Quick Start Tutorial

5-Minute TWiki

This is the crash-course on getting started with using TWiki, the wiki software that runs WikiGardens.com. This guide intended to get you started contributing to WikiGardens.com as quick as possible (as it should be).

1. Get set...

Open two browser windows, so that you can follow these steps in one window, while trying things out in the other. We'll even do that for you when you click on the link in next step.

2. Register on the site

To edit topics, you need to register on this site.

Go to the Registration Page (link opens new window) to create your TWiki account. When you complete this process, you'll end up at your personal user page. When you get there, look at this page again for the next step.

3. Create your first topic

After registering, you should end up at your user page. Under "My Links" you will see a link that begins with your user name followed by "Sandbox" and a question mark. To create your first topic, simply click on the question mark. Further explanation (if you care):

• In TWiki, as in many wikis, links are automatically created by what's known as WikiWords. The question mark indicates that this is a link to a potential topic (it doesn't exist yet ).
• Clicking on the question mark puts you immediately to edit mode on the newly-created topic. In this case, the new topic will be in the "Sandbox" that's intended specifically for playing around with TWiki for learning or testing features.

4. Edit your new topic

You should now be in edit mode your own personal Sandbox topic for playing around, experimenting or whatever you'd like. At the top of the page is the topic name with "edit" in parenthesize above a text box where you do your editing. At the bottom of the page is a summary of the basic formatting rules for creating headings, bold text, italic text , etc.

Go ahead and start writing! Try out some of the different formatting. Remember: you can't break anything, so don't worry & have fun!

When you're finished click on the "Save" button below the text box.

Congratulations: you have successfully created and edited your first wiki topic!

5. You're on your way!

Look out world, you're on your wiki-way! Chances are you'll soon realize that there's lot's more fun to be had with TWiki by delving a bit deeper into its many features. Here's some good places from which to launch your further explorations:

• TWikiTutorial for the 20-minute lesson that covers such useful items as attaching files to topics, getting email updates of topics that have changed, and more.
• GoodStyle for hints on TWiki-style collaboration.
• TextFormattingRules for a full explanation of TWiki's powerful formatting syntax.
• InstalledPlugins for learning how to tap the awesome power of TWiki plugins.