Triki-Wiki

A simple, robust, flat-file XHTML-Wiki in PHP

(Apologies to my german readers, but this page is linked from www.wikimatrix.org).

Triki's main features

It's small, free (GPL), very easy to install and highly portable. Triki comes with a plugin-system allowing for extension without touching the main code. Lots of comment make the main code easy to edit too.

  • Html or Xhtml (preferred)
  • Display styling via CSS
  • Optional WYSIWYG-Editor
    (preferred, via FCKeditor)
  • Optional fine-grain access control
  • Optional page-lock while editing
  • Optional comment thread to each page
  • Recent Changes, Uploads, Downloads, Diffs, list all pages, embedded pages, popup windows, popup boxes, optional AutoTOC
  • English, German, Finnish, Italian, Spanish

The default Xhmtl page template uses only one menu bar (at the left) leaving the complete window height for the content. Help, in particular on how to edit, is provided in popup windows, so the user can read the help while the editor window is active. A primitive cleanup module allows the deletion of older page versions. Triki is written in PHP and tested under Windows-PHP5 and Linux-PHP4.

How it got born

The larger the codebase of a program, the more difficulties are likely when porting it to any particular environment. That's actually the reason for Triki's existence: I searched WikiMatrix with particular wishes and found – nothing. I relented on some wishes and got some suggestions. The first two I tried (both well known and large) both took me a whole day of hard effort under WinXP and PHP 5.2, and still stumbled, the older style code in some dark corners being their downfall. The third system I tried was Giki, and that came up right away. I started configuring it for my purpose, and then began to fix some things, then more things… After 2 weeks of this I started calling it Triki :)

Who's it for?

A DB-Plugin is foreseen but as yet non-existent, so using flat files for the data storage (all in one directory) limits Triki in the number of pages which can reasonably be managed. The as yet missing search facility will also discourage some potential users. But if you are looking for a no-frills solution to be put online with minimal effort and you want a WYSIWYG Editor then try Triki! The distribution of FCKeditor which you can also download from here is configured with an appropriate Toolbar and other options to run hand in hand with Triki right out of the box.

Where can I see it in action?

My TechWiki, a forum for all the free software offered here, is implemented with Triki in an Iframe ("larger" systems would not fit the available space – another interesting aspect of Triki).

 

WikiSyntax or WYSIWYG?

WikiSyntax is like the good old bulletin-board way of input formatting, you must type cryptic things like ##Bold## or == Headline == (for an <h2>). This has two major advantages: (1) formatting can only be performed with the foreseen features, thus the pages are of uniform design; and (2) since direct input of html is not allowed, the system can not be easily abused (spamming).

This is fine if your users are fairly proficient and willing to learn, but it is restrictive, non-intuitive and if your users are not technical types then a real discouragement. Imagine for example a group of doctors and healing practitioners trying to create a knowledge base about a certain type of illness – will they get to grips with that sort of input convention? They almost certainly will not – which is where you'll want to opt for a WYSIWYG editor.

Note that some Wiki systems offer a toolbar to insert the cryptic codes, whereby clicking on a symbol runs some JavaScript code to perform the appropriate insert into the textbox. This, if well coded, can be a good option, but is still not WYSIWYG. The toolbars configured extra for Triki in the FCKeditor package provided here are modelled on Word but include only features sensible for a Wiki.

Basic link types

  • [PageName] links to PageName with "PageName" as the visible link text.
  • [VisText|PageName] links to PageName with "VisText" as the link text.
  • [VisText|cond:PageName] links to PageName only if it exists.
  • [VisText|file:filename] links to the given file in a new browser tab or window.
  • [VisText|down:filename] creates a download link to the given file.
  • [AltText|image:filename] is replaced by the image file.
  • [VisText|http://www.google.com/] creates a normal external link to the URL.
  • [:upload.php] creates a relative link within the Wiki Website (to upload.php).
  • [:help:filename] is replaced by the file "help/<filename>.<language>.html".

Further link types with a different syntax allow embedded pages (clickable to open / close), popup windows and popup boxes.

More detailed information

Read the Triki Readme online.

Download current version

Download Triki 1.0.1, Zip (343kb):  Download Triki 1.0.1 (Zip, 343kb)

Previous downloads: 1346

Download FCKeditor 2.4.3, Zip (1Mb):  Download FCKeditor 2.4.3, Zip (1Mb)

Previous downloads: 746

Download both together, Zip (1.36Mb):  Download Triki 1.0.1 with FCKeditor 2.4.3, Zip (1.36Mb)

Previous downloads: 1651

<title>Triki-Wiki - Tim Reeves Internet-Technology</title> <meta name= "description" content= "Tim Reeves Internet-Technology - Triki-Wiki - A highly portable, simple, robust, flat-file XHTML-Wiki in PHP" /> <meta name= "keywords" content= "Triki, Wiki" /> <meta name= "date" content= "2010-03-28" /> <?php include("../head.inc.php"); ?> <style type= "text/css"> /*<![CDATA[*/ strong, .strong { font-size: 9pt; } /*]]>*/ </style> <?php include("../navi.inc.php"); include("../cntdown.inc.php"); ?> <div class= "content"> <table cellpadding= "0" cellspacing= "0" class= "spalten"> <tr> <td class= "sp5050"> <h1 style= "margin-top:12px">Triki-Wiki</h1> <h5>A simple, robust, flat-file XHTML-Wiki in PHP</h5> <p>(Apologies to my german readers, but this page is linked from <a href= "http://www.wikimatrix.org/" target= "_blank" title= "Visit the Wiki comparison website">www.wikimatrix.org</a>).</p> <h4>Triki's main features</h4> <p>It's small, free (GPL), very easy to install and highly portable. Triki comes with a plugin-system allowing for extension without touching the main code. Lots of comment make the main code easy to edit too.</p> <ul> <li>Html or Xhtml (preferred)</li> <li>Display styling via CSS</li> <li>Optional WYSIWYG-Editor<br />(preferred, via FCKeditor)</li> <li>Optional fine-grain access control</li> <li>Optional page-lock while editing</li> <li>Optional comment thread to each page</li> <li>Recent Changes, Uploads, Downloads, Diffs, list all pages, embedded pages, popup windows, popup boxes, optional AutoTOC</li> <li>English, German, Finnish, Italian, Spanish</li> </ul> <p>The default Xhmtl page template uses only one menu bar (at the left) leaving the complete window height for the content. Help, in particular on how to edit, is provided in popup windows, so the user can read the help while the editor window is active. A primitive cleanup module allows the deletion of older page versions. Triki is written in PHP and tested under Windows-PHP5 and Linux-PHP4.</p>