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Frequently Asked Questions About TWiki

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• How can I create a simple TWiki Form based application? Answer
• I am a registered user and I have authenticated myself before I edited a topic. But after saving the topic, the left bar and the variable Main.TWikiGuest are showing "TWikiGuest" instead of my name. Answer
• How do I convert a table from HTML to TML? Answer
• How do I set up cron jobs on Mac OS X? Answer
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• How do I upgrade an already installed extension like a plugin using configure? Answer
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NOTE: The most recent version of this FAQ is at TWiki:TWiki/TWikiFAQ.

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More sources...

Other places where you can find answers to your questions:

• TWikiDocumentation: All you need to know to install and configure TWiki
• TWikiTutorial: Get a jump start on using TWiki
• GoodStyle: Things to consider when changing text
• WikiSyntax, TextFormattingRules: A quick one-two guide to TWiki shorthand basics
• TextFormattingFAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions about text styling in TWiki
• If you can't find an answer, ask a question - post it in the TWiki:Support web

-- Contributors: TWiki:Main.PeterThoeny, TWiki:Main.MikeMannix, TWiki:Main.CrawfordCurrie

Comments & Questions about this Distribution Document Topic

Question:: whats the difference between :: addons, plugins, extensions, contribs?

Answer:: (thanks to MichaelDaum on #twiki)
<nadd> whats the difference between an addon and a plugin ?
<nadd> there is ExcelImportExportPlugin and Excel Import Export Add-On
<nadd> actually its the same for alot of other things
<nadd> err, i still dont get it, there are plugins, extensions, and addons
<MichaelDaum> extensions are all plugins and contribs
<MichaelDaum> addons are an old fashion way to name a contrib
<MichaelDaum> there are only three things: plugins, contribs and skins
<MichaelDaum> plugins are perl
<MichaelDaum> contribs not necessarily
<MichaelDaum> plugins benefit from a specific plugin infrastructure of handlers to hook into the engine
<MichaelDaum> contribs just sit there ready to be used
<MichaelDaum> sometimes contribs serve as a kind of middleware for plugins
<nadd> so basically pluggins are part of a structure, they use the core in some sturctured way,
<MichaelDaum> yep
<nadd> contribs are written in some random way, it just works
<MichaelDaum> for example to implement a %MYTAG you use a plugin to get it into the TWikiMarkupLanguage
<nadd> eventually contribs become plugins right ? if they turn out to be really useful
<MichaelDaum> it very much depends on the kind of contrib how you get to use them
<MichaelDaum> no
<MichaelDaum> one way some contribs work is
<MichaelDaum> that they come with a special cgi script
<MichaelDaum> that calls contrib code
<nadd> ahh, not from the twiki engine like plugins
<MichaelDaum> exactly
<nadd> okok .. i get it now
<nadd> err, i think you should copy this, make it a faq
<MichaelDaum> some contribs get called by plugins
<nadd> cuz im sure other people where in my place before
<MichaelDaum> I am well known for my non-ability to get things covered by docu
<nadd> i get the general rule, there are exceptions im sure

-- NaimAbuDarwish - 28 May 2007

Please read Plugins.WebHome and Plugins.ReadmeFirst, they have a good description what add-ons, plugins, contribs and skins are. And no, "addons are" NOT "an old fashion way to name a contrib".

-- PeterThoeny - 28 May 2007

The TWikiFAQ and form were broken, i tried to fix them

-- JosMaccabiani - 03 Jun 2007

This was probably caused by the WYSIWYG editor. I restored it to the latest content of TWiki 4.1.

-- PeterThoeny - 04 Jun 2007