Question

I am setting up a documentation system in which all documents belong to a standard. That standard is made up of sections, each section has subsections. I think I would like to use Forms to categories created topics according to the section/subsection to which the topic belongs and at first blush this seemed trivial as I would create a separate SectionFormTemplate with appropriate SectionValues for each section. The index to the entire document repository would then be autogenerated using appropriate %SEARCH directives.

This became non-trivial, however, when it became apparent that in some cases some docuemts could apply to more than one section/subsection. Copying a topic into a new name really isn't ideal as one would like to change a single document and have it reflect the change regardless of the link. This means one of two things (to my small mind):

• Create one massive form that contains all sections/section values and use checkboxes - this would be HUGE!
• Find someway for multiple forms to be defined for a Topic -- i.e., in the Add Form or Change Form have checkboxes rather than radio buttons -- but this would require a change to the Twiki code, right?

Am I making this too hard on myself?

• TWiki version:01 Feb 2003
• Perl version:5.6.0
• Web server version:Apache/1.3.26 Server
• Server OS:Unix (solaris)
• Web browser version:Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.0.2) Gecko/20030208 Netscape/7.02
• Client OS: WinXP Pro

-- SteveRJones - 11 Jul 2003

Answer

I'm afraid I don't have an answer for you but I can point to some earlier discussion on this topic in AllowMultipleForms.

-- LynnwoodBrown - 12 Jul 2003

This may not resolve your problem, but note that TWiki can use checkboxes on a form (without a coding change) — see TWiki.TWikiForms and seach for "checkbox".

-- RandyKramer - 13 Jul 2003

Yes, I am aware that I can use checkboxes and that was my plan - the problem I was running into was the shear size of a single form -- hence my question regarding the applicaiton of multiple forms to a single topic. I have this nagging feeling that I am going after document classification all wrong.

-- SteveRJones - 15 Jul 2003

Oops, sorry, misunderstood your statement about checkboxes on (too) quick first reading.

-- RandyKramer - 16 Jul 2003

No problem - but I am still looking to see if anyone has any suggestions. Looks like not. I have looked at examples but perhaps need to keep looking - maybe at testimonials

-- SteveRJones - 17 Jul 2003

When you say that the requirement is that a page can relate to more than one classification - is there a limit to how many it can relate to at any one time? If, for example, it was a fact that each page would relate to at least one and at the most three classifications, then you could make three identical dropdown boxes and leave the latter ones as default(blank) if they are not relevant. Each dropdown box could be in the form of SectionOne-subOne, SectionOne-subTwo, SectionOne-subThree, SectionTwo-subOne, etc. like the classifications in the Codev web. This would allow use of premade %SEARCH directives.

This suggestion doesn't work if there is no limit to the number of classifications (or if it's too big). I hope you can work something out.

-- TorbenGB - 18 Jul 2003

Another idea is to use multiple forms in your web, one per section. When you create a new topic you need to use the appropriate form.

All forms share one field (e.g. the TopicClassification); the other fields are unique to the section. See for example the Plugins web, it has two forms: PackageForm and WebForm.

-- PeterThoeny - 20 Jul 2003

In the final analysis, this (what Peter says) is exactly what i came up with. I used TopicClassification as a "glue" field, then a slightly unique field for each section. I believe I was trying to address expediency with ultimate flexibility by allowing authors to create one topic but have it linkable to multiple chapters - reduces the amount of typing AND if there is a change then one change will be reflected everywhere. What I will have them do is create the multiple topics but only one will have actual content - the others will %INCLUDE{} the "master" topic, thus preserving that "change once, reflect everywhere" scheme. I do appreciate all of teh input -- it really got me to thinging .

-- SteveRJones - 25 Jul 2003

Steve, can you post a demo of your setup for other people to use? I suppose it will have to go in the Sandbox as we don't have anywhere better.

Additionally, have you any thoughts as to a way of packaging this mechanism as a plugin?

-- MartinCleaver - 26 Jul 2003

Aaacck! I'm still workign on it but would be happy to post is as a demo. As for a Plugin, I'm not that advanced in "TWiki-ease" so I may have to rely on someone else to determine if this is a Plugin candidate.

-- SteveRJones - 29 Jul 2003