Static, Wiki-Format Content Plugin

The TextFormattingRules for the Wiki are a lot simpler than HTML. I would like to be able to create static pages (mostly output from programs) in Wiki format, that are on the same server but not, per se, in the Wiki file system. These might be output from programs as well as hand-made.

I would like a plugin, which allows links similar to the InterwikiPlugin links, so that when it sees a link, (maybe Basetag|dir/PageName , for example) would use a variant of the view command and templates to render the page. The Basetag would be defined in a table, similar to what InterwikiPlugin does, to define a set of base locations in the server from which pages would be served.

All Wiki operations for rendering (including super-useful stuff like the LaTeXToMathMLPlugin or MathModePlugin) and SourceHighlightPlugin would be available. Regular WikiWord links would simply link back the host Wiki.

This combination would then be useful for putting out simplified mark-up from programs, or simplified LiterateDevelopment mark-up. Part of the problem with using TWiki for LiterateProgramming is (as I've remarked before) that code development requires a more powerful editor (like Vim ) and revision control system (I use Aegis ) and doesn't fit well into the Wiki model. However, writing requirements etc. fits quite well into Wiki. Being able to put out Wiki format static pages as the published "woven" code would be IMHO a good compromise.

Similar Work

I see that the ReadOnlyOfflineWiki topic has discussed something like this and there is a PublishAddOn that can publish Wiki topics out. I could see the two being useful in conjuction with each other, particularly publishing out a literate program with documentation. What I need is to integrate stuff outside the Wiki but on the same server, with a new reference tag form.

More Points On Which I'd Like Comment

• Certain Wiki variables like %ATTACHURL% wouldn't make sense. Maybe these would be translated to a simple relative file name. Are there any other such snags?
• Syntax of the link. Maybe {{Basetag/dir/page}} would be more in the spirit of Wiki or ~Basetag/dir/page to be less in the spirit of Wiki.
• Since the content will be fairly static perhaps it should be written to HTML only once, and updated using a make structure (to keep track of dependencies from links).
• If the Basetag definition also defined a reference page in the Wiki, then the read/write permissions of that page could be used to define the access permissions to the static content.

-- SimonClift - 30 Apr 2003

Simon,

Glad to see you taking this initiative! No specific comments re the above so far (I probably need to reread a few times).

I presume that the pages (in Basetag|dir/PageName) could have WikiWord links to other TWiki pages.

Which web would these pages (the ones in Basetag|dir/PageName) be in ... would they be in a web defined by the "dir" in that link? Or in some existing / different web?

Best wishes!!

-- RandyKramer - 01 May 2003

My idea was that the Basetag|dir/PageName pages would be able to have regular WikiWord type links, yes. I was thinking that they would be Wiki format, but stored elsewhere, possibly in a heirarchical structure like conventional web pages. I suppose the idea comes down to being able to format conventional-style content using Wiki markup, but also be able to refer to it concisely from the Wiki and vice versa.

-- SimonClift - 12 May 2003