Getting Started with the Docs

Latest revision as of 00:07, 15 January 2012

Welcome to the docs! This is a living document so please make changes as we go to improve our process and make this better.

Lets go over some quick guidelines on creating new articles, editing articles and marking articles for review. These are going to help us with work flows so we can keep track of what is new, what is ready to be edited and what is complete.

[edit] Scope

The scope of the PageLines Docs is specific to the installation, use and integration of PageLines software. General guides on technologies outside of PageLines should not be a part of these Docs.

For example, a general guide on CSS is outside the scope of the Docs. However, a guide on how to use CSS inside of PageLines 2.0 is within the Scope. A guide on how to configure the Vanilla forum is outside of the scope. While a guide on how to integrate the Vanilla forum to work within PageLines is inside the scope.

[edit] Creating your User Page

If this is the first page you have visisted and you have not created a user page yet -- do it now!

To create your User Page after registering, click your User Name link at the very top of the Codex screen. [Until you put some content onto that page, the link will be red indicating a wiki page that doesn't yet exist.]

What should you do with this page?

• Learn Wiki markup
• Write something about yourself
• Post pictures of puppies
• Anything you want, its yours

[edit] Creating a New Page

Before you add a new page, search around to see if there is an existing page about the same topic. Edit this page instead of creating a new one.

Naming your pages:

Pages should be named based on what they are describing. If the page is explaining How-To add a feature slider, the page should be named "Add a Feature Slider"

If you need to create a new page there are two methods:

Method 1

1. Type the name of the article you want to create in the search field and search for it. Say we are using Penguins as the example.
2. Guess what? It does not exist -- but right under the search bar is "Create the page "Penguins" on this wiki!"
3. Click it and you have a new blank page.
4. Add some content and save to create your page.

Method 2

1. From any existing page just add a link to the page you want to create.
2. Add links by wrapping the page name in [[]]. Ex. [[Penguins]]
3. Save the page you are on and a red link will be created to the new page.
4. Goto the new page, add some content and save to create your page.

There are few setup steps when creating a new page.

1. Mark it as a new page [[Category:New Page]] to the bottom of your page.
2. Do not add your pages to the layout structure of the Docs. They will be moved to the proper place once the page has been completed.

[edit] Glossary Items

Glossary items are added to the Glossary page and should be a short definition of the term with a related example if applicable.

All glossary entries should be added to the [[Category:Glossary]] category.

[edit] How-To Page

A "How-To" page should first be written instructions on how-to accomplish a specific task related to PageLines.

The instructions should include images where applicable. Images should show before and after changes when using PageLines settings.

How-to's may also contain a video made from the script in the page.

Videos SHOULD NOT be started until the text, which becomes the video script, is complete and the page has been reviewed by an admin.

All How-To entries should be added to the [[Category:How-To]] category.

[edit] Discussions

You can use the discussion button in the wiki navigation to offer suggestions to authors.

If you are not the author of a particular page use the discussion section unless the author has marked the page as a draft and it is ready to edit.

[edit] Editing a Page

As your page develops you might want some help from everyone else to add to it or edit your content.

If you don't want your writing read, scrutinized, edited, slashed or deleted -- write on your personal blog, we wont touch it.

To mark your page as open for editing add a draft category link to the bottom of your page.

1. Use [[Category:Draft]]
2. Also add additional category links to describe the categories you feel are appropriate for the page. A list of current categories can be found under Special:Categories or using the Categories link at the bottom of the page.
3. Do not remove the [[Category:New Page]] link it will help with overall structure later on.

Any time you make a page edit, please add a note about what you changed.

Avoid deleting entire articles without first asking the author.
If the article does not describe the title or is poorly written, communicate this with the author. This helps us all improve.

[edit] Completing Pages

Answer the following questions before considering the page complete.

1. Is this page useful?
2. Does this page contain links to other pages?
   1. No page should be dead-ended, meaning no links to other wiki pages.
3. Does the article describe the problem addressed?
4. Has the page been edited for grammar, spelling and punctuation?
5. Is the page comprehensive and as concise as possible?

If yes to all, mark it complete by:

• Adding a [[Category:Complete]] link to the bottom of the page.

Completed pages will be reviewed by an admin and either sent back to the author or added into the Docs structure.