Help:Using this wiki-software

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Using the software

Here you will find a short list of the most common things you will come upon when working in this platform. You are working with Wiki-code, so it will take some time to get used to that. There will be one evening or day of practice on which you will curse the system at first... but you will find out it's not hard at all. You will always work through the tab called Edit (see above each page). You can look at the source of nearly any page to see how it was made up. We have made some Templates. Have a look at the templates/the examples and copy/paste the code in your own page then revise or edit the text. Sometimes just trial & error is the right way. And, no problem, all of the old versions of any page you have made (and saved!) is retraceable as a backup. In the section History (see tab above every page) you can easily rollback any old version.

Do you want more information then given on this page, have a look at for instance: User's Guide.

We will update the FAQ-list frequently and vividly.

Search

Page-name You can search by using the search box. You can use the * as a wildcard/joker. This means if you type fina* you will get:

1. A list of all page which have the string fina in their page name.

2. A list of all pages which have this string as a text on their page.


Which pages are available to you will depend on your login rights.

Edit anything

Depending on your login (rights) you see certain pages and depending on your login you can then edit (change) certain pages. If you see an edit tab above a page you can edit this page. Just click the edit button and can put in text, pictures etc. Do not forget to save this edits very often by clicking the button Save Page underneath this page lefthand side! Sometimes you can edit a page but certain parts of this page are protected. You will find out because you can not save your edits then.

If you use the edit tab above the page you an edit the whole page. You can also (quicker) edit only a small part or section of the page): if this is possible there is a edit link next to this section (this is called edit section) which you can use.


Making texts on this platform are very basic to keep the platform quick. You can prepare things in Word, or for instance Word-pad and copy paste them into this platform (if you have open the page in edit) with control copy and control paste. You always have to do the layout on the platform! You can also copy paste from one page to another. Remember to save your edits very often!


No edit rights

On some pages you have limited rights:

  • You cannot edit the page.
  • Or in some cases you can not edit certain sections of a page: in edit you will see <protect> protected section</protect>. Do not change the text or name of the pictures mentioned here. Especially with the team-photo name and logo and some questions are restricted like this. You can type over the text by the way, but never save the changes!

Permission error

Sometimes you try to enter a section in the platform in which you do not have access rights. You will see the next announcement:

2009 jv permission.jpg


No worries, just go to another section or page. If you do think you should be able to enter this sections, contact your coach or post a question in the FAQ.


Login

This platform has different several levels of users. Depending on your rights you will see parts of the platform and have rights to edit certain parts. To enter the platform you need a username and a password.

  • Your username and your password are not changeable.

On making decisions you have to log in a second time (you will find the link in your game section). In this decisions system you will have to login again with:

  • The same username and the same password (you started with). These are both still non changeable.

Goals of this platform

The software we are using is called MediaWiki. For instance Wikipedia is made up with this software.

The goal of this platform is:

  • To communicate from Netherlands with your institute.
  • To have a central place for your documents.
  • To have your questions in a central place.
  • To gather information and knowledge upon the situation in your country concerning hotels.
  • To have you reflect on the choices made by other.
  • To gather on overview of all that happens around the game, such as winners, publications etc.

It is very easy to take part, just do it. There are some rules but not too many. Making mistakes is not all that bad: it is always very easy to rollback your changes. But, of course, it is advisory to have a few minutes of practice in the Sandbox which can be used for practicing. Each game or country has its own Sandbox, so you can find it in your own section.

Basics on this software

This platform is a place for storing, upgrading and collecting information, knowledge and sometimes just data. The basic is that all of this is executed in so-called pages. The sturcture is like the Wikipedia structure, so called wiki software.

There are two options:

  • You adjust and improve an existing page or
  • You make a new page yourself.


You can adjust an existing page by using the Edit tab above the page. This is only possible if you are logged in and have the rights to do this. Some pages are protected, and depending on who you are you can only see a specific part of this platform!

You can just type in your text: the lay-out possibilities in a platform are limited with a reason: everything should be lean and mean: the pages should load quickly. You are not working in HTML/XML (though some of the HTML-tags do work).

As in so many applications you are working in a screen copy of the database. So use the button Save page a lot.

You can also have a look at the results first before you save them with the button Show preview. Remember, nothing is saved yet! As rolling back is very easy most people prefer saving the pages several times as you work in the document..

If you look at the bottom of the edit page Apart form Save Page, Show Preview, Show changes, there is also the possibility to explain to others shortly what you have edited on this page in a short summary.

This is NOT a summary of the page but a summary of your changes. So if the page is new: new page will do. If you have only corrected a few typing errors write as summary: corrected typing errors.

If you click on the tab history you can see all the changes with this very short explanation.

Making a new page

As a link is coloured red it is an invitation to fill in this page which does not exist.

You can click on the link and start filling the page. Even a small start will do, others can contribute to your start.

This can also be a link to a picture which has not been uploaded yet. For instance:



A link to a new page can be made just by putting the name of the page –to-be-made- between brackets: [[example_1010]] the name you write will be the title of the page: example_1010.

Writing style

Try to write with the right punctuation marks etc. and keep it simple. A page should not be longer then 2-3 A4 otherwise split it up in more pages which are linked. Always write with a neutral point of view: so don’t write I think, be objective and always back up your claims/opinion with figures and facts as well as the source. Do not copy&paste long stretches from the internet, but a lot of links to other internet sites are welcome.

Do not write a commercial for your company unless it is the objective of that specific page. Of course you are writing in this case for the Management game, but all the same try to keep an eye on these rules.


More and more information is open to the public, such as some of your uploaded information during this game, though not all of it!

For instance the feedback you get and the decisions you make are private and restricted to users that are logged-in. Another good reason to keep your passwords to yourselves!

Not all of it, but a part of the things published on this platform are open to the general internet public as well. Do not edit documents of your colleagues without a good reason because this is a study-subject to you all.

Icons

If you are editing there are a few icons above your edit field, just try them and you will see the effect.

Attention: Control B on you keyboard (Windows) does not work in this platform and does not make a selection Bold. If you make texts in Word you will be able to copy & paste them on to the platform. But, there again, the styles will not be working in the platform, and the lay out of the text in Word can't be copies on to this platform. The final editing has to be done in the platform.

Work in an existing page

You can always change or improve the pages of your own team.

If the page grows and there are more then 5 headings, a small summary will be generated automatically in the top of the page. All the heading-sections then will get a separate edit-button so you do not have to search the whole document when you would like to edit a small part of it.

A few things on the lay-out:

Links

The more links the better: the pages might not be there yet, no problem. Blue links (the software will make the colour) indicate that this page/photo already exists.

Take good care of the way you link your page to a category, if applicable! Have a look (button edit) at the pages which are in your category and take the same reference in your document, always at the top of the text. If you want a page to be listed in the category Category:Example you should put in top of your document [[Categorie:Example]] . And if the document exists, keep this reference at the top.

If you want to place it in the Category Extra put in the link [[Categorie:Extra]. Making new categories yourselves is not allowed!

Special attention to Capitals – lower or upper case - in your text. The software is case-sensitive. So if there is a page on Hotel maintenance and the page is called Hotel maintenance you see the link is blue, so the page exists.

If you type Hotel MAintenance you see the link is red because of the capital MA in MAintenance. The platform thinks this is another page: a new one.

Start a new paragraph

Enter two times and you will get a new paragraph in your text.

Insert a photo or picture

Click on the edit tab of the page. In the edit section you can click on the fifth icon at the top which says embedded image. The next code will be put in the text: [[Image:filename|thumb|widthpx| ]] Change this into the name this picture will have here on the platform: this should be the year, your team number and the subject. For instance:

  • 02DE-A03_restaurant_Emerald_Forest_Hotel.jpg so here [[Image::02DE-A03_restaurant_Emerald_Forest_Hotel.jpgthumb|widthpx| ]] At width we suggest 300 (so 300 pixels, so 300px).

So this will be the platform team number name, the actual name of this same photo on our PC can be totally different, of course. The standard format is .jpg.

Now save the page: if you take a look at the page by then, you can see the link red indicated. If you click on this red link the you choose the file from your pc and you can upload the picture or photo. Mind you, three small challenges

  • The original picture/photo on your pc should be smaller then 100 kb (so reduce its size first!).
  • You are only allowed to upload .jpg. Gif can be done if you first change the platform name format to .gif before uploading: so [[Image:01EU-A03_restaurant_Emerald_Forest_Hotel.gif]] You can also leave out the width part etc.
  • You can upload new versions of a picture. So you have made the link (e.g. your logo) and you want to upload a newer, better or other logo. This can be done.

Click on the picture you want to change so it appears full-size. Then click underneath the picture on the link: Upload a new version of this file. Instructions will follow there. The result will be: old picture automatically deleted and you can upload a new picture using the same platform name.

Each picture or photo still has to have a unique name. If you give a photo a very general name like teamphoto there is a big risk that this name already exists. You will get a warning that you can't upload the photo when using this platform name. So choose a unique name as indicated.

One extra thing: the size. As explianed: just use |300px : [[Image:01EU-A03_restaurant_Emerald_Forest_Hotel.jpg|300px]] . So this picture will be shown in 300px which normally will do and fits in with the rest of the platform. Be sure that the picture is NOT much bigger then this!

More on pictures, photos etc

Be sure everything is free of rights. If the resolution of the picture is too high, first bring it down to the required size on your own computer (for instance in paint).

More on uploading a picture after you have prepared this edit section and have saved it.

  • 1. Prepare the photo on your computer.
  • 2. Go to the red link appearing in the normal view mode of your teampage.
  • 3. Click on upload photo NOT in the edit mode but in this normal view mode.
  • 4. Click browse and chose the image from your own computer which you want to upload.
  • 5. Give a short description of the file.
  • 6. Click upload.
  • 7. Now the image is on the platform-server.
  • 8. Go to the page where you have uploaded and check.
  • 9 Use the correct name of the photo you have uploaded [[Image:02DE-A03_restaurant_Emerald_Forest_Hotel.jpg]] and it will be in the page. So first name of your game, then the team number then the subject.

This looks like:

01EU A03 restaurant Emerald Forest Hotel.jpg

Simple

  • [[Image:02DE-A03_restaurant_Emerald_Forest_Hotel.jpg]]
  • [[Image:02DE-A03_restaurant_Emerald_Forest_Hotel.jpg|thumb|short description]]

Or with a frame, the image to the right and the picture smaller (in PX, pixels):

  • [[Image:02DE-A03_restaurant_Emerald_Forest_Hotel.jpg|thumb|short description]]
  • [[Image:002DE-A03_restaurant_Emerald_Forest_Hotel.jpg|thumb|short description.jpg|thumb|right|250px|short description]]


or (without a frame)

[[Image:02DE-A03_restaurant_Emerald_Forest_Hotel.jpg|thumb|short description.jpg|right|short description]]


The maximum image you are allowed to upload is 100kb: this quality is ok on the internet. Less kb is also fine


A nice way to place your pictures in competition 01EU:

SourceJeroen Vinkesteijn The restaurant'

The code looks like this (you can use file instead of image )


[[File:01EU-A02_restaurant_Emerald_Forest_Hotel.jpg|thumb|300px|center|Source[[User:Vinkesteijn|Jeroen Vinkesteijn]] ''The restaurant']]


So if you make a reference to a picture [[File:Guests_arriving.jpg]] be sure to have the right extension (here .jpg).

MediaWiki does have its own formats, the only two other formats accepted are .gif and .jpg.

Lay out

Of course, as indicated, you can use the buttons in the menu.


Font

The platform (as the rest of the internet) only looks ok if your browser setting are right: so font should be size ‘normal’.


You are creating bold text by writing the text between

''', so '''Anything'''. This looks like:

Anything

Italic

You are creating italic text by writing the text between

'', so ''Anything''. This looks like:

Anything

Underline

You are creating underlined text by writing the text between

<u>, so <u>Anything</u>. This looks like:

Anything

Lists

If you want to create a not numbered list use

* for any item, so * First item * Second item . This looks like:

  • First item
  • Second item

Text color

Use

<font color="green">This text is green</font color="green"> It will show like this:

This text is green

This text is yellow


So bold and green:

This text is green and bold


Rather not use red and blue as these colours are used for hyperlink and not filled in links.

Page Headers

The number of = used before and after a word determines the level of a header.

= Page Header =


Header

== Header ==


Subheader

=== Subheader ===


Plain text

plain text

This indicates that the coding will not be used, just the text.


Box

You can also create a grey box by using <pre>.

<pre>Just text in a box with background color </pre>. This looks like this:

 just text in a box with background color 

Category

A page practically always belongs to at least one category, sometimes it belongs to two categories. Of course there is still just one page then, but it will be listed twice because it is linked to two categories.


In this management game you will not use the function Search a lot, but you can. As you will found out, it works like the Google-technology, but not exact. Check this


Deleting pages or pictures

You can not delete pages/photo's as we want to protect all of the game (though all of it is reversible!). No worries, there is a way to do so, though. If you really want to delete a page: remove all the content and link it to Category:Delete. When you look at edit the only thing mentioned should be: category Delete. This also goes for pictures; use the edit button and ad the category. The administrator will remove the pages every now and then. Have a look at Category:Delete here you can see a page and a photo which are posted to be deleted.


Please check (left-hand menu) what links here, before doing so. If other pages link to your photo of page to delete, these links will become 'red', and probably obsolete. So please change these links as well: or leave them if you think somebody else might fill in the page/photo better.

Personal preferences

At the top righthand corner you can change some personal settings. Advisible is to fill in your correct email address first (just in case if somethings goes wrong this will be useful on contacting you).

You might want to change your password: be sure to have all the team members informed on this! And, all is case-sentives (mind using uppercase letters).


It's advisable to make use of this option: to be mailed if pages, which are on your watch-list, are being changed. Nevertheless making use of a watch-list in general is useful.


You cannot change your username!


Multiple logins are possible, this means you can log in at the same time, with the same code, from different Personal Computers (PC's).

Even when editing and being logged in several times, no problem. But be sure to decide on who is editing what page because editing the same page might lead to a conflict. You might erase alterations made by other team members or get a database conflict.

Discussion tab

Rather do not use this tab. You can, of course, with your group, experiment with this discussion system (click button discussion) if handy. Better, though, to use the chat tab, if you want to.

Dit is klaar

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