Question

Why are both the TWiki:TWiki and TWiki:Plugins webs used for plugin topics? The majority of plugins use the TWiki web to keep topics in, but there are many that also use the Plugins web.

IMO, all plugin topics should be in the Plugins web, or the Plugins web itself should be disallowed for use by plugin developers. Having 60% of the plugin topics in one web, and 40% in another is just too confusing.

To that end, is it possible to move plugin topics from the plugin web to the TWiki web, or vice versa, in a relatively easy manner?

• TWiki version: N/A
• Perl version: All
• Web server & version: All
• Server OS: All
• Web browser & version: All
• Client OS: All

-- MikeMaurer - 20 Jan 2003

Thanks for the quick response, but that doesn't address my question.

I understand the use of the Plugins web at twiki.org, but there are plugins that are packaged with their topics in data/Plugins. Maybe I need to clarify a little more. My question has nothing to do with how twiki.org is layed out, or what individual webs are for. I understand that the TWiki web is for documentation, and have no issue with using it to hold Plugin help topics, as most plugins are pre-packaged this way. However, some are packaged with their help topics in the Plugins web.

It is trivial to just move the data file during installation, but why are some plugins packaged this way? Can topics pacakged in the Plugins directory be moved to the TWiki directory without breaking the associated plugin?

Examples include:

ActionTrackerPlugin

CalendarPlugin

LdapPlugin

PollPlugin

TWikiDrawPlugin

-- MikeMaurer - 21 Jan '03

Thanks very much for this list. These plugins have hard coded paths and bugs in the packaging.

-- GrantBow - 21 Jan 2003

Answer

The Plugins Web on the TWiki.org site is for listing and tracking the development of all plugins for the TWiki platform. Plugins that are actually installed for use, either on TWiki.org OR on one's own site, are included in the TWiki web which contains all "help" topics.

-- LynnwoodBrown - 20 Jan 2003

This is actually a good question. Some Plugin authors prefer to pack their Plugin into the TWiki web (all TWiki related stuff in one web; less webs), some prefer to keep it in the Plugins web (separation of TWiki doc/config and Plugins)

TWiki discovers the Plugin in both webs, e.g. the TWiki and Plugin webs are supported. Most Plugins should work in the "other web" then the one it was packaged in, provided the Plugin code does not use hardcoded web names (each Plugin has a $installWeb variable)

For consistency it would be better to recommend to the Plugin authors to use only one web (but TWiki is supporting both for backward compatibility).

Follow up in Codev.PluginsWebOrTWikiWebForPluginPackages

-- PeterThoeny - 21 Jan 2003