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May 3, 2006
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ProWikiCenter
Page Hierarchy
 
ProWiki allows SubPages recursively actually forming a page hierarchy. Because of the use of the slash "/" this very much resembles the file and directory system that most people know from their computers (MS Windows, Linux, or other OperatingSystem).

Note:

  • While the computer FileSystem needs directories and files, the ProWiki PageHierarchy just contains one type of elements: pages.
  • Language: When a page (e. g. the page "Option") has a SubPage (e. g. the page "Option/WikiLanguage") then the page on the higher level is called the ParentPage.
  • When a page down the hierarchy is displayed, its parent (and its grandparent, in general all its ancestors) are displayed as link options either in the LinkBar or - in a small font - above the page title. So it's easy to navigate the PageHierarchy.
  • Language: family terms are in general helpful. The SubPages of page are often called Children. A page on the same level may be called "brother page".
  • A page and all its SubPages (and their SubPages Recursively) is also call a Branch (like a branch of a tree). There are a number of features related to Branches.
  • CdmlList can list pages of a branch, either alphabetically or according to "least recently changed". This makes a handy local directory or even something like a local RecentChanges useful for a personal workspace.
  • The ContextPage may reconfigure arbitrary properties of the branch. SubPages inherit the properties of their ParentPage. If this is done extensively we talk about WikiFractality. If a branch gets configured to work almost like a separated isolated wiki, it is called a SubWiki.
Linking in the PageHierarchy:
  • Linking seems to become more complicated in a PageHierarchy but this is not the case necessarily, at least not for the users.
  • ProWiki offers the configurable AutoLinkStrategies option which looks for pages to link automatically in various places, e. g. down the hierarchy among the children, on the same hierarchical level (brothers), among the parent and "uncles", on the wiki (or SubWiki) level, on the top level or in special branches of the wiki. Basically this means that one rarely cares about how the pages link automatically.
  • The same is true when a page is created. If the system is configured by AutoLinkStrategies to look into seven places to link, then it will also offer these seven places as alternatives to create a new page. The user gets a page with alternatives to select from. If you dislike this, you can define separate AutoNewStrategies or turn this feature off for page creation (or do this for any part of the wiki).

FolderStructures