When you've figured out how the editor works, then you should read WikiEtiquette so that you would know how to use your newly acquired skills...

Quick reference#

----       = Make a horizontal ruler. Extra '-' is ignored.
\\         = force a line break, \\\=force line break and clear.

[link]     = creates a hyperlink to an internal WikiPage called 'Link'.
[this is also a link] = creates a hyperlink to an internal WikiPage called
'ThisIsAlsoALink'.
[click here|link] = creates a hyperlink to an internal WikiPage called
'Link', but displays the text 'click here' to the
user instead of 'Link'.
[1]        = Makes a reference to a footnote numbered 1.
[#1]       = Marks the footnote number 1.
[[link]    = creates text '[link]'.

!heading   = small heading with text 'heading'
!!heading  = medium heading with text 'heading'
!!!heading = large heading with text 'heading'

''text''   = prints 'text' in italic.
__text__   = prints 'text' in bold.
{{text}}   = prints 'text' in monospaced font.

* text     = makes a bulleted list item with 'text'
# text     = makes a numbered list item with 'text'
;term:ex   = makes a definition for 'term' with the explanation 'ex'

Writing text#

You don't need to know anything about the Wiki text formatting rules to use Wiki. Just write normal text, and then use an empty line to mark a paragraph. It's just like writing an email.

You can always Edit this page (look at the left sidebar) to see how the different effects on this page are used.

Hyperlinks#

The link can also be a direct URL starting with http:, ftp:, mailto:, https:, or news:, in which case the link points to an external entity. For example, to point at the java.sun.com home page, use [http://java.sun.com], which becomes http://java.sun.com/ or [Java home page|http://java.sun.com], which becomes Java home page.

To add a new page you just create a link to it from somewhere else. After all, there isn't much point in having a page if you can't access it! You'll then see a small question mark after the page name when you return to that page. Then click on it and you have created a new page!

It's allowed to use almost any kind of characters inside a WikiName, as long as they are letters or numbers.

Note also that this Wiki can be configured to support standard CamelCase linking (if it's supported, the word CamelCase should be a link). It's off by default, but if your friendly administrator has turned it on, then well, CamelCase all you want =).

Footnotes#

These are a special kind of hyperlink. By using nothing but a number inside a hyperlink you create a reference to a footnote, like this [1], which creates a footnote[1]. To make the actual footnote, you just put a [#1] where you want that footnote to point at. Look below to find the footnote.

You can also make a named footnote, just as if you were doing a normal hyperlink. For example, this refers to the same footnote[Footnote number 1] as the footnote above, but this refers to another footnote[2].

InterWiki links#

You can also do links between different Wikis without knowing the URL. Just use a link in the form [Wiki:WikiPage] and JSPWiki will create a link for you. For example, this link points to the JSPWiki TextFormatting rules. Check the SystemInfo page for more information on which Wiki links are available.

If an InterWiki link is not supported, you'll get a notification of it on the page when you save your page.

Adding pictures#

You can embed any image in the wiki code by putting the image available somewhere on the web in one of the allowed formats, and then just linking to it. For example, this is an inlined PNG image: .

If you specify a link text ([this one here|http://example.com/example.png]) it becomes the ALT text for those who either can't or don't want to view images.

You can also attach an image, and refer to it as if it were any other page. See WikiAttachments for more information.

If you need more layout control (or things like captions), check out the Image -plugin. It can do oodles more than just simple embedding.

The list of accepted image types depends on the Wiki. See the SystemInfo page for a list of the different image types.

Headings#

JSPWiki gives you three kinds of headings: A small one (denoted by starting a line with a single exclamation mark '!'), a medium-sized one (two exclamation marks), or a large one (three marks).

All headings also generate a "named anchor", so that you can refer from other wikipages to this wikipage. See Named Headings for more information.

Bulleted lists#

Use an asterisk (*) in the first column to make bulleted lists. Use more asterisks for deeper indentation. For example:

* One
* Two
* Three
** Three.One

creates

• One
• Two
• Three
  • Three.One

Numbered lists#

Just like with bulleted lists, but use a hash (#) instead of the asterisk. Like this:

# One
# Two
# Three
## Three.One

creates

1. One
2. Two
3. Three
   1. Three.One

If you want to write the list item on multiple lines, just add one or more spaces on the next line and the line will be automatically added to the previous item. If this sounds complicated, edit this page for an example, below.

• This is a single-line item.
• This is actually a multi-line item. We continue the second sentence on a line on a line of its own. We might as well do a third line while we're at it... Notice, however, as all these sentences get put inside a single item!
• The third line is again a single-line item for your convinience.

Definition lists and comments#

A simple way to make definition lists is to use the ';:' -construct:

Construct

Something you use to do something with

Another nice use for the ';:' is that you can use it to comment shortly on other people's text, by having an empty 'term' in the definition, like this:

;:''Comment here.''

Which would be seen as

Comment here.

Text effects#

You may use bold text or italic text, by using two underscores (_) and two single quotes ('), respectively. If you're on a Windows computer, make sure that you are using the correct quote sign, as there is one that looks the same, but really isn't.

Preformatted text#

If you want to add preformatted text (like code) just use three consecutive braces ({) to open a block, and three consecutive braces (}) to close a block. Edit this page for an example.

Tables#

You can do simple tables by using using pipe signs ('|'). Use double pipe signs to start the heading of a table, and single pipe signs to then write the rows of the table. End with a line that is not a table.

For example:

|| Heading 1 || Heading 2
| ''Gobble'' | Bar
| [Main]     | [SandBox]

gives you the following table. Note how you can use links also inside tables.

Heading 1	Heading 2
Gobble	Bar
Main	SandBox

Styles#

In addition to the simple styles represented by the WikiMarkup, we also allow you to put in your own styles. For example:

%%small
This is small text
%%

uses the defined CSS style called "small", as defined in the jspwiki.css file. These may vary from site to site, and it is up to the site administrator to define a style.

You can also define almost any CSS style command:

%%( font-size: 150%; color: red; )
Hello, world!
%%

would render as:

NOTE You have to mark the end of the text you want to finish being styled using %%!

Conflicts#

If someone happens to edit the same page as you at the same time, JSPWiki will prevent you from doing changes and show a conflict page instead. Sorry to say, but the first one to make changes wins...

A word of warning: If you use the Back button of your browser to go into the Edit page, you will almost certainly get a conflict. This is because the browser thinks its still editing an earlier copy of the page.

Deleting pages#

This is not possible. You can, of course, remove all the links to that page, which makes it inaccesible. Or you can email the administrator, and I'll remove the page.

Adding new pages#

Create a link that points to a new (not existing) page using its WikiName. Click that new link, which should now have a question mark (?) suffix and you will get an editor for the new page. -- Asser

Attaching files#

If the administrator of the wiki has configured it, there is a "Attach file..." link at the bottom of every page. Clicking it allows you to attach files into pages. For more information, please see WikiAttachments.

Inserting variables#

There are many possible variables you can insert on a page. The basic form is:

[{$variablename}],

where variablename is the name of the variable you want to insert. Note that variable names are case-insensitive - that is, "pagename" is the same as "paGeNamE" and "PageName".

You can see the list of available of variables at WikiVariables.

Inserting plugins#

The basic incantation to insert a plugin looks like this:

[{INSERT <plugin class> WHERE param1=value, param2=value, ...}]

There is more information in JSPWikiPlugins.

---

[#1] Here's the footnote I mentioned.

[The other footnote] The other footnote. Note how it's name is different?

Here's a short reminder on the most common formatting rules you have at your disposal. A complete list is available in TextFormattingRules.

(empty line)     Make a paragraph break.
----             Horizontal ruler
[link]           Create hyperlink to "link", where "link" can be either an internal 
                 WikiName or an external link (http://)
[text|link]      Create a hyperlink where the link text is different from the actual 
                 hyperlink link.
[text|wiki:link] Create a hyperlink where the link text is different from the 
                 actual hyperlink link, and the hyperlink points to a named Wiki. 
                 This supports interWiki linking.

*                Make a bulleted list (must be in first column). Use more (**) 
                 for deeper indentations.
#                Make a numbered list (must be in first column). Use more (##, ###) 
                 for deeper indentations.

!, !!, !!!       Start a line with an exclamation mark (!) to make a heading. 
                 More exclamation marks mean bigger headings.

__text__         Makes text bold.
''text''         Makes text in italics (notice that these are single quotes ('))
{{text}}         Makes text in monospaced font.
;term:def        Defines 'term' with 'def'.  Use this with empty 'term' to make short comments.
\\               Forced line break (please use sparingly).

|text|more text| Makes a table. Double bars for a table heading.

Don't try to use HTML, since it just won't work.

To embed images just put them available on the web using one of the approved formats, and they will get inlined automatically. To see the list of approved formats, go check SystemInfo.

To make a code block, use triple {'s to open, and triple }'s to close.

(Wondering where this text comes from? It's on a page called Edit Page Help, which you can edit too!)