Example WebForm Applications

It's always good to see examples before you start something, and building a WebForm is no different. I figured that I'd have a look around on the net for some example WebForms. -- MartinCleaver - 30 Jun 2003

Example Applications

Add links to more example apps as you find them. (Assuming they're publicly accessible)

Bug Reporting

See:

• See Codev.BugReport
• See Codev.FriendlierBugEntryForm

Open Source Project Management (Codev-alike)

I'm in the process of distilling the best aspects of the Codev/TWiki development process out into a TWiki Application.

The current Work In Progress can be seen here:

• http://www.yeoldeclue.com/twiki/bin/view/Openproject/
• Configured here: http://www.yeoldeclue.com/twiki/bin/view/Openproject/WebPreferences
• Uses TWiki Forms to progressively capture more content/detail as pages mature.
  • Initially pages are categorised using BasicForm
  • Then they get further categorised as they mature into other forms: FeatureDevelopmentForm, DocumentationForm , BugTrackingForm.
• Uses TWiki Searches to build up the feature list
• Uses TWiki Variables to manage releases, and scheduling of features.
• Uses the concepts of code bases vs project releases to help manage features/scheduling/implemented when details better.

• Needs more documentation. (Actually needs documentation!) (IIUC some docs is at PleaseCreateNewCategories)

Feedback welcome.

-- MichaelSparks - 17 Jul 2003

• Very interesting. Exactly what I need. I will try to install it in empty web and try it. If this is application, needs documentation and support, do we want to dump all this in Codev? Or maybe create Dev and Support forums on your site to remove the noise from Twiki?
  • I'll be adding it (as a tar ball) to the Plugins web assuming there's interest. Any development discussion will take place there. Regarding support? I've made no offer of support. I'm putting it up in case other people find it useful. If people post questions they may or may not get answered, with a slightly more likely emphasis on the may ;-). (Does the "Know" web come with support?) MS
• Is description you mentioned in PleaseCreateNewCategories relevant/related to Openproject app?
  • It is the same thing - it's designed to try and help show a different work flow to the current one to try out other ones to see which ones work and which don't. I've always thought Codev does a pretty good job overall. MS
• Which plugins I need to use Openproject?
  • None. However, in order for the searches on the FeatureTracking page to work as they do currently it does require the patch attached to FormattedTWikiFormDataInTopicText .(OK, with some small modifications which will be uploaded if there's interest) These case be done in otherways however IIRC which have a higher overhead so it's not strictly speaking a requirement.
• Some strange bug: some black magic on your Openproject site caused contens of the search box from WebSearch to stick on my browser, even when changing tabs - like magic. No idea what it was.
  • I suspect a browser bug - the site is no more special than any normal TWiki web. MS

• -- PeterMasiar - 17 Jul 2003

TODO Lists

See:

• Sandbox.ItemToDo

Change Request Tracking

Features auto-updating tracking request number using the SpreadsheetPlugin

See:

• Sandbox.ChangeRequest

Sample Knowledge Base

• Know.WebHome

Discussion Forum : Slashdot-Alike-Blog-Type-Forum

Demo location:

• Sandbox.DiscussionForum
• Live version (missing comment plugin but otherwise working) :
  • Sandbox.DiscussionForumOverview (worth looking at first IMO)

Suitable for download:

• Plugins/DiscussionForumAddOn

News/Blog Site/Content Management site

I've knocked up this application to show what can be done using TWiki. Features:

• PreCompile'd pages. (nightly) This gives ShorterURLs for free.
• ReversePageTitle (for nicer interaction with tabbed browsers)
• Uses the MetaDataRendering patch for "pretty" banners/taglines controlled by the webform
  • Uses FormattedTWikiFormDataInTopicText to use the data in the published version.
• Use of NamedIncludeSections for nicer front page. (Also potentially allows a "snippable" single page version)
• Uses CSS for style, tables for layout. (Why? Looks lots better in the Lynx webbrowser)
• Uses Webforms for more user friendly way of pre-populating pages.
• Only allows "editorial" staff to add/modify pages. Comment plugin should allow "guests" to add comments however.

-- MichaelSparks - 07 Jul 2003

From Google

Query: Google:WebForm+twiki+-know+-site:twiki.org+-site:twiki.sourceforge.net

Discussion

It's always good to see examples before you start something, and building a WebForm is no different. I figured that I'd have a look around on the net for some example WebForms.

Here's my query: Google:WebForm+twiki+-know+-site:twiki.org+-site:twiki.sourceforge.net

It only returns 10 pages or so! Is no-one using this feature? If not, why not? If so, perhaps we can create a directory of examples so people can just come and take the one that is closest to their needs rather than starting from scratch.

Core Team: do you think we could/should have a web for example webforms? I think they don't belong in Plugins nor in Codev. Sandbox is too random (and can users change Sandbox.WebPreferences anyway?).

-- MartinCleaver - 30 Jun 2003

That can be solved two fold:

• Add a good step-by-step example in the official TWiki docs (TWiki web)
• Add an example in the Sandbox web for folks to copy. Best to create a new "Sample Application", listed in the Sandbox.WebHome

I suspect TWiki Forms are mainly used behind corporate firewalls where there is typically a greater need for structured data then on a public website.

-- PeterThoeny - 30 Jun 2003

I think that Sandbox is not an option. I think most people (rightly) treat that as a place to experiment, but it is not a place that people can efficiently browse. We need a quality control process whereby a designated person (a la Mike Mannix) to identify and encourage existing contributions into items that can be cleaned up and made generally available.

In retrospect this is what the 'Know' web is for, although I guess I didn't guess it because the webname is 1) not shown at TWiki.org and 2) is misnamed.

This is a process issue. I urge you to push forward the CoreTeamNomination topic.

-- MartinCleaver - 01 Jul 2003

I just wanted to put in a vote of support for Martin's suggestion here and add a couple of comments. His proposal appears very close to what I was proposing initially in TWikiToolChest. As an "average user" looking to set up a web, I can not over-emphasize the value of having working examples of TWikiApplication to pick apart, borrow from, build upon and generally learn from. I'd also emphasize that it's not just a matter of the designing TWiki forms which are relatively easy. Most usable TWikiApplication also include regex searches and some html forms, both of which are near impossible for non-technical users to build from scratch. To the extent I've gained some modest understanding of these two important aspects of TWiki, I have learned almost entirely by looking at working examples.

I would also disagree with Peter that only intranet installations have need for more structured data. I've seen it suggested several times that the great virtue of TWiki is it's potential as a easy-to-use web application platform. Having working examples of what is possible in this regard is the key to delivering on that potential. Personally, I regularly "troll" the list of TWiki applications on the internet just looking for interesting TWikiApplication to borrow from and when I find one, I use the "raw" view to see how they implmented it. I'd love to see a few of these killer apps I keep hearing about that are behind firewalls.

Finally, I also agree that Sandbox is not the ideal place to showcase TWikiApplication. From the viewpoint of a non-technical, new user, I present that a collection of really slick TWikiApplication would be TWiki's most valuable promotion tool. As such, I feel they deserve to be showcased in their own web, not hidden in some other web as if an afterthought.

-- LynnwoodBrown - 02 Jul 2003

Something like Examples web? It's not easy to create a new web on twiki.org (see PleaseCreateNewWeb) . Also, some killer plugins (Like CommentPlugin) will be nice to have there.

-- PeterMasiar - 02 Jul 2003

Examples makes sense to me personally speaking. (In fact I generally think of the Know web as simply being an examples web anyway - I always rename it to that locally)

-- MichaelSparks - 02 Jul 2003

I didn't even realise the Know web existed on twiki.org. After taking a look around, it's pretty apparent that it is basically an unadvertised sandbox web. Since the Support web already showcases what the Know web's functionality is all about anyway (structured knowledgebase) I think we should just repurpose it.

To that end, does anybody know how to NotSearch?

-- MattWilkie - 02 Jul 2003

Created an examples section. If you run a twiki site & use webforms, and you're willing - add a link to your application

-- MichaelSparks - 05 Jul 2003

Added an example News/Blog site created using TWiki.

-- MichaelSparks - 07 Jul 2003

Added comments about Openproject example. Maybe this page should be refactored to gataway page and each example goes to own page to better discuss? Or even two pages, like Plugin web does. Or add new Plugin category - App - easiest way to go?

-- PeterMasiar - 17 Jul 2003