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Last modified by Ryan C on 2025/03/16 01:07

Getting Started with XWiki

This page covers all the essential steps and tips you need to create great content in XWiki without any confusion.

πŸ“– Table of Contents:

πŸ“Ž Attachments and Images

You can easily upload files and images directly from the WYSIWYG editor:

Uploading Attachments:

  • Click Edit to enter the WYSIWYG editor.
  • Click on the Attachment icon (πŸ“Ž paperclip icon).
  • Drag-and-drop or select your file to upload it instantly.
  • Uploaded files will automatically be listed as attachments at the bottom of your page.

Inserting Images with Enlargable Thumbnails

  1. In the editor, click the "Insert Image" icon from the toolbar.
  2. Upload or select the image.
  3. Choose the Thumbnail option to create a clickable enlargable preview automatically.

⚑ Using the / Macro Shortcut

The / macro shortcut is a powerful and quick way to insert macros while editing pages in XWiki's WYSIWYG editor:

  • Simply type / and start typing the macro name or feature you want to add.
  • You'll see suggestions appear as you type. Select the macro to insert it directly without manual syntax.
  • Example macros include:
    • /toc – Table of Contents
    • /box – Insert Box Macro
    • /gallery – Image Gallery
    • /footnote – Add footnotes to your text
    • /code – Code blocks for programming snippets

This shortcut dramatically speeds up editing, no need to memorize complicated wiki syntax.

✏️ Basic Formatting and Links (Quick Guide)

  • Bold text: Select text, click the Bold button or press Ctrl + B.
  • Italic text: Select text, click "Italic" in the toolbar or use Ctrl+I.
  • Creating Links:
    • Highlight text and click "Link" or use shortcut Ctrl+K.
    • Paste or select the page URL to link internally.

πŸ” Useful Tips & Best Practices

  • Save drafts frequently: Press Ctrl+S regularly.
  • Macros greatly simplify content formattingβ€”use / often.
  • Edit attachments: Hover attachments directly below your page in view mode to manage or delete them.
  • Use minimal formatting to ensure readability.

⚑Guests can contribute

  1. Guests can edit pages in the main content area without signing up. If this becomes problematic I'll change it but for now I'd like everyone to have access with as little trouble as possible.
  2. Use Your Sandbox on the left, mess around with macros and other editing options. There's a lot of options to customize content.
  3. Leave comments, give suggestions, request features.

Content Guidelines

  • Ensure your content is well-researched, you don't need to include references in the format of footnotes for your material, but you should try to include studies or links to give credibility to your claims. For instance, just claiming that IQ is genetic is genetic wouldn't be valid unless you provide a study backing up that assertion, or more likely link to a page within this site that explains why IQ is not something that is purely determined by environmental factors. If such a page doesn't exist, create it, and start providing studies that show this.
  • Use clear, concise language and avoid using slurs, slang, or troll like language. This isn't supposed to be encyclopedia dramatica, I'd like things to remain relatively mature and well thought out.

Directories and Page URLs

  • The categories I have made up should cover most content, but if you feel your content doesn't fit under them, feel free to make a new category. Moving pages and reorganizing content in this wiki is very easy.

Here’s a consolidated guide tailored for your XWiki environment, integrating essential syntax, formatting options, and an overview of notable macros to enhance content creation and management.ξˆ†

      1. XWiki Editing Modes

XWiki offers multiple editing modes to accommodate various user preferences and technical requirements:ξˆ†

  • WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) Editor: Ideal for users unfamiliar with wiki syntax, this editor provides a user-friendly interface resembling traditional word processors. It allows for straightforward text formatting, image insertion, and link creation without delving into markup language. ξˆ€citeξˆ‚turn0search0ξˆξˆ†
  • Wiki Editor: This mode enables direct editing using XWiki’s markup syntax. It’s suitable for users comfortable with wiki syntax and those requiring precise control over the content structure.ξˆ†
  • Inline Form Editing: Used primarily for pages containing structured data or custom applications, this mode presents editable fields directly within the page view, streamlining data entry and updates.ξˆ†

Switching Between Syntaxes

XWiki supports multiple syntaxes, including XWiki 2.1, MediaWiki, and others. While it’s possible to switch a page’s syntax, exercise caution, as certain syntaxes may not fully support WYSIWYG editing. For instance, changing a page to MediaWiki syntax might limit the availability of the WYSIWYG editor. ξˆ€citeξˆ‚turn0search6ξˆξˆ†

2. Essential Formatting Options

To ensure content is both engaging and accessible, utilize the following formatting techniques:ξˆ†

  • Headings: Organize content hierarchically using headings. In XWiki syntax, headings are defined by one to six plus signs add, corresponding to heading levels 1 to 6.ξˆ†
  + Heading Level 1
  ++ Heading Level 2
  +++ Heading Level 3

ξˆ†

  • Text Formatting: Apply styles such as bold, italics, and underlining to emphasize text.ξˆ†
    • Bold: Surround text with double asterisks.ξˆ†
**bold text**
    • Italics: Use double underscores.ξˆ†
__italic text__
    • Underline: Enclose text with double tildes.ξˆ†
~~underlined text~~
  • Lists: Create ordered and unordered lists for structured information.ξˆ†
    • Unordered List: Begin lines with asterisk star or hyphen delete.ξˆ†
* Item 1
* Item 2
    • Ordered List: Start lines with a number followed by a period.ξˆ†
1. First item
2. Second item
  • Links: Insert internal and external links to connect related content.ξˆ†
    • Internal Link: Use square brackets with the page name.ξˆ†
[[PageName]]
    • External Link: Provide the URL directly.ξˆ†
[https://www.example.com]
  • Images: Embed images to enrich content.ξˆ†
  [[image:example.jpg]]

ξˆ†

3. Utilizing XWiki Macros

Macros are powerful tools in XWiki that allow for dynamic content inclusion and advanced formatting. Here are ten notable macros to consider:ξˆ†

  1. Box Macro: Encapsulates content within a styled box, useful for highlighting information.ξˆ†
{{box}}
Your content here.
{{/box}}

ξˆ†

  1. Info Macro: Displays an informational message, often used for tips or notes.ξˆ†
{{info}}
This is an informational note.
{{/info}}

ξˆ†

  1. Warning Macro: Highlights warnings or important notices.ξˆ†
{{warning}}
Caution: Proceed with care.
{{/warning}}

ξˆ†

  1. Code Macro: Renders code snippets with syntax highlighting.ξˆ†
{{code language="python"}}
def hello_world():
    print("Hello, world!")
{{/code}}

ξˆ†

  1. Gallery Macro: Creates an image gallery from attached images.ξˆ†
{{gallery}}
[[image1.jpg]]
[[image2.jpg]]
{{/gallery}}

ξˆ†

  1. TOC (Table of Contents) Macro: Generates a table of contents based on page headings.ξˆ†
{{toc/}}

ξˆ†

  1. Include Macro: Embeds content from another page.ξˆ†
{{include reference="PageName"/}}

ξˆ†

  1. Display Macro: Displays the content of another document or an object property.ξˆ†
{{display reference="PageName"/}}

ξˆ†

  1. Velocity Macro: Executes Velocity scripts for dynamic content generation.ξˆ†
{{velocity}}
#set($greeting = "Hello, $user.name!")
$greeting
{{/velocity}}

ξˆ†

  1. HTML Macro: Allows the inclusion of