C64-Wiki:C64-Wiki Course
Dear visitor,
the C64-Wiki should become a kind of C64 dictionary and is open to all topics about the C64. To help potential authors to do the first steps (and to make you curious), I want to teach you in this course some basic knowledge concerning a Wiki. The C64-Wiki is based on the MediaWiki-Software (which also are many other Wikis, e.g. Wikipedia). Hence the knowledge which is communicated in this course is applicable for many other Wikis. That is the reason why I started to write this course.
The C64-Wiki Course is intended to facilitate the writing of articles for C64-Wiki newbies and to serve advanced C64-Wiki users as a backup. As a side effect you are learning the basic handling of a Wiki.
To write, complete or correct an article, you can work ONLINE in the Wiki or optionally use any text editor OFFLINE to prepare the article. A big help is the knowledge of a few Wiki-Codes.
If you now pose yourself the question: „Do I have to fear to ruin something?“, I can reassure you. With only a few clicks the original state is restored (how to do that is described below in section 3).
Another question you could ask is: „Do I have to register as a user and what would I get out of it?“
A user doesn't need to register. But with a registration a user has more rights. For example will he be allowed to upload images, he may rate games with the built-in vote function, he can watch articles, and so on. For the registration you need to enter only a vacant user name and a password. Futher information can optionally be given. All the work can be assigned to the user name, which can be regarded as another advantage. A registered author is usually seen as a more reliable source than one that appears comparatively anonymous through an IP address.
C64-Wiki article[edit source]
Here I will explain to you what an article in a C64-Wiki is and how it is created. In section 1.4 you can find a small exercise for how to put this into practice.
Definition[edit source]
An article is an independent contribution in the C64-Wiki. There are different types of articles (user article, special pages, categories, and much more). Here we primarily attend to the user article. This can be written for different fields (games, applications, etc.). In the group of games preformed articles (sample articles, empty articles) are used, in other fields there are no presettings yet.
Layout[edit source]
A free article consists mainly only of text without any presettings. By refining the article with the help of Wiki-Codes (bold text, headlines, internal and external links, and much more) the article will take shape. Other possibilities unfold by the use of categories and special C64-Wiki functions. Additonally, images and media can be integrated into the article.
Creation of the article[edit source]
A C64-Wiki article is easily created by typing a new title into an existing article and marking this as an internal link. In the C64-Wiki this leads to a red link (a hint to a future article). In the C64-Wiki I have prepared the "C64-Wiki portal" for new articles. There new articles are placed in the corresponding field (e.g. games). If the internal links are selcted, the user will be led to an empty article, which carries the chosen name. There you can add the text and as the case my be the Wiki-Codes. The text can be written ONLINE or simply copied from a text file (which has been created OFFLINE).
Another possibility to create an article consists in the unsuccessful search for an article: the search term (title of the new article) couldn't be found, so the page for search results offers the creation of this article.
Exercise[edit source]
Create the article "practise article NAME" (please insert your name for NAME. In the following text I have named the article Practise article Sledgie and already processed this article in the C64-Wiki ONLINE.
- In the menu on the left, select the "C64-Wiki portal" (mainportal). There you can find all current fields (games, applications and miscellaneous).
- In the sub portal miscellaneous (--> portal:Miscellaneous#C64-Wiki Course - articles of course participants) you can find C64-Wiki Course - articles of course participants in the content (alternatively you can scroll down to the bottom) and click on "edit". Now you are in the edit mode of the C64-Wiki.
- Write the title of your article on the very end in between two squared brackets (example: Practise article Sledgie). The double squared brackets mark the containing text as an internal link. The squared brackets are next to the P on an english keyboard (UK as well as US). Alternatively you can mark the title with the mouse and select the corresponding ICON from the menu bar above the editor window.
- Now you should save your work with the "SAVE" button or you look at it with the "PREVIEW" button. Please proceed only after saving your work.
- In the group C64-Wiki Course - articles of course participants your chosen title appears as a red link. Click on it and you automatically are brought into the edit mode of your new article.
- Write now any text you like (e.g. "This is my first C64-Wiki article, it wasn't as difficult as I had thought in the first place.").
- After you saved your work, the article is finished. By choosing "edit" this article can be changed or completed.
Wiki-Codes[edit source]
In this section you learn about the most important Wiki-Codes. With the Wiki-Codes articles can be given shape (e.g. headlines, listings, bold type...).
See also: C64-Wiki: Edit help
Overview of a few Wiki-Codes[edit source]
In this overview you find some Wiki-Codes, that I use very often. Partially they can be combined.
bold script (three inverted commas in front and behind the text; the inverted comma can be found next to the semicolon)
'''bold script''' creates bold script
italic script (two inverted commas in front and behind the text and five inverted commas make bold italic script.)
''italic script'' creates italic script
listing dots (star in front of the word or sentence)
* listing dot 1 * listing dot 2
creates
- listing dot 1
- listing dot 2
Numeration (number sign in front of the word or sentence)
# Numeration1 # Numeration2
creates
- Numeration1
- Numeration2
Internal link =link to an article in the C64-Wiki (two squared brackets in front and behind the text or sentence)
[[Interal link]] creates Internal link.
A red link leads to a not yet existing article, a blue link shows that there is an article behind the link.
External link = link to an external website, file,... (simple squared bracket in front and behind and optional explanatory text module)
[External link text of external links] text of external link
moving text to the right (for each colon the text moves a bit to the right, can be used multiple)
: moving text to the right
creates
- moving text to the right
Headline – level 2 (two equal signs in front and behind the text creates a headline for level 2)
== Headline – level 2 == creates Headline – level 2
If you use more than three headlines in an article, a table of contents is created automatically.
Excercise for the Wiki-Codes[edit source]
Use the known Wiki-Codes in your article. Design a well arranged article, e.g. with the topic C64, how you came to own a C64 and how you use it today.
- Search for your article with the help of the search function! (menu on the left)
- Select your article from the search results and enter the edit mode.
- Write an introduction and the other items on other levels. Use internal links in your article (e.g. C64, name of a game, name of a demo,...). Write issues you want to highlight in bold or italic script. Use other Wiki-Codes if necessary (lisiting, numeration, moving the text).
- Preview your article. Here you can see what the article will look like and you can make changes before you save.
- Change the following: create another level: My links to C64, and add one or more external links.
- Now you have finished your first article about the C64.
Restoring older versions[edit source]
With every change the Wiki saves the old state of the article. Thereby you can look at an old state at any time und maybe restore it. To get an old state, you do the following:
- Call up the corresponding article.
- Click in the bar on history. Hereby the whole historical development will be displayed.
- If you have then found the last correct version of the article and you look at it, then you click in the bar on edit and then directly on save. The warning, that you are currently taking over an old state, can be ignored, as this is what you intended.
Form article[edit source]
A form article is an article which contains certain structures for all articles. At present form articles are used with the games, applications and interviews.
Reasons for form articles[edit source]
The following reasons argue for the use of form articles:
- The creation of new articles is facilitated by the presettings.
- Automatic checks are possible (e.g. query, whether basic dates are missing, list of all missing title images,...)
- If changes need to be made, the corresponding sections can be opened and edited systematically (e.g. the section for the links to add more links)
- It is possible to create articles which update themselves automatically (e.g. the „Highscore Gallery" and the „Golden Games")
Setup of form articles[edit source]
The form articles are designed for the corresponding article groups (e.g. games, applications, interviews) and then serve as a master copy for new articles in this group. With the example of a gamearticle I will describe the setup. Games have at the moment two form articles:
In the sample article you can find a complete article with description of the individual sections.
In the game example you only see an empty article except the filling images. It is useful as a master copy for new articles.
Exercise[edit source]
With this exercise you create a gamearticle in the C64-Wiki. Please select a game which is not contained in the C64-Wiki yet. For check-up just use the "search function" (left box below the navigation).
In this exercise no images will be used. How you insert the title picture and the cover of the game will be shown in section 6.
a) On the main page of the C64-Wiki you choose the game example (you can find it in the area on the right in the box Did you know...?). Alternatively you can use the "search function" (simply look for emtpy article).
b) In the empty article you choose the flag "View source" and copy the whole text of the article into any text processing program.
c) Now you can add the data concerning the game. Please don't erase the headlines, the SimpleVote function or the last line containing the categories. When you are finished, save your work as a precaution.
d) Use the search function in the C64-Wiki and search for the chosen game. If there is no such gamearticle yet, the result page will offer you to create a new article. Select this possibility.
e) Now a totally empty area appears with the title of the gamearticle. Here you insert the text of your text file and save the page.
f) As a result you get a gamearticle. It can now be changed or expanded by all users.
Image files[edit source]
Image files contribute to the article at the appropriate place. In the gamearticle there are e.g. title images, covers, sreenshots and highscore pictures. Only registered users are allowed to upload images.
Information concerning the copyright[edit source]
Only free images (including the source reference) or images of one's own are allowed to be uploaded. If necessary, suitable information can be entered as a text to the pictures.
Integration of the images[edit source]
The pictures are placed in the article at a suitable place by using the right Wiki-Code. Here is an example of a title image of a game:
[[Image:Title.gif|thumb|300px|Description]]
For the beginning it is enough to integrate the images via [[Image:Title.gif]] or in gamearticles to exchange the "empty images" with your own articles. ( exchange Image:Title.gif by Image:owntitle.gif)
Exercise[edit source]
Upload the images for your article and place them in the article. Note: Only registered users can do this exercise.
- Login with your user name and choose the tool "upload file".
- Select the picture from your hard disk for the upload and add the description. ( e.g. title of the image).
- After uploading copy the name of the picture and insert it at the corresponding place of your article.
Tips n tricks for the C64-Wiki[edit source]
In the C64-Wiki there are -as it is with all the other things- some tips and tricks which make the work easier. In the following I show you the ones that came to my mind spontaneously. If you have more tips & tricks for the Wiki just add them here...
Copy & Paste[edit source]
Many articles are designed very quickly by the well-known "copy & paste" function. You can also fall back on the big brother Wikipedia.
Getting back old versions[edit source]
More about this topic can be seen in section 3 Restoring older versions. This function can also be used to for testing, e.g. to try and see what an article would look like with the new format.
Recent changes[edit source]
On the special page Recent changes you can get an overview of what has happened in the C64-Wiki the last days with just one click. New articles are marked with an "N" and small changes with an "M". Furthermore most of the time there is a hint to where and what has been changed in the last bracket. The user is also quickly recognized.
Discussion pages[edit source]
Every article has a discussion page that you can call up by clicking on the flag "discussion" (top bar). The page for discussion can be used for suggestions for the article (if you don't want to or cannot make the changes yourself), for questions or when something is not quite clear. The discussion page is always accessible, even if the article is protected!
Closing Words[edit source]
We hope the C64-Wiki Course was fun and maybe some questions around the C64-Wiki could be answered.
If you need further help, just email to Klaus Stock (tech@c64-wiki.de) for technical questions and to Thorsten Schreck (sledgie@c64-wiki.de) for all other questions, criticism and so on.
