Help:Tracking changes: Difference between revisions

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m (→‎Finding a specific edit: Binary search might be an even better term than successive approximation)
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[[Image:F-14_cockpit.jpg|thumb|right|Grumman F-14B Tomcat cockpit]]
{{tip|
[[Image:Zeppelin NT.jpg|thumb|right|Zeppelin NT at dusk]]
Giving a comprehensive and concise edit summary will help other understand the revision history.


'''Welcome to the FlightGear Wiki!'''  
'''Why''' the edit was done is more useful than '''what''' was edited — a diff will show '''what''' was edited but not '''why'''.}}


There are two main considerations for contributing here, one is using the [[Mediawiki]] software and the other is the nature  ofthe FlightGear wiki. The FlightGear wiki is collaborative volunteer written documentation relating to [[FlightGear]], licensed under the [[GPL|GNU GPL Version 2]]
{{Wiki help navbar}}


FlightGear wiki is not the same as an encyclopedia or research paper, so there is no requirement to have primary and secondary sources to publish content, unless you are citing something. In fact, much of what needs to be written does not exist anywhere at all!
One of the main characteristics of a wiki that like the FlightGear are using the MediaWiki software is that the edit history of all pages is preserved and is available to everyone.  This allows for very transparent collaboration.


Original research, opinions, and first hand accounts are the majority of the content here, but please do not plagiarize. If you are going to copy or cite something then provide a reference (like you might for a school paper). Other than that, the standards and specific goals of the FlightGear are still in flux and development.  
As the ''revision history'' of pages is kept, changes can be tracked in various ways.


==About the FlightGear wiki==
The FlightGear wiki is currently small, technically oriented, and international. In addition to all sorts of people, regular volunteers include pilots, 3D modelers, professors, and programmers from around the world sharing an interest in FlightGear documentation.


Articles tend to be about whatever someone sees as important, useful, or fun enough to write about!
== Recent changes ==
The page [[Special:RecentChanges]] is a list of all the recent changes on the wiki.


==Using the software==
If you want to have a feel about what is going on on the wiki you could start your wiki session by having a peek at that page.


Writing and editing with Mediawiki code (currently using version 1.11.1) can take some getting used depending on your background, because unlike most word processors you can see and type software code used for formating and linking. If you already know HTML or a programming language then what are you doing reading this! If you have just used [[Open Office]], then it is still easy to get started. Try using the formating buttons at the top of the edit window to format your text.
Some of the things visible there are:


*[[Help:Tutorial]] to learn how to format your article.
* Edits to pages
* Creation of new pages
* File uploads, usually images
* Creation of new users
* Pages being protected
* Deletion of pages or files


==More on what to write==
As it shows all the latest changes it is often the place where one will find any spam, vandalism or other unwanted edits.
The FlightGear wiki has {{NUMBEROFARTICLES}} articles (although only a few dozen of these are well developed) and only a handful of active contributors, with most days only a dozen or so edits being made.


If you are interested in working or building on what has already been done:
One days changes will for example look like below:


Currently the wiki has three main areas that need to be maintained.
[[File:FlightGear wiki recent changes.png|none|frame|Recent changes on the wiki. Only some users have rights to block users.]]
*[[Portal:Developer]] related- these are mostly technical articles aimed at people working on FlightGear.
*Help documentation related- on the User side, articles about how to get started, how to use features, FAQ, etc..(like [[FAQ]])
*Official aircraft- keeping the aircraft up to date with those on CVS. (like [[Table of models]])


Also, there is [[:Category:Stubs|Stubs-category]] and [[:Category:Cleanup|Cleanup-category]]. These articles have been noted as needing more information, a cleanup and/or other additions. Great to start your wiki-career or if you don't like to start a completely new article!
== Watchlist ==
The ''watchlist'' will help you keep track of interesting pages if the recent changes page is too busy.


Other interesting pages include things like [[Real Life Experience]], [[Linux software audio mixing with FlightGear]], [[Current events]], or [[Presentation Recipe]]!
The watchlist presents changes the same way as the recent changes page.


If you are interested in expanding into something new, or have an idea about what needs to be done here:
The watchlist is accessible from a link in the top right corner of every wiki pages when you have logged in.


Well that sounds exciting! Good luck!
At first the watchlist will at first be empty, but pages can be added to it either by clicking the ''watch tab'' (the star icon tab) or by clicking the "Watch this page" box below the edit summary text box when editing or creating a new page.


==Creating a new article==
== Page revision history ==
Fill your new articles name in the search box and press OK. If the article doesn't exist yet, you can click the Create article link to start your new article.
The ''revision history'' of a page, accessible from the history tab, holds all the changes to a page.  Some data regarding deleted revisions is only available to users with sufficient rights.


<div align="center">
[[File:FlightGear wiki revision history.png|none|frame|The top of the revision history of a page]]
[[Portal:Developer|Developer]] - [[Portal:User|User]]
 
</div>
The revision history allow you to look at and compare selected revisions using ''page diffs'' (or often just ''diffs''), as well as link to a certain revision or comparison of revisions.
 
== Diffs ==
{{tip|If you need to compare two separate pages you can do so with [[Special:ComparePages]].}}
{{tip|By pressing the ''Show changes'' button when you edit a page you can see your changes as a diff. It can be useful when writing the edit summary.}}
 
A ''diff'' is comparison between two revisions of a page. With them you can see what was changed, added or removed in a revision.
 
A diff page is typically shown with the actual diff at the top of the page and the rendered page as of the latter revision at the bottom of the page.
 
The diff itself is split into two columns: Typically the old one to the left and new one to the right.
 
On top you have the dates and usernames as well as the edit summaries added before saving the revisions.  Below that are the changed chunks of lines and a few lines surrounding them.
 
[[File:FlightGear wiki diff.png|none|frame|The diff part of a diff page]]
 
{{tip|If [[User:Johan G|Johan G]] above had used the ''Show preview'' button more he might have remembered to add the other changes as well.}}
 
== Finding a specific edit ==
[[File:Finding an edit using successive approximation.png|left|thumb|200 px|Finding an edit through successive approximation.]]
 
If you are looking for when a particular section of text was edited, you can use ''binary search''/''successive approximation''.
 
Start by comparing the revision ''between'' the oldest and newest possible revision with ''its previous'' revision.  Then in ''halfway steps'' compare revisions with their previous ones till you find the edit.
 
This can come in handy for example if you want to discuss a confusing phrasing with the user who added it, or if you are an administrator and need to find a specific user due to spam etc.
 
[[Category:Help]]

Revision as of 07:50, 10 June 2018

Tip

Giving a comprehensive and concise edit summary will help other understand the revision history.

Why the edit was done is more useful than what was edited — a diff will show what was edited but not why.


One of the main characteristics of a wiki that like the FlightGear are using the MediaWiki software is that the edit history of all pages is preserved and is available to everyone. This allows for very transparent collaboration.

As the revision history of pages is kept, changes can be tracked in various ways.


Recent changes

The page Special:RecentChanges is a list of all the recent changes on the wiki.

If you want to have a feel about what is going on on the wiki you could start your wiki session by having a peek at that page.

Some of the things visible there are:

  • Edits to pages
  • Creation of new pages
  • File uploads, usually images
  • Creation of new users
  • Pages being protected
  • Deletion of pages or files

As it shows all the latest changes it is often the place where one will find any spam, vandalism or other unwanted edits.

One days changes will for example look like below:

Recent changes on the wiki. Only some users have rights to block users.

Watchlist

The watchlist will help you keep track of interesting pages if the recent changes page is too busy.

The watchlist presents changes the same way as the recent changes page.

The watchlist is accessible from a link in the top right corner of every wiki pages when you have logged in.

At first the watchlist will at first be empty, but pages can be added to it either by clicking the watch tab (the star icon tab) or by clicking the "Watch this page" box below the edit summary text box when editing or creating a new page.

Page revision history

The revision history of a page, accessible from the history tab, holds all the changes to a page. Some data regarding deleted revisions is only available to users with sufficient rights.

The top of the revision history of a page

The revision history allow you to look at and compare selected revisions using page diffs (or often just diffs), as well as link to a certain revision or comparison of revisions.

Diffs

Tip  If you need to compare two separate pages you can do so with Special:ComparePages.
Tip  By pressing the Show changes button when you edit a page you can see your changes as a diff. It can be useful when writing the edit summary.

A diff is comparison between two revisions of a page. With them you can see what was changed, added or removed in a revision.

A diff page is typically shown with the actual diff at the top of the page and the rendered page as of the latter revision at the bottom of the page.

The diff itself is split into two columns: Typically the old one to the left and new one to the right.

On top you have the dates and usernames as well as the edit summaries added before saving the revisions. Below that are the changed chunks of lines and a few lines surrounding them.

The diff part of a diff page
Tip  If Johan G above had used the Show preview button more he might have remembered to add the other changes as well.

Finding a specific edit

Finding an edit through successive approximation.

If you are looking for when a particular section of text was edited, you can use binary search/successive approximation.

Start by comparing the revision between the oldest and newest possible revision with its previous revision. Then in halfway steps compare revisions with their previous ones till you find the edit.

This can come in handy for example if you want to discuss a confusing phrasing with the user who added it, or if you are an administrator and need to find a specific user due to spam etc.