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Web 2.0 - Collaborative Teaching and Learning


Ed Podesta

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Well done Dan!

I'll have a go, see if you think this is simple enough - I can expand on specifics if you need. You could visit this site for in-depth instructions. (these look fiendishly hard, but actually, if you go step by step then you can't go far wrong).

1. Make sure your server space has access to a msql database.

2. create a mysql database (call it something like "wiki"), using the instructions provided by your Hosting Provider (each one is slightly different).

3. Create a user on the new database that you just made. Call this user something memorable (wikiuser) and make a note of the password for that user.

3. Download a copy of the mediawiki software from http://mediawiki.org/.

4. Unzip the package to a folder. Rename the folder something simple (like "wiki")

5. Use your FTP programme to upload the "wiki" folder to your webspace, so that you'll get a URL of www.yourdomain.com/wiki

6. Go to www.yourdomain.com/wiki/config/index.php and follow the online instructions!

Hassle me, if you want help!

Ed.

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Ed, you have the gift of simplicity. A fine description which makes my attempts seem over burdensome. I have to thank the web support team from my webhosts who managed to unpick all the cock-ups I made along the way! But I got there in the end! Next question - how do I personalise my wiki?

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Ed, you have the gift of simplicity. A fine description which makes my attempts seem over burdensome. I have to thank the web support team from my webhosts who managed to unpick all the cock-ups I made along the way! But I got there in the end! Next question - how do I personalise my wiki?

This is the exciting bit - you need to edit "localsettings.php" and add a couple of extensions.

Visit http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Customization for full information, but I suggest you make the following changes

1. install inputbox extension. (makes it easy to add a "type here to add a new page" box")

2. change the logo

3. make it impossible to edit unless you've logged in.

4. decide whether you want your users to be able to upload pics, and make this possible.

save a back-upcopy of your localsettings.php file before you edit, things can go wrong, and will, and you don't want to have to re-install everything!

If you want to borrow pages/wiki mark up examples then click on the "edit" button of wikipedia, or my new (as yet un-announced) new wiki at http://wiki.onedamnthing.org.uk.

Ed.

Edited by Ed Podesta
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This is the exciting bit - you need to edit "localsettings.php" and add a couple of extensions.

Visit http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Customization for full information, but I suggest you make the following changes

1. install inputbox extension. (makes it easy to add a "type here to add a new page" box")

2. change the logo

3. make it impossible to edit unless you've logged in.

4. decide whether you want your users to be able to upload pics, and make this possible.

save a back-upcopy of your localsettings.php file before you edit, things can go wrong, and will, and you don't want to have to re-install everything!

Ok, you lost me on the first bit! I have only ever used dreamweaver rather than using code myself and I am sure that my webshosts did all the work for me. How do I edit localsettings.php?

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This is the exciting bit - you need to edit "localsettings.php" and add a couple of extensions.

Visit http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Customization for full information, but I suggest you make the following changes

1. install inputbox extension. (makes it easy to add a "type here to add a new page" box")

2. change the logo

3. make it impossible to edit unless you've logged in.

4. decide whether you want your users to be able to upload pics, and make this possible.

save a back-upcopy of your localsettings.php file before you edit, things can go wrong, and will, and you don't want to have to re-install everything!

Ok, you lost me on the first bit! I have only ever used dreamweaver rather than using code myself and I am sure that my webshosts did all the work for me. How do I edit localsettings.php?

Open the wiki directory, using your FTP programme and look for a file called "localsettings.php". Download this, and then immediately make a copy and put it in a safe place, incase you cockup later.

You can edit localsettings.php using wordpad or notepad. wordpad is better, as it keeps things on separate lines.

In localsettings.php any line that starts with a #, ## or // is a comment line, which either explains what's going on, or has made an optional line of code ineffected (this is known as being "commented out").

Have a quick scan through, you'll see that the address of your sql database is there, along with the username and password (delete these from any version of your settings file that you plan to share with others, or if you post excerpts to forums to get help from experts).

below this are lots of settings, most of which I don't get! But the customization page at wikimedia will help - and i fyou haev any specific questions I'll help!

eD.

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Thanks Ed, but I don't use an FTP prgramme - I have always used Dreamweaver to upload my files. I have a friend who is going to show me how to do some thing similar on Wed so will ask him to have a look at this as well. What FTP programme do you use?

Filezilla is good, or smart FTP.

you need your ftp username and password from your ISP (you probably typed these into dreamweaver previously). Doug's Edupress site has a installation guide, in which he runs through using FTP to upload edupress to a server. The issues are the same.

Ed.

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Ok have installed smartftp, downloaded the localhost.ftp onto the desktop, saved a copy and have opened it up in wordpad. I have hopefully changed the logo and taken out the username and password. If I open it up with smartftp and them upload the file will that be enough? Also how do I set it up to allow students to create a new page as you have done.

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Ok have installed smartftp, downloaded the localhost.ftp onto the desktop, saved a copy and have opened it up in wordpad. I have hopefully changed the logo and taken out the username and password. If I open it up with smartftp and them upload the file will that be enough? Also how do I set it up to allow students to create a new page as you have done.

(I take it you mean "localsettings.php".! :) )

yes, overwrite the copy on your remote server by uploading your new version.

You need to place a file called "inputbox.php" in your extensions folder (under your wiki folder) and add some code to localsettings.php. You can get inputbox.php from here, and further instructions as to how to use it http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Inputbox.

The code you should add to localsettings.php (at the end, and before the "?>") is:

require_once("extensions/inputbox.php");

I would also recommend that you add the following line of code, which means that people have to log in before they can edit:

$wgGroupPermissions['*']['edit'] = false;

$wgShowIPinHeader = false; # For non-logged in users

Again, put this before the "?>" tag at the end of localsettings.php.

Once that's done and working, then you can cut and paste code from the mediawiki help page on "inputbox" or use a simple version as set out below:

== Where do we start? ==

Anyone who is logged in (and anyone is welcome to register), including you, can write for {{SITENAME}}! Just type a title in the box below, click "Create article", and start writing:

<inputbox>

type=create

width=45

</inputbox>

'Create article' takes you to an edit page to enter the new text. Of course, names are important, meaning the title of the page, and un-doing mistakes can take time, so it's always a good idea to do a bit of careful thinking before you start a page.

Hope that helps!

Ed.

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Hi Ed, I'm back again. I am fairly sure that I have followed all your instructions but still haven't got it right. I don't have the create article box showing, and I also don't have a logo to replace the mediawiki one. Any chance of having a look at where I am going wrong?

Also although I am using smartftp to check the files and used it to download the localhost.php I can't work out how to upload using it as it crashes when I try to, so have gone back to dreamweaver to upload the files. Can you explain how I can upload using smartftp?

Your help is most appreciated, I'll buy you a beer when we next meet up, but in the meantime you'll have to make do with a virtual one! :lol:

Edited by Dan Lyndon
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Hi Ed, I'm back again. I am fairly sure that I have followed all your instructions but still haven't got it right. I don't have the create article box showing, and I also don't have a logo to replace the mediawiki one. Any chance of having a look at where I am going wrong?

Also although I am using smartftp to check the files and used it to download the localhost.php I can't work out how to upload using it as it crashes when I try to, so have gone back to dreamweaver to upload the files. Can you explain how I can upload using smartftp?

Your help is most appreciated, I'll buy you a beer when we next meet up, but in the meantime you'll have to make do with a virtual one! :lol:

If you want to pm me with the FTP passwords n stuff then I don't mind taking a look at your localsettings.php file.

Filezilla is better than smartftp, but a bit more daunting from a interface pov, Smart should work by drag and drop, once you're logged into your space using your ftp password.

Ed.

Edited by Ed Podesta
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