TWikiSheetPluginDev Discussion: Page for developer collaboration, enhancement requests, patches and improved versions on TWikiSheetPlugin contributed by the TWikiCommunity.
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TWikiSheetPlugin Feedback and Development

First version posted, enjoy!

-- Peter Thoeny - 2016-03-29

Nice!

I think it would profit from some more documentation about the interaction with regular TWiki, in particular in "classic" mode. The three other options are, in my opinion, hardly distinguishable from each other.

Here are my observations so far:

• In classic mode, TWikiSheetPlugin can be combined with TablePlugin. You just need to put the TABLE{} variable before the TWIKISHEET{} variable. I actually tested it the other way around: Some of my existing tables, especially in long topics, are much more convenient to edit if I just insert a TWIKISHEET{ mode="classic"} between the TABLE and the data. That's an easy improvement! Of course, it doesn't work for tables where content lines are created dynamically from a SEARCH or INCLUDE.
• The wording "is rendered as a regular TWiki table / as a read-only TWiki Sheet" is from the viewpoint of the code. I'd prefer to document it from the targets of an author:
  • In classic mode, a TWIKISHEET table looks like a TWiki table to viewers, and behaves like a sheet when edited.
  • In classic mode, TWiki variables are expanded on view but not on edit. By the way: This is exactly as you'd expect it from TWiki's usual topic editing. TWIKISHEET formulas, on the other hand, are evaluated only when editing, so don't use these in classic mode. I guess that the first of the "Notes" in the section describing the modes ("TWiki variables ... are not expanded) was written before the classic mode existed, because it is no longer true when in classic mode.
• "classic" didn't actually ring a bell what it does. After I think I understand it at least partially, mode="table" seems closer to the intent.
• In classic mode, header rows can be created as usual by using TWiki's boldface markup. In my opinion, tables look much better when headers are easily distinguished from data.
• I don't know whether this is a bug or a limitation: When I edit a table in classic mode and say "Done", the changes are only visible after I reload the page. So yes, they are saved to the TWiki server as the documentation states, but it always leaves me puzzled.
• Wouldn't it be great if the "Edit" button would magically disappear when viewing a page with cover=print ?
• The plugin topic links to http://handsontable.github.io/ruleJS/ for more functions, but unfortunately from there, all links to individual functions are dead. That's annoying.

-- Harald Jörg - 2016-05-10

Thank you Harald for the constructive feedback! I will incorporate this into the docs.

-- Peter Thoeny - 2016-05-13

On "Done" in classic mode, yes, the table should refresh. On my to-do list.

Good point on different behavior in print mode.

The formulas are in alpha mode, they are apparently working on an improved version.

-- Peter Thoeny - 2016-05-13