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Frequently Asked Questions About TWiki

This is a real FAQ, and also a demo of an easily implemented knowledge-base solution. To see how it's done, view the source of this topic.

• How can I create a simple TWiki Forms based application? Answer
• I am a registered user and I have authenticated myself before I edited a topic. But after saving the topic, the left bar and the variable %WIKIUSERNAME% are showing "TWikiGuest" instead of my name. Answer
• How do I convert a table from HTML to TML? Answer
• How do I set up cron jobs on Mac OS X? Answer
• How do I delete or rename a topic? Answer
• How do I delete or rename a file attachment? Answer
• Why does the topic revision not increase when I edit a topic? Answer
• When I try to access TWiki, I get the "Premature end of script headers: ..." error. Answer
• TWiki has a GPL (GNU General Public License). What is GPL? Answer
• How can I create a .htpasswd file that is owned by the webserver user? Answer
• How do you log off? Suppose I log in with the guest username but later I want to use another username, how do I log off from the guest user name? Answer
• How do I move the form to the top of the page? Answer
• How do I upgrade an already installed extension like a plugin using configure? Answer
• Need to know which is the best stable version of perl to be used in the End. Answer
• I've problems with the WebSearch. There is no Search Result on any inquiry. By clicking the Index topic it's the same problem. Answer
• What happens if two of us try to edit the same topic simultaneously? Answer
• I would like to install TWiki on my server. Can I get the source? Answer
• How can I use international (I18N) characters in usernames? Answer
• What does the "T" in TWiki stand for? Answer
• So what is this WikiWiki thing exactly? Answer
• Everybody can edit any page, this is scary. Doesn't that lead to chaos? Answer

NOTE: The most recent version of this FAQ is at TWiki:TWiki/TWikiFAQ.

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NOTE: These topics are for frequently asked questions including answers; please ask support questions in the Support Forum on TWiki.org.

More sources...

Other places where you can find answers to your questions:

• TWikiDocumentation: All you need to know to install and configure TWiki
• TWikiTutorial: Get a jump start on using TWiki
• GoodStyle: Things to consider when changing text
• WikiSyntax, TextFormattingRules: A quick one-two guide to TWiki shorthand basics
• TextFormattingFAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions about text styling in TWiki
• If you can't find an answer, ask a question - post it in the Support Forum on TWiki.org

-- Contributors: TWiki:Main.PeterThoeny, TWiki:Main.MikeMannix, TWiki:Main.CrawfordCurrie

Comments & Questions about this Distribution Document Topic

Question:: whats the difference between :: addons, plugins, extensions, contribs?

Answer:: (thanks to MichaelDaum on #twiki)
<nadd> whats the difference between an addon and a plugin ?
<nadd> there is ExcelImportExportPlugin and Excel Import Export Add-On
<nadd> actually its the same for alot of other things
<nadd> err, i still dont get it, there are plugins, extensions, and addons
<MichaelDaum> extensions are all plugins and contribs
<MichaelDaum> addons are an old fashion way to name a contrib
<MichaelDaum> there are only three things: plugins, contribs and skins
<MichaelDaum> plugins are perl
<MichaelDaum> contribs not necessarily
<MichaelDaum> plugins benefit from a specific plugin infrastructure of handlers to hook into the engine
<MichaelDaum> contribs just sit there ready to be used
<MichaelDaum> sometimes contribs serve as a kind of middleware for plugins
<nadd> so basically pluggins are part of a structure, they use the core in some sturctured way,
<MichaelDaum> yep
<nadd> contribs are written in some random way, it just works
<MichaelDaum> for example to implement a %MYTAG you use a plugin to get it into the TWikiMarkupLanguage
<nadd> eventually contribs become plugins right ? if they turn out to be really useful
<MichaelDaum> it very much depends on the kind of contrib how you get to use them
<MichaelDaum> no
<MichaelDaum> one way some contribs work is
<MichaelDaum> that they come with a special cgi script
<MichaelDaum> that calls contrib code
<nadd> ahh, not from the twiki engine like plugins
<MichaelDaum> exactly
<nadd> okok .. i get it now
<nadd> err, i think you should copy this, make it a faq
<MichaelDaum> some contribs get called by plugins
<nadd> cuz im sure other people where in my place before
<MichaelDaum> I am well known for my non-ability to get things covered by docu
<nadd> i get the general rule, there are exceptions im sure

-- NaimAbuDarwish - 28 May 2007

Please read Plugins.WebHome and Plugins.ReadmeFirst, they have a good description what add-ons, plugins, contribs and skins are. And no, "addons are" NOT "an old fashion way to name a contrib".

-- PeterThoeny - 28 May 2007

The TWikiFAQ and form were broken, i tried to fix them

-- JosMaccabiani - 03 Jun 2007

This was probably caused by the WYSIWYG editor. I restored it to the latest content of TWiki 4.1.

-- PeterThoeny - 04 Jun 2007