MultipleTemplatesPerWeb

Proposal

There should be a means to have MultipleTemplatesPerWeb. This has been taken up in the companion topic CreateNewTopic, but is somewhat of a distinct idea. The main concept is to allow a web to have multiple Topic Templates that are selected at the time of topic creation. Each template could have a Form attached to it.

Goals of this proposal:

• At the time of topic creation, the user would be prompted to select a Topic Template.
• If there is only one template, or the default template of the site is used, then there is no change from the current operation.
• When a Topic Template is defined, one or more Forms could be attached to it. This is an extension to the current operation wherein only one form is allowed. See MultipleFormsPerTopic for further discussion.
• It is further proposed that the (confusing) [Change] button be eliminated from the form. This is frequently clicked by users editing the page instead of the [Preview Changes] button. The only way to define an alternative form is to select an alternative Topic Template.

Proposed Implementation:

• There must be a means to list the Topic Templates that are supported on a given web, with help information provided so that the user can select the correct template. This can be implemented using the current Form functionality, with the Tool Tip section used for some helpful documentation as to what the template is to be used for. I don't want to see a simple list of templates without any documentation, much like the inadequate selection of the Form to be used. In general, I would like to eliminate the selection of a Form UNLESS a topic template is being defined!
• CreateTopicTemplate should be a pre-canned function of TWiki, and it can be implemented using the Forms functionality.

For example, let's say you have several different types if structured discussions you would like to create. These are defined using the form defining table:

Name	Type	Size	Values	Tooltip message
TopicTemplate	radio	10		Select a template for this topic

And then the TopicTemplate topic would contain a list of the actual TemplateTopics that are defined, as follows (for example):

Name	Type	Tooltip message
Select One...	option	Please select one of the following templates to start your topic
BlankTopicTemplate	option	Blank topic is not linked with data search engines and you have to link it in yourself
BookReviewTopicTemplate	option	Start a Book Review topic
EventTopicTemplate	option	Start a Event Topic
FeedbackTopicTemplate	option	Provide a bug report or change request

-- RaymondLutz - 08 Dec 2003

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Comments

Choose Template... AddParentVariableToTemplate AddRevisionVariablesToTemplate BacklinksTemplate BadJavaScriptInEditTemplate BugReportTopicTemplate BulkCreatePagesUsingTemplate CategoryTemplate CategoryTopicTemplate ChangeProposalTemplate CodeRefactorTopicTemplate CodevDocProjectTemplate CodevDocumentationProjectTemplate CommentSectionInNewTopicTemplate CommonHeaderFooterTemplate ConsultantTemplate ContentTemplate DakarReleaseMeetingTemplate DocRequestTopicTemplate DynamicEditTopicTemplate DynamicVarVIEWTEMPLATE EasySettingOfViewTemplate EdinburghReleaseMeetingTemplate EmptyPluginIsNotAGoodTemplate ExampleTopicTemplate ExpandVariablesInNewUserTemplate FeatureRequestTopicTemplate FeatureRequestViewTemplate LayoutTemplate MissingLinkinOoopslockedTemplate MoreCommonHeaderFooterTemplate MoreFriendlyNewBugTemplate NewBugTemplate NewTopicTemplate PatchProposalTemplate ReleaseMeetingTemplate SkinningWebTopicEditTemplate SvenTalkSkinViewTemplate SvenTopicSkinViewTemplate TWikiBetaReleaseTemplate TWikiContributorWouldLikeToCheckInTopicTemplate TWikiMarketingMeetingTemplate TWikiMeetupTemplate TWikiUserGroupInTemplate TabViewTemplate TaskTeamTemplate TopicNameDrivenNewEditTemplate ViewPassthroughOfTopicTemplate VoluntaryProductAccessibilityTemplate WebTopicEditTemplate WebformInitialValueOnlyWorksWithTemplate WrongChangePasswordLinkInNewUserTemplate WysiwygEditorMeetingTemplate

Number of topics: 52

This has been discussed several times in the past... (Type the topic name, then select template)

-- MS - 09 Dec 2003

Granted. But this is not in response to a failed Go Box request oops page. And, there are no checks on the template name without enhancement. You have to direct the use to this page and get them to fill out this form. Any other route will not select the right template. Also, forms are not united with the concept of a template. Having separate selection of forms is not productive, only confusing. They should be tied to the template and not separately selectable.

-- RaymondLutz - 10 Dec 2003

You can embed this on an edit template, or any oops page. I've done the former on several systems , and I know Martin's done the latter on his sites. Locking users out of changing forms is ... misguided at best ... - wikis are not about imposing structure. TWiki's biggest strength is the ability to help move from unstrtuctured to structured, and not put barriers in the way. Adding & changing forms significantly enhances that - allowing structure to grow and morph with the content rather than be imposed & rigid. (If you want rigidity why not use a standard web based CMS - they're really good at that?)

-- MS - 10 Dec 2003

What about clicking on a new WikiWord? I want a way to associate an arbitrary template as the new topic is started, without needing to start a new Web to do so. It would even be nice to be able to define the default Topic Template in the parent topic so that it will be pulled up correctly in most cases. (AND, I think the pull-down list of templates in your example as extremely user unfriendly. Just take a look at the list and tell me what all those templates are for. We need a way to self-document these templates.)

Let me give you an example. I have started a Chronology web that documents events in history. Many of those events will have a structured topic associated with them, but many others will not, at least not right away. It works nicely to use both a table that is defined in the topic AND Table entries that are generated with SEARCH by searching the topics that exist, and dynamically generating the information for the table. For the items that don't exist yet, I want it to be easy to generate the structured topic by clicking on the ? after the undefined topic name. However, there is no way, except for a new web, to force the initial Topic Template to be selected correctly.

In terms of structured vs. unstructured, it depends on what your goals are. I really doubt that once a form is tied to a template, and the template is selected, that you will want a beginning user to change it, with ease EASIER than clicking Preview Changes (since the button is first on the page). Give me the case and I will believe you. But without a good case, my assertion stands -- Change template should move to the More... page. Rigid? No. User-friendly? Yes!

-- RaymondLutz - 10 Dec 2003