HOWTO Add a Page to the Wiki

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Introduction

Much of wiki editing is discoverable by looking around the wiki user interface for menus and buttons. The way to add a new page to the wiki, is not so obvious. The Y-U-NO guy below is doing his best, but it's not working out for him, as you can see. Read on and discover how to create your first page!

WIKI Y U NO HAVE SAVE-AS?

Creating a Page

If it's equipment

Go here: Add Equipment Form

Preferred Approach for other pages

  1. Find a page on the wiki where you want a link to your new page to appear.
  2. Edit this page to add a link to your new page: the name of your new page surrounded by double-square-brackets.
    • For example [[Page Name|Markup text]]
  3. Click the "Show preview" button under the editing window, and the new link should display as red text, which indicates a link to a page that doesn't exist yet. (If the link is blue, there is already a wiki page with the name you have chosen.)
  4. Save the page where you just created your link so that the link is saved.
  5. Click on the red link you just created, and you will be taken to the editing screen for your new page.

Alternative Approach

  1. Type in the URL for your new page, for example: http://i3detroit.org/wi/index.php?title=YOUR_NEW_TITLE_HERE
  2. Click on the create tab, edit your new page and save
  3. Make sure that another page will link to your new page so that it is not orphaned!

Learn to Love Categories

  • Make sure to check Special:Categories and apply any relevant categories to your page
    • Add the categories by adding a tags like this [[Category:ExampleCategory]] at the bottom of the page on the edit screen
    • Categories are like #hashtags but more useful!

Use Wiki Markup Like a Pro

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: WIKI Y U NO HAVE SAVE-AS?

A: Experience shows that when we create documents using a Save-As command, we tend to fill shared drives with documents that have ambiguous names and little context. This lack of context makes it hard to find and understand the pages of information we need.


Q: What structure could provide more context to pages of information than a tree structure?

A: A directed graph, AKA a web. A wiki is a tool for creating a web of pages containing information.


Q: Can I just dump a bunch of pages of information into the wiki and give the pages some context later, when I have time?

A: Not easily. The importance of page context is enforced by the wiki software. You cannot create a new wiki page without first giving it some context by linking it into the web structure. Of course, additional context (links to your page) can always be added.


Q: How different is this from the way we usually create computer documents?

A: Exactly opposite, as you can see below.


Q: OK, so how do I provide the context I need to start a page?

A: The essential element of context you need for your new page is a link from an existing wiki page to your new page. This is how others will find your page and understand what it means. This first step is the non-intuitive, non-discoverable part, and the place where many people get stuck.


Hints and Tips

  • The "Show preview" button under the editing screen is your friend. It shows you an un-saved preview of the current page contents with the editing screen down at the bottom.
  • Click on the "Powered by MediaWiki" icon in the lower-right-hand corner of the wiki page to open the MediaWiki home page in a new window. Click "User help" on this page to find documentation on formatting, links, images, etc.
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