# How to use a WIKI THREAD



## Morrus

*You can now create collaborative("Wiki") threads. *

A wiki thread is one which anybody can edit. If you have a collaborative project you would like to start, a wiki thread is the way to do it. When you designate your thread as a wiki thread, anybody can edit the first post. You can turn off the wiki function at any time (reverting it to a normal post) or you - as the thread starter - can "revert" any changes you choose to. 

This applies to the first post in your thread only. Others can reply to the thread as normal. Only the first post is wikiable.

*Collaborative projects might include:* lists, collections of information, shared projects, shared words/settings, and more.

To start a wiki thread, just start a thread anywhere on the forum as normal. Below the main text box you will see this:




You can also toggle wiki on or off on any of your existing threads (even those which were not originally created as wiki threads) by simply editing your first post and checking or unchecking the wiki option.

If the post has been vandalised (or just changed in ways you, as the post owner, do not agree with) you can revert it by click on the "edited by...." notification.



That will take you to a screen like this:



You will know you are looking at a wiki thread because you will see two things. (1) You will see a bar at the top denoting it is a wiki thread. (2) You will see an EDIT button, even though it's not your post.



If you're looking at a forum, wiki threads will be highlighted in yellow like this:



You can start a wiki thread in any forum. It will remain a wiki thread unless you turn it off.

Here is an example wiki thread.
*
Save**Save*​


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## Blue

This is great!  Thanks!

Is it possible for the owner to convert an existing thread to a wiki thread?  I'm thinking specifically to some of the 5e class guides.


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## Morrus

Blue said:


> This is great!  Thanks!
> 
> Is it possible for the owner to convert an existing thread to a wiki thread?  I'm thinking specifically to some of the 5e class guides.




In the post above.


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## Ancalagon

Can someone *not* the owner of the thread toggle the switch?  Could lead to shenanigans...


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## Morrus

Nope. Except a mod/admin.


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## Lanefan

Once these wiki threads get settled in, any chance of changing the way they're highlighted in the forum list?  I use the classic orange-on-black setup, and the wiki threads come out as bright bars across the screen.

My suggestion, with no idea of the practicalities involved, would be to instead just change the colour of the thread title itself to highlight a wiki...instead of orange in the orange-on-black, for example, make the thread title's lettering red, or blue, or green.

Lanefan


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## Sir Brennen

Lanefan said:


> Once these wiki threads get settled in, any chance of changing the way they're highlighted in the forum list?  I use the classic orange-on-black setup, and the wiki threads come out as bright bars across the screen.
> 
> My suggestion, with no idea of the practicalities involved, would be to instead just change the colour of the thread title itself to highlight a wiki...instead of orange in the orange-on-black, for example, make the thread title's lettering red, or blue, or green




Or perhaps a different icon (or subject tag) that's independent of color scheme?


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## Lanefan

For [MENTION=1]Morrus[/MENTION] or anyone who deals with such things:

In case it matters, it seems that editing the initial post in a wiki thread does not bounce the thread to the top of the thread list (by timestamp order) the same way adding a new post does.

The risk here is that some wiki threads that may be often edited and-or referred to but not often posted to (e.g. the Convention List wiki in general RPG discussion) risk falling off the first page - and thus being forgotten or missed by casual or infrequent visitors - unless they are stickied.

Lanefan


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## LordEntrails

When I make a change to a first post (my own or a wiki), I consider it best practice to make a post at the end of the thread stating what I've done, which also causes the thread to be bumped.


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## pukunui

Something I've just encountered: Two people editing a wiki thread at the same time ... my edit got lost while the other person's got saved. Luckily I was able to hit back on the browser window and copy/paste my text and then go through and add it back in.


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## LordEntrails

pukunui said:


> Something I've just encountered: Two people editing a wiki thread at the same time ... my edit got lost while the other person's got saved. Luckily I was able to hit back on the browser window and copy/paste my text and then go through and add it back in.




I've been waiting for this to happen. Figured it was inevitable.


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## CapnZapp

Feedback on the wikithread system now that I have practical experience:

#1 It's great. Thanks!

#2 Page history is only available to the thread starter. Any particular reason why?

I get that the revert functionality is restricted. But why is even readonly access to previous versions denied other contributors?

#3 Only the thread starter can see previous versions, and so his work is safe even if overwritten. Other editors must either ask the threadstarter (for a copy of a previous version) or save private copies of their contributions. 

Any chance the threadstarter can "approve" a certain version, so everybody can then look at (=access in readonly mode) that version even if later overwritten? (This allows people to use that version's text without asking the threadstarter - saving private copies of every version of every wiki thread is a no-go) 

Again thanks for the useful functionality.


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## Morrus

That's a good idea. It'd be a shame if a wiki thread got vandalised and the thread starter wasn't around any more to revert it. I'll look into that.


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## hardware_joe




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