BlogUp: a twiki based weblog setup

Note: The BlogUp application is part of the BlogPlugin.

Introduction

BlogUp is a TWikiApplication addon package that turns TWiki into a weblog tool. In combination with the NatSkin it offers the look & feel of well known blogging tools like MovableType or WordPress but embedded into a full-fledged wiki.

The main features are:

• single- or multi-author blogging
• one-click easy publishing and correction of postings and comments
• extensible tagging system
• tagged news aggregation
• semi-automatic computation of "related" postings
• threaded comment system
• full content syndication
• flexible archiving and retrieval
• tag statistics
• completely form-based TWikiApplication using the TWikiWorkbench approach

Screenshots

Getting started

To create a blog use the BlogFactory. Note, however, that only members of the TWikiAdminGroup are allowed to create a new blog. After entering the mandatory information you will get a new web that is a copy of the _BlogPlugin template web.

User Manual

TODO The BlogUp TWikiApplication is made up of tree levels that are of use depending on the role of the visitor.

1. application level: that's the view a normal visitor gets on the site
2. blog author level: grant access to tools needed to post a blog entry or add new SubjectCategories
3. administrative level: grant access to TopicFunctions that render the site

Roles are assigned using TWikiGroups, i.e. the BlogAuthorGroup and the BlogAdminGroup. Each blog is contained in one web; one blog can be a multi-author or single-author blog. A multi-author blog will display authorship per posting, not so a single-author blog.

Exploring the blog

TODO

Publishing a new blog entry

TODO

Adding a new SubjectCategory

TODO

Aggregating news

TODO

Commenting

TODO

Implementation

The BlogUp is implemented using the TWikiWorkbench approach consisting (at least) of a set of TopicTypes, TopicFunctions, TWikiForms and TopicTemplates that are used to implement the application.

TopicTypes

Each topic is typed using TWikiForms, that is TWikiForms define TopicTypes. A TopicType form has a token and a free-form TopicDescription that describes the purpose of an instance of that type.

In general a TopicType is made up of three parts:

1. the TopicType topic named XXX
2. the TWikiForm topic named XXXForm
3. the TopicTemplate topic named XXXTemplate

The XXX TopicType topic lists an overview of all topics of the given type and a form to create a new one.

TopicFunctions

TopicFunctions are the basic building blocks that are used to render the application. TopicFunctions are divided into sections that are extracted using parametrized INCLUDEs. (Note, that the BlogPlugin does not use INCLUDE or SEARCH but DBCALL and DBQUERY provided by the DBCachePlugin.) Thereby TopicFunctions are "called" as functions in a library are called to be executed. Every TopicFunction is named RenderXXX where XXX describes the output generated by it. A TopicFunction is also documenting itself and its parameters.

TWikiForms

TODO

TopicTemplates

TODO

Customization

TODO

See also: BlogPlugin, BlogUp template web

Application Info

Author:	TWiki:Main/MichaelDaum
Copyright ©:	2006, Michael Daum
License:	GPL (GNU General Public License)
Version:	v0.47
Dependencies:	BlogPlugin
Change History:	(see also the change history of the BlogPlugin)
24 Jan 2006:	Initial version
Demo:	http://jojowiki.dyndns.org
Home:	TWiki:Plugins/BlogUp
Feedback:	TWiki:Plugins/BlogPlugin
Appraisal:	TWiki:Plugins/BlogPluginAppraisal

-- TWiki:Main/MichaelDaum - 08 Feb 2006