new link, and you will get an editor for the new page.

Incuding one page on another#

[{InsertPage page='News'}]
will include the page referenced at this point.

Aliasing a Page#

Sometimes it's useful to have one page really mean some other page. For example, you might have a page called "Page Aliases", but you would also like people to have it available under "Aliases". In such a case, you can use a "page alias":

Put the following on the "PageAliases" -page:

[{SET alias='PageAlias'}]

Every time someone views the page "PageAliases", they will be automatically redirected to this page. This is very useful if you want to be able to use the irregular plural forms, for example. Normally, The WikiEngine does properly recognize English language plural forms of page names (i.e. if the page is called Concept, you can link to it as concept or concepts, but it's not smart enough to recognize certain forms, such as "aliases".

Obviously you cannot click on the "Edit this page" -link, because you are redirected every time you try to view a page. You can, however, edit the page directly by just writing Edit.jsp?page=pagename after the base URL.


[#1] Here's the footnote I mentioned.
[2-The other footnote] The other footnote. Note how its name is different?