Help:Tracking changes: Difference between revisions

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{{WIP}}
{{tip|
Giving a comprehensive and concise edit summary will help other understand the revision history.


This '''tutorial''' is mainly aimed at people new to the [[Main Page|FlightGear wiki]], but might also be useful for the more experienced users from time to time.
'''Why''' the edit was done is more useful than '''what''' was edited — a diff will show '''what''' was edited but not '''why'''.}}


The main purpose here is to explain how to use the wiki software, how it is structured, where you can learn more about it, and not less important, how to interact with the part of the FlightGear community that is directly involved with the wiki.
{{Wiki help navbar}}


== The very basics ==
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.
=== For readers new to a wiki ===
A wiki is a place for collaboration.  There are many like it but this is ours.  As with most wikis they allow readers to browse through the ''articles'' and other ''pages'' making up the content of the wiki.  Pages can also be found by using ''links'', traversing ''categories'' and ''searching''.  But lets start by describing what you can see on a typical wiki page.


=== Elements of a wiki page ===
As the ''revision history'' of pages is kept, changes can be tracked in various ways.
While there are two ways to view wiki pages, the ''desktop view'' and the ''mobile view'', we will go through the ''desktop'' view here as the mobile view hides many features for the sake of simplicity.  The features are described as seen with the default Vector skin.


From the top you have ''user links'' on the top right.  These are related to your account (if you have one).  On top of the content of the page there are some ''page tabs'' related to the page.  On the left is the ''sidebar'' with navigation links, links to various tools and links to other language versions of a page.  On the bottom of the contents of a page is a ''category link'' a link to a ''category page'' listing other pages in the category.


==== User links ====
== Recent changes ==
If you have an account the ''user links'' to the top right are related to you user account and will link to:
The page [[Special:RecentChanges]] is a list of all the recent changes on the wiki.


:; Your user page
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.
:: Where you encouraged to describe who you are and what ambitions you have on the wiki.
:: You can also add subpages to your user page with for example drafts and other wiki projects.
:; Your discussion page
:: Where other users may be able to take contact with you.
:: If your discussion page have been edited, you will get a notice when you load any wiki page.
:; The preferences page
:: Where you can adjust and customize some settings.
:; The watchlist
:: Which list changes on pages you have "starred" and are watching.
:; A contribution summary
:: With a summary of your wiki contributions and uploads.
:; A "sign out" link
:: Through which you you log out from your account.


==== Page tabs ====
Some of the things visible there are:
On top of the page content there is a set of tabs:


:; An article or page tab
* Edits to pages
:: For viewing the article if you are on another tab or for going directly to the page if you have been redirected.
* Creation of new pages
:: The page tab also gives an indication about what kind of page you are on.
* File uploads, usually images
:; A discussion tab
* Creation of new users
:: With the discussion page for a wiki page or a user.
* Pages being protected
* Deletion of pages or files


:; A read tab
As it shows all the latest changes it is often the place where one will find any spam, vandalism or other unwanted edits.
:: With the exact same function as the page tab
:; An edit or source tab
:: Which will allow you to edit a page on the wiki when logged in or see the page source if not.
:; A history tab
:: Which will show the edit history for a wiki page.
:; A star tab
:: That will add or remove a page to or from your watchlist.
:; A more tab
:: That hide some more functions, in particular a function to move pages.  Wiki admins also have a protect and a delete function.


==== Sidebar ====
One days changes will for example look like below:
To the near top left is the ''sidebar'' with


:; Navigation links
[[File:FlightGear wiki recent changes.png|none|frame|Recent changes on the wiki. Only some users have rights to block users.]]
:: To some pages deemed important enough to link to from every page:
::; The main page of the wiki
::: Where you end up when going to http://wiki.flightgear.org
::; The recent changes page
::: Listing all the latest changes on the wiki
::; A random article
::; The village pump
::: The [[FlightGear wiki:Village pump|village pump]] is the page for wiki discussion not related to a particular page or user.
::; The summary of help pages
::; The portal pages
:; Links to other FlightGear web sites
:; Some useful tools
::* A summary of pages linking to the page you are viewing
::* A summary of edits related to the page you are viewing
::* ... <!-- Mandatory dinner break :-/  /Johan G  -->
::* ...
::* ...


== Wiki features ==
== Watchlist ==
Some things this tutorial could be about is for example
The ''watchlist'' will help you keep track of interesting pages if the recent changes page is too busy.
* What are those links to the right?
* Why should I write a summary?
* What is a diff?
* What is a category?
* What are permalinks?


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.


'''Welcome to the FlightGear Wiki!'''  
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.


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]].
== 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.


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!
[[File:FlightGear wiki revision history.png|none|frame|The top of the revision history of a page]]


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.  
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.


==About the FlightGear wiki==
== Diffs ==
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.  
{{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.}}


Articles tend to be about whatever someone sees as important, useful, or fun enough to write about!
A ''diff'' is comparison between two revisions of a page. With them you can see what was changed, added or removed in a revision.


==Using the software==
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.


Writing and editing with Mediawiki code (currently using version {{CURRENTVERSION}}) 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.
The diff itself is split into two columns: Typically the old one to the left and new one to the right.


*[[Help:Tutorial]] to learn how to format your article.
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.


==More on what to write==
[[File:FlightGear wiki diff.png|none|frame|The diff part of a diff page]]
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:
{{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.}}


Currently the wiki has three main areas that need to be maintained.
== Finding a specific edit ==
*[[Portal:Developer]] related- these are mostly technical articles aimed at people working on FlightGear.
[[File:Finding an edit using successive approximation.png|left|thumb|200 px|Finding an edit through successive approximation.]]
*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 are the [[:Category:Stubs|Stubs]], [[:Category:Afd|Considered for deletion]] and [[:Category:Cleanup|Cleanup]] categories. 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!
If you are looking for when a particular section of text was edited, you can use ''binary search''/''successive approximation''.


Other interesting pages include things like [[Real Life Experience]], [[Linux software audio mixing with FlightGear]], [[Current events]], or [[Presentation Recipe]]!
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.


Well that sounds exciting! Good luck!
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.
 
==Creating a new article==
Fill your new articles name in the search box and press '''Go'''. If the article doesn't exist yet, you can click the red link in the sentence that appears like:
:'''Create the page [[Title of your article]] on this wiki!'''.


[[Category:Help]]
[[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.

Wiki help
Reading
Editing
Advanced editing
Writing about specific topics


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.

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