Feature Proposal: Adjust the search order for WebTopicEditTemplate to also include the USERSWEB

Motivation

My %SYSTEMWEB% is read-only mounted thanks to MultipleSitesSameCodebase, which means that it can't be changed via web browser & is applicable for ALL TWikiSites that run from the same codebase.

I'm motivated to be able customize the WebTopicEditTemplate once per TWikiSite (in the %USERSWEB%) instead of being forced to customize in either every web or once for all sites.

Description and Documentation

TWikiTemplates says that when you create a new topic, TWiki locates a topic to use as a content template according to the following search order:

1. A topic name specified by the templatetopic CGI parameter
   • if no web is specified, the current web is searched first and then the TWiki web
2. WebTopicEditTemplate in the current web
3. WebTopicEditTemplate in the %SYSTEMWEB% web

My proposal is to update this search order as follows :

1. A topic name specified by the templatetopic CGI parameter
   • if no web is specified, the current web is searched first and then the TWiki04x01 web
2. WebTopicEditTemplate in the current web
3. WebTopicEditTemplate in the %USERSWEB% web
4. WebTopicEditTemplate in the %SYSTEMWEB% web

Examples

Impact

Implementation

-- Contributors: KeithHelfrich, PeterThoeny - 2010-06-22

Discussion

This is the logical next step to make the TWiki web read-only. I am wondering if there is a need for a WebTopicEditTemplate in the Main web as you describe and for a separate WebTopicEditTemplate that overrides the system level template for the Main web. My guess is no, but...

-- PeterThoeny - 28 Jul 2007

Just because I can't imagine the reason doesn't mean that the reason doesn't exist !! So it's probably best to allow WebTopicEditTemplate to follow the same logical hierarchy that is followed by TWikiVariables ... and this would mean that the search order is filled as follows :

1. A topic name specified by the templatetopic CGI parameter
   • if no web is specified, the current web is searched first and then the %TWIKIWEB% web
2. WebTopicEditTemplate in the current web
3. WebTopicEditTemplate in the %MAINWEB% web
4. WebTopicEditTemplate in the %TWIKIWEB% web

-- KeithHelfrich - 31 Jul 2007

This is a sensible enhancement. No need for search path, simply adding the Main web's template in between site and web level is sufficient.

I put myself down as committed developer.

-- PeterThoeny - 2010-06-22

This is now AcceptedBy7DayFeedbackPeriod.

-- PeterThoeny - 2010-06-30

Code now in SVN trunk. Docs pending.

-- PeterThoeny - 2010-07-02

Docs partially done.

-- PeterThoeny - 2010-07-04

Docs are finished as well.

-- PeterThoeny - 2010-07-06