NOTE: This is a DistributionDocument. Please help maintain high quality documentation: This is a wiki, please fix the documentation if you find errors or incomplete content. Put questions and suggestions concerning the documentation of this topic in the comments section below. Use the Support web for problems you are having using TWiki.

Managing Webs

Adding, renaming and deleting webs are all web-based operations.

Overview

A TWikiSite is divided into webs; each one represents one subject, one area of collaboration. Administrators (in the TWikiAdminGroup) can add/rename/delete webs.

Choose Web Template

There are two methods used to create a new web. First you can use a specially designed TemplateWeb. This is an invisible web that begins with an underscore "_" character (for example _default). All topics in the template web will be copied into your new web.

The second method is to use an existing web as a template web. This may be useful if you already have a web that you would like to use as a starting point. Only topics that have names beginning with Web... (like "WebHome", "WebNotify", etc.) are copied.

In either case you will want to be sure to verify that your new web has all the custom modifications that you desire.

Adding a New Web

Create a new web by filling out this form.
Note: Keep the number of webs to a minimum! It is not recommended to create a new web for each little project. You can organize content within a web using categories, TWikiForms and FormattedSearch. Cross-linking topics and search is easier if there are only a few larger webs.

Name of new web: The name must start with an upper case letter, followed by upper or lower case letters or numbers. Specify a short name to avoid long URLs. Based on web: _default Blog Codev Main Plugins Sandbox Support TWiki TWiki01 TWiki02 TWiki03 TWiki04 TWiki04x01 TWiki04x02 Select a TemplateWeb Web color: Enter a StandardColors code for the web Description:     Enter a short description of the web. Write Web.TopicName instead of just TopicName if you include links. This will list the web in the SiteMap (leave field empty if you prefer not to update the directory.) Use to...   Continue the sentence describing the intended use. This is also for the SiteMap Set NOSEARCHALL: No   Yes Specify if you want to exclude the web from a "search all webs" search. This will not prevent users accessing the web. It will simply hide it from searches.

Notes:

• Attachments will NOT get copied over along with their topics
• While creating the new web, TWiki will update the following variables in the WebPreferences: WEBBGCOLOR, SITEMAPLIST, SITEMAPWHAT, SITEMAPUSETO and NOSEARCHALL. These variables are used to dynamically generate the SiteMap
• TWiki does not edit the TWiki04x02.TWikiPreferences to update the WIKIWEBLIST. This must be done by hand

Renaming or Deleting a Web

Rename a web via the Tools section in each web's WebPreferences topic. You may delete a web by moving it into a Trash web.

Permissions

You may only rename a web if you have permissions to rename all the topics within that web, including any topics in that web's subwebs. You will also need permissions to update any topics containing references to that web.

Edit Conflicts

If anyone is editing a topic which requires updating, or which lives in the web being renamed, a second confirmation screen will come up which will indicate which topics are still locked for edit. You may continue to hit the refresh button until an edit lease is obtained for each topic which requires updating (the "Refresh" button will change to "Submit"), or hit "Cancel", which will cancel your edit lease on all affected topics.

Renaming the webs in the distribution

If you plan to rename the Main web, remember that TWiki stores user and group topics in %MAINWEB%, which by default is Main (this is assigned in the site configuration). That means that every WikiName signature - Main.SomeUserName - points to it and would need updating (unless the variable, %MAINWEB%.SomeUserName, is used throughout). This potentially large change can be performed automatically with the renameweb function mentioned above, in the Main.WebPreferences topic.

If you want to rename the TWiki web, remember it is referred to by %TWIKIWEB% which is also defined by a configuration setting.

Hierarchical Webs

Hierarchical web support is enabled by turning on the {EnableHierarchicalWebs} setting in configure. Without this setting, TWiki will only allow a single level of hierarchy (webs). If you set this, you can use multiple levels, like a directory tree, i.e. webs within webs.

Note: You might not need hierarchical webs. TWiki topics already have a parent/child relationship within a web, which is shown in the breadcrumb. Try to keep the number of webs to a minimum in order to keep search and cross-referencing simple.

You can create hierarchical webs via the Adding a New Web form above, by using a slash- or dot-separated path name which is based on an existing web name in the Name of new web: field.

Example:

To create a subweb named Bar inside a web named Foo, use Foo/Bar or Foo.Bar as the new web name in the form above.

Subweb Preferences are Inherited

The preferences of a subweb are inherited from the parent web and overridden locally. Preferences are ultimately inherited from the TWiki04x02.TWikiPreferences topic.

Example Preference Inheritance for Sandbox/TestWeb/SubWeb.SubWebTopic topic:

1. TWiki04x02.TWikiPreferences site-wide preferences
2. Sandbox.WebPreferences inherits from and overrides settings in TWiki04x02.TWikiPreferences
3. Sandbox/TestWeb.WebPreferences inherits from and overrides settings in Sandbox.WebPreferences
4. Sandbox/TestWeb/SubWeb.WebPreferences inherits from and overrides settings in Sandbox/TestWeb.WebPreferences
5. Sandbox/TestWeb/SubWeb.SubWebTopic inherits from and overrides settings in Sandbox/TestWeb/SubWeb.WebPreferences

Navigation

The Pattern skin (default) indicates Subwebs by indenting them in the sidebar relative to their level in the hierarchy.

Related Topics: AdminDocumentationCategory, AdminToolsCategory

Comments & Questions about this Distribution Document Topic

When creating new web, can we allow also set page background color, as suggested in InstantEnhancements? And distinguish between page body background, and page header/footer color.

-- PeterMasiar - 16 Jan 2003

Is there a typo under step one above?

Make changes as required, to Newwebname.SomeTopic or better yet, to %MAINWEB%.SomeTopic.

Is %MAINWEB% perhaps meant to be %WEB% ?

-- SueBlake - 19 Jun 2003

No Sue, it's correct as written. Though I did have to read it three times to make sure! The steps outlined are only for the special case of renaming the MAINWEB, which is where the User topics are kept. I made it a subheading so hopefully this is a little clearer.

I also added a note about WebNameAsWikiName. I'm unhappy with the awkward wording, but's it's the best I can do right now.

-- MattWilkie - 27 Jul 2004

I moved Renaming the MAINWEB down below the instructions, so it doesn't look like the following instructions apply only to that.

-- MartinGregory - 19 Aug 2004

* Note: See TWiki:Codev.RenameWeb for some complications

That topic doesn't seem to exist.

-- StevenLumos - 28 Oct 2004

That's was the second plural link to a singular topic name that caused problems in as many days.

-- SamHasler - 29 Oct 2004

Hello! I was searching but I was not able to find: Is there a way to change the starting web?

-- CleberAkira - 09 Nov 2004

I have this in .htaccess:

RedirectMatch ^/$ http://www.example.com/twiki/bin/view/Welcome/WebHome

-- MartinCleaver - 20 Nov 2004

Is the "10 character" limit for a web name still valid? See my question at CreateWebNamesLongerThanTenCharacters.

-- GarethEdwards - 19 Jan 2005

> Note: See TWiki:Codev.RenameWebs for some complications

this topic doesn't exist. Anyone remember where it got moved to?

-- MattWilkie - 13 Feb 2005

Nowhere, the topic is actually the singular topic name RenameWeb. I assume it worked at some point as a normal plural link (RenameWebs) and someone changed it to an interwiki link (TWiki:Codev.RenameWebs) not realising it broke it. I've changed it to TWiki:Codev.RenameWeb above.

I really need to create a bug report about all the SingularPluralLinkBugs

-- SamHasler - 13 Feb 2005

In the delete web portion, the doc says to edit the WIKIWEBLST variable in TWikiPreferences. However, the definition points you to WEBLIST; which itself is pretty hard to find the definition of; at least with the bit of poking I've done so far. Perhaps a more explicit reference on where to go to edit WEBLIST would be more appropriate.

-- SteveAnthony - 17 Feb 2005

You're right, that is pretty confusing!

WEBLIST is discussed at TWikiVariables#WEBLIST_format_index_of_all_webs

-- MattWilkie - 18 Feb 2005

I was looking in this topic for how to manage permissions for the webs. It seems that nobody actually has permission to create a new web. Where is that documented?

-- DougJohnson - 09 Jan 2006

Preventing new web creation is at the discretion of the site administrator. On TWiki.org only TWikiAdminGroup members can create new webs. It is set in the access control settings in TWikiPrefererences? and should be documented in TWikiAccessControl.

-- PeterThoeny - 09 Jan 2006

Does this apply to Dakar? I don't know if its me, but I have a Web I want to delete on my TWiki, and there isn't a 'Tools' link ont the Web's WebPreferences page.

-- EricHanson - 12 May 2006

That's odd. It should be all the way at the bottom. Worst comes to worst you can delete it using the shell, of course.

-- MeredithLesly - 13 May 2006

Your web's WebPreferences topic might have the format/content of a previous TWiki version. Copy over the text from a TWiki 4 version to get the link.

-- PeterThoeny - 13 May 2006

make sure there are no leading spaces on the "Web color" field or else your web will not be created.

-- PedroMJ - 24 May 2006

I tried to change the Main and TWiki webs, had to jump through a few hoops to get it to work. The instructions are correct, the problem is halfway through scripts break, and links don't work. My steps were:

1. rename the twiki web with the renameweb tool. when you do, copy the link after the 'are you sure?' step, as this link goes missing when you rename the main web
2. update the configure script so that main matches your new name
3. run rename on the main web. the 'are you sure?' link breaks, so paste and edit the line from step 1
4. update the configure script again, replace the main variable with your new name.

-- MattEstela - 09 Apr 2007

How many webs is too many?

-- JordanRyskamp - 24 Apr 2007

n+1 webs would be too many.

-- WillNorris - 29 Apr 2007

See discussion at HowManyTopicsAndWebsCanTWikiSupport and HowManyTopicsAreTooMany. It would be helpful to create a new SupplementalDocument on BalancingNumberOfWebsAndTopics? .

Please do not discuss this here; this section is about the documentation of this topic.

-- PeterThoeny - 29 Apr 2007

Hi, is there any alternative to allow non-admin users to manage and create their webs under the permitted web? For instance,
http://twiki.org/cgi-bin/view/PermittedWeb/SubWeb/
There are some requirement in my organisation to open up this feature for non-admin users to manage their own webs under the PermittedWeb.
Please help and thanks in advanced.

-- DonChai - 26 May 2007

Please ask support questions in the Support web.

-- PeterThoeny - 26 May 2007

Peter, Thanks for your advice! Btw, I have posted a support help request at AllowNonAdminManagingWebs and pending support reply. Have a great day!

-- DonChai - 28 May 2007

When I tried to delete a subweb like SomeWeb/SubWeb via moving it to Trash/SomeWeb/SubWeb, the whole mother web, i.e. SomeWeb was deleted as well. Is this a bug? Or I did something wrong? Thanks.

-- WangMeng - 04 Jul 2008

Looks like a bug. Please file a bug report.

-- PeterThoeny - 04 Jul 2008