Difference between revisions of "User:Aeric/Customizing"

Latest revision as of 20:10, 2 June 2015

About Customizing

These features are used to customize the wiki for generic ISV use, or for a branded wiki.

Platform-specific Versions

To create a branded version of the Wiki for a particular ISV:

First, set up a subdomain for the ISV.
Every customization is controlled by the use of that

subdomain when accessing the common Wiki. For example, lj.platformatyourservice.com and isv.platformatyourservice.com both go to the very same place--but the different subdomains changes the wiki's look and content.

Then customize the look and feel for that brand.
Finally, take care of the Wiki content.

Note: All changes should be made locally, and then uploaded to the server. Note, too, that it would be highly desirable to test the changes before uploading them. To do that, it is necessary to set up a server that runs the local copy of the files. (One day, this too shall be done...)

Product-Specific Versions

To create a branded version of the Wiki for a particular application:

Create a new domain for that product.
Customize the look and feel for that product
For example, sidebars that have product-centered links only, rather than links to generic design and development pages.
(We may or may not do this...)
To link to generic platform design & development pages, use external links ([url name]) rather than internal links ([[page name]]). (The Google page search should then be confined to the product pages, since they're no longer in the same domain.)

How it works:

We're using rally360.info for the latest incarnation of the corporate wiki.
The default skin for rally360.info is the same as that used by hd.rally360.info

In other words, the "hd" skin is the default
where "hd" stands for "HelpDesk"

Future products in the same theme ("360-degree circle with customer at the center") will have their own subdomains. For example, "crm" for Customer Relations Management.

To change the product name:

The product pages are in the "HelpDesk:" namespace.
That name is defined by a variable--{{HD}}--so it can be changed.
Links to those pages and transclusion references use that variable, so they can be easily changed by modifying LocalSettings.php
Two things then need to be done:

a. Rename all pages to reflect the new namespace.

b. Change all REDIRECT pages, because the variable cannot be used in them.

(Change all occurrences of "HelpDesk:" to "NewName:")

Prerequisites

You'll need to have these things handy to set up the customized version:

Content Controls
- What brand name replaces the "AgileApps Cloud platform"? (EnterpriseBrand--always follows the word "the", typically followed by "platform".)
- What label replaces "LongJump" in the Eclipse Plugin? (BrandLabel)
  (and in email-sync, when enabled.)
- What brand name to use for the Service and Support application? (HelpDesk)
  - Always follows the word "the"
  - HelpDesk is the original default.
  - It requires extra work to make a branded version of the HelpDesk page, so don't change it, if possible
    (A new page needs to be created for the branded version, and {{:Common:HelpDesk}} content needs to be transcluded into it.)
- Are the branded whitepapers available?
- Should development information be displayed (Eclipse plugin, APIs, classes, etc)
- Should ISV info be displayed?
- Should MSP info be displayed?
- Should a training link be displayed? (TrainingLink) If so, where should it point?
Font Style (Wiki default is "Sans Serif")
Color of horizontal & vertical bars on Welcome page (default is lime green)
Logo image
- Displays in upper left of every page.
- 160 pixels wide x 135 high. Any format browsers can handle.
Icon image
- Displays in the browser's address bar, in bookmarks, and in browser tabs
- 32 x 32 pixels, .ico format (icon format)
- Create using the free[ http://icofx.ro/ IcoFX] utility
TBD
- Support Link
- Content of Subscription Summary page
- Recipient of Wiki Feedback, if any (currently, this feature is disabled)

Set Up a Subdomain

The subdomain is the master switch that turns on everything else.

In UltraDNS, add a DNS entry for the subdomain
(Directs the subdomain-URL to the HOST IP address).
- Access CPanel Securely > Subdomains
- Create subdomain: {name} (lowercase)
- Document root: public_html
At the bottom of mediawiki.conf, add a subdomain entry to the <VirtualHost> tag:
- ServerAlias {name}.platformatyourservice.com
- Process:
a. In www/apache_config, edit mediawiki.conf_new

b. Upload the file

c. In PuTTY, cd /usr/share/mediawiki/apache_config

d. Use ./try to test it. Use ./revert to go back to the previous version.

e. When changes are tested, cp mediawiki.conf_new mediawiki.conf_sav.
(The new version is now the version you'll revert to, the next time you test changes.)

r. Also copy it to mediawiki.conf_{date} so you have it for future reference
Finally, consider the impact of the subdomain on the #Customized Wiki Search

Create a New Skin

In {wiki}/skins, copy a folder for the new look and feel
(This is where CSS styling and images will be placed.)

E.g. Copy skins/custom/ to skins/isvname/ (lowercase)
In the skins folder, copy the two skin-index files:
- Copy Custom.php to IsvName.php (camelcase)
- Copy Custom.deps.php to IsvName.deps.php (camelcase)
- File IsvName.deps.php doesn't need to be touched.
- In IsvName.php, do two case-sensitive substitutions:
  - Custom ==> IsvName (camelcase)
  - custom ==> isvname (lowercase)

Learn more:

This is an old page with excellent directions:
http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Skins/From_Meta#Creating_a_Skin_based_on_MonoBook_.281.6.x.29
This is the index pointing to newer pages. They're more detailed, but often lack good, task-oriented instruction:
http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Skins

Configure the Wiki for the New Subdomain and Skin

In /www/{wiki}/LocalSettings.php, copy the "custom" else-if clause.
Change the sitename variable, $wgsitename.
Note: This title is still used to condionalize Wiki content, in some places.
Point to the new skin in $wgDefaultSkin.
Make sure the image and icon pointers are going to the right files.
Customize the wiki variables.

Note: Currently, these variables are defined as "templates" in the Wiki:

Template:DOCHOST: The location of configuration files, code samples, platform javadocs, and other resource files referenced in the wiki.
Template:JAVA_DOCHOST: The location of the standard Sun/Oracle javadocs. (This value should match the one used when generating platform javadocs.)

The expectation is that these values are wiki-specific, rather than than skin-specific. (They use Wiki variables so they automatically point to the current wiki's download files.) They are noted here, only in case it becomes desirable to point to skin-specific locations at some future date.

Change the Graphics

In custom_logos, copy and edit the graphics files:

Icon image: aa###.ico, where "###" is the version number
- Appears to the left in browser address bar, browser tabs, and bookmarks.
- 32x32 pixels
- The free IcoFX utility is good for editing.
Logo image: aa###.png, where "###" is the version number
- GIF, JPG, or PNG
- 160w x 135h pixels recommended, but height <= 135 is fine.
- (MediaWiki recommends 135x135, but we sidebar width has been increased to 160px in our instance.)

Modify the Styling

Working with Skins

A few things to know going in:

All of the skins are based on the default MONOBOOK skin
When you set the default skin in LocalSettings.php, you're setting the default for new users.
Anyone who isn't logged in will see your changes when they refresh the page.
But you, being someone who has logged in so you can edit stuff, will always see the skin you had before!
To fix that, go to My Preferences > Skin and select the skin you want to use.
Or, to check out an individual page, add &useskin={skin} to the URL.
For example: ?useskin=lj7monobook or ?...&useskin=lj7monobook

Learn more:

This page explains the names of the divs in the skin, and how they're used:

http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Customization:Explaining_skins#Major_style_blocks_by_name

Best instruction I've found to date:

http://charlesmartinreid.com/wiki/Skinning_MediaWiki

Tip:
When viewing page source, all of the variables are defined at the top of the page, starting around line 35. For example:

  <script type= "text/javascript">/*<![CDATA[*/
    var skin = "isvmonobook";
    var stylepath = "/wiki/skins";
    var wgArticlePath = "/wiki/$1";
    var wgScriptPath = "/wiki";
    var wgScript = "/wiki/index.php";
      ...
    var wgServer = "http://isv.platformatyourservice.com";
      ...
    var wgVersion = "1.15.5";

Making a Custom Sidebar

Sidebars can't have embedded conditionals so if multiple sidebars are needed, copy Template:Sidebar to make one for each skin.

The format is:

* Box title
** Bullet item target page | text to display

Then create nested conditionals in Template:Sidebar to select the sidebar to display for the current skin.
(Conditionals can be used to choose which sidebar to expand. They can't be used within the sidebar list.)

Learn more: http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Interface/Sidebar#Customize_the_sidebar

Modifying Logo/Layout CSS

The logo layout is controlled in skins/{skin}/main.css.

The main skin is lj7monobook
Adjustments can also be made using the content CSS pages below.

The vertical space available for the logo is controlled in #column-one.

padding-top controls how far down the page the first sidebar entry starts

The height of the box the logo is in is controlled in #p-logo (and #p-logo a below)

height determines the height of the box (>= logo height, <= column-one padding)
margin-top moves the logo image up or down in the available space

The height of #p-logo a needs to match the height in #p-logo, for some reason

height use the same value as specified for #p-logo. It's the link specification. If it isn't set to at least the height of the image, the image doesn't display. So maybe the #p-logo height could be specified as "auto"? (Something to try, in future.)

Modifying Sidebar Width

To change the width of the column, several other things must be adjusted to match.
(If width grows, they must shrink, and vice versa.)

To make a change, see the settings and instructions in MediaWiki:Common.css.

Modifying Content CSS

Where to make changes:

CSS styling that is intended for all looks should be created in Mediawiki:Common.css. That page overrides CSS in all skins.
Skin-specific CSS goes into Mediawiki:{Skinname}.css, where the SkinName is always specified using an initial capital letter followed by lower case.

What to change:

Copy content from one of the other MediaWiki:{Skin} pages for a starter set of things to change.
In particular, set the styles for these elements:
- <hr>
- <body>
- <q> (A "quote" element of some kind? Has some text settings.)
- .horizontal_bar - set the color of the thick horizontal bar.
- .vertical_bar - set the color for a table cell border used to create a thick "vertical bar"
Copy other CSS elements that need to be modified from skins/isvname/main.css

Customize Locations for External Files

The Wiki points to a variety of external documents. For example: configuration files and code samples. The ability to easily change such locations is highly desirable, both to allow for a local copy of the Wiki and to simplify platform upgrades.

These customizable locations are used in links:

Template:DOCHOST
Template:JAVA_DOCHOST -- points to the location used when building javadocs
Template:J2EE_DOCHOST -- ditto

The key variable is Template:DOCHOST. It contains a URL that points to the download/ area for the current wiki, so that links to files that accompany the wiki don't need to change when the Wiki is moved or renamed.

Usage: Links to external files are coded in the Wiki like this: [{{DOCHOST}}/somefile The link]; The result is a link like this: The link.

Note that the DOCHOST link could conceivably be customized for each skin. That can be done by defining a DOCLINK variable in LocalSettings.php, and then using in the DOCHOST template, like this:

{{#if: {{DOCLINK}}|{{DOCLINK}}|{{SERVER}}{{SCRIPTPATH}}/download}}

With that code, DOCLINK is used if it is defined. If not, the download/ directory that accompanies the current wiki is used.

Customized Wiki Search

We use the Google Custom Search Engine (CSE) to provide a search that is limited to pages that can be reached by robots, and to limit the results to the text that appears on the page (as opposed to the internal search, which searches the Wiki database--leading to the exposure of pages and text segments that are not limited to a specific audience.

Other advantages of that search:

It tends to list the most frequently accessed pages first
If you specify A and B, it puts pages with A alone or B alone at the bottom of the list, instead of somewhere near the top.
If you specify "A B", it searches for A-whitespace-B, not quote-A-space-B-quote.

At the moment, we have only one search enabled, for rally360.info. At some point, there could be multiple subdomains for different products, but for the moment we have only one (the hd, or "HelpDesk" subdomain).

To modify that engine:

http://google.com/cse
Log in using our Google LongJump account username and password
Ensure that Uday has made you a co-admin for the search(es) (MediaWiki search, currently)
Click the control panel link.
In the sidebar, choose segment in which to make changes.

Notes:

The appearance in the sidebar of the google search and the internal search are controlled in skins/lj7monobook.php, in the range of lines from 283 to 323. The are currently set to:

Display the Google search only in the current version of the wiki (because search robots are allowed only in the current pages).
Display it only in rally360 domain (because that is the domain the CSE covers)
Display the internal search in all other circumstances (calling it "search")
If the CSE is displayed, and the current user is logged in, add an "internal search" box at the bottom, for times when we (the logged in writers) want to search a previous or future version of wiki, or we want to look for text in the database.

We use the Google analytics variable to determine if we are in the current wiki ($wgGoogleAnalyticsAccount, because that is the only time that analytics are enabled.

The results of the Google search are displayed in Site:Search. (The rawHTML flag is set in LocalSettings, to allow the appropriate tag to be inserted into the page.)

Customize Wiki Content

These variables are defined for each skin in LocalSettings.php.
They are case-insensitive.

Global Variables

Application names (because marketing can change them):

Variable	Definition	Value in Current Domain	Usage
HD	name of the "HelpDesk" application	ServiceDesk	`{{HD}}`

Version Variables

Variable	Value
`{{MySqlVersion}}`	5.5
`{{VelocityVersion}}`	1.7

Skin-Specific Variables

Variable Name	Definition	Value in Current Domain	Usage
Skin	Abbreviated name	HD	`{{#if {{Skin}}\|name\|...\|...else...}}`
Domain	Used in the platformURL template	{yourDomain}	Create platform links using `{{platformURL}}`, instead of `https://...`
platformURL	Template:platformURL Link used to access the platform	https://{yourDomain}/networking	`{{platformURL}}`
BrandLabel	Label used in plugin GUIs (Eclipse, Outlook,...)	LongJump	`{{BrandLabel}}`
EnterpriseBrand	Name of the platform	AgileApps Cloud platform	`{{EnterpriseBrand}}`
BrandName	Template:BrandName Advertised brand	AgileApps Cloud	`{{BrandName}}`
TrainingLink	A link for training sessions.		`{{#if {{TrainingLink}} \| [{{TrainingLink}} Platform Training]}}`
WhitepapersLink	Future. Defined the same way as "TrainingLink", so it is easy to change.

Booleans
ShowWhitepapers	Show whitepapers?	(empty=false) (Fixed branding)	`{{#if {{ShowWhitepapers}} \| ...}}`
ShowOutlookSync	Show info related to Outlook Sync & Email Edition Plugin?	(empty=false)	`{{#if {{ShowOutlookSync}} \| ...}}`
ShowIsvInfo	Show info only ISVs care about	(empty=false)	`{{#if {{ShowIsvInfo}} \| ...}}`
ShowMspInfo	Show info only MSPs care about	(empty=false)	`{{#if {{ShowMspInfo}} \| ...}}`
PlatformAdminInfo	Show tenant configuration	true (empty=false)	`{{#if {{PlatformAdminInfo}} \| ...}}`
ShowInstallInfo	Show info for installers	true (empty=false)	`{{#if {{ShowInstallInfo}} \| ...}}`

Variable Combinations

Use this pattern to conditionalize information intended for all Service Providers (both ISVs and MSPs):

{{#if: {{ShowIsvInfo}} {{ShowMspInfo}} |
__Info for all Service Providers (LJ and ISV domains)__
}}

Note: Information intended for both is generally conditioned using ShowIsvInfo--whether or not that was a wise choice remains TBD. So the combination above isn't strictly necessary.

Use this pattern if it is necessary to distinguish information intended for ISVs (which may mention MSPs) from information intended for MSPs, in Wiki versions that do not include ISV info (e.g. Relationals):

{{#if: {{ShowIsvInfo}} |
__ISV info (ISV DOMAIN) __

| <!-- HideIsvInfo -->
{{#if: {{ShowMspInfo}} |
__MSP info (LJ DOMAIN)__
}}}}

Search

where to start

Feedback

customize and design

resources

Tools

Personal tools