Please, please, Please make a directory tree instead of having all files for each "web" in one directory. We deal with over 600 servers here and TWiki is our main documentation tool. The problem is that we run into things like:

twiki.unix.dcecells.clt.systems.server1.changelogs

under that, we would have a document called "ApR2002" with all of the changes for April. The problem is that with all of the files in one directory, we have 600+ servers with one file that they are trying to share.

I understand that there are ways around this, but the idea of a wiki is free-form natural-thought-flow type documentation/postings and this is what works for us. If instead of: /twiki/data/unix

everything drilled down directories exactly like the web/twiki tree: /twiki/unix/dcecells/clt/systems/server1/changelogs

This would no longer be a problem.

TWiki is a great tool and I'd love to continue using it, but this is becoming a major obstacle. Please let me know if (and when) this will be done.

Thanks!

R. Atkins

flyboy0@bigfootPLEASENOSPAM.com

-- TWikiGuest - 12 Apr 2002

Nested webs has come up several times in the past. I don't blieve that it makes sense to map directory trees into TWiki webs, there are other ways of organzing the content more appropriate for a web environment.

How about creating one index topic per server. You can use the server name as the topic name, e.g. the topic for the twiki.unix.dcecells.clt.systems.server1 server would be DcecellsCltSystemsServer1Server or a non-Wiki name like dcecells_clt_systems_server1_server.

A server index topic lists all topics related to that server. For example, the change log for April would be DcecellsCltSystemsServer1ServerChangeLogs2002x04.

Listing related topics could be automated with an embedded search, e.g. %SEARCH{ "%TOPIC%" scope="topic" format="..." }%. You could also offer a form to create a new entry that proposes the initial part of the topic name, e.g. <type="text" name="topic" size="64" value="%TOPIC%" />. Take an example on the BugReports index topic.

You can organize content further using TWikiForms, e.g. you could use the IP address of the server as the topic name like ServerIp123x456x789x123 and list the name of the server in a form field. That way you can create reports that list the servers by IP address, server name, domain etc.

-- PeterThoeny - 12 Apr 2002