Beginner's Page


This is intended as a quick introduction to get people started. If you had a question then found the solution please add it here so that the next person's introduction is easier.

A wiki is a website that allows users to easily create, edit, and link pages together. It allows many users to participate in the creation of a good website, in this case for the MCRA.

Some guidance:

  • Don't be afraid to edit pages. Everything is backed-up and can be easily restored.
  • If you see something that is wrong, correct it.
  • If you see something is missing, add it.
  • Don't be a perfectionist - it is better to add something, than nothing.
  • Start with the Playground Page to try things out.
  • Go to the page you want to change.
  • Click on the Edit This Page Button at the bottom of the page, or the Edit Button at the bottom of the section for longer pages.
  • Type in your changes.
  • Click the Preview Button to see that it looks OK.
  • Type a few words describing your change into the Edit summary Box or tick the Minor Changes box if it is. Top Tip - save time and cut and paste some pertinent words from your edit.
  • Click the Save Button.

There are some simple conventions to format your text. For example **some bold words** gives some bold words.

What you can do is described on the Formatting Syntax Page. To keep it simple there is quite a lot that you can't do, such as making the text a different colour.

The wiki tends to eat blank spaces. It will run paragraphs together unless there is a clear blank line between them.

  • Go to the page that will link to your new page.
  • Click the Edit Button and create a link to your new page by typing its name surrounded by "[[" and "]]"
  • It can be any name you want. For example "[[newpage|New Page]]". The first part is the internal name used by the computer so please don't make it to long. The second part is what will be displayed on the page.
  • Click the Save Button. The new link will appear red because there is no new page yet.
  • Click on your new link. You will be taken to a page titled “This topic does not exist yet”
  • Click on the Create This Page Button at the bottom right-hand corner.
  • Type in your text.
  • Click the Preview Button to see that it looks OK.
  • Click the Save Button.

There is more information about linking on the Formatting Syntax Page.

Once you have had a play and need to know more, there is a comprehensive User Manual.

There is also the DokuWiki page that has details of the whole project - more than you'll ever want to know.

  • If you don't know how to do something, find it on another page then click on the Edit Button to see how it was done.
  • wiki/beginners.txt
  • Last modified: 21 Jan 2009 00:27
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