Re: [Phpwiki-talk] storing diffs in the archive

[Steve W. <sw...@wc...>]

On Thu, 27 Jul 2000, Jeff Dairiki wrote:

> My guess is that you definitely don't want to apply 100 patches to go back 
> 100 versions --- I'm sure that would take a while.  Applying 10 patches is
> probably fine as long as they're reasonable size.
> 
> Now that I've thought about it awhile I don't think you'd want to store
> exclusively diffs.  I think small diffs should be stored as diffs. For bigger
> diffs (the storage gains are smaller compared the speed loss) and one might
> as well just store the whole page.   Probably there should be some limit on
> the diff chain length as well.

I've thought along similar lines; there must be a reasonable scheme where
every 10th page is whole and the rest are diffs, or author "commits" are
diffs but changes between authors are stored as whole pages.
 
> I'm a bit embarrassed to admit it but I've continued hacking here off and
> on for the past week, and have gotten PhpWiki to a totally unrecognizable 
> state.
> 
> Now, in my home version I've:
> 
>   Redone the database interface comepletely.  I've added support for
> multiple archived versions.  The links table (MySQL) is now used for
> proper and quick backlinks searches.  Of course it's object oriented.
> The schema are all changed.  MySQL and DBM backends are both working.
 
>   Then I started worrying about the user interface too. (What I've done so
> far is add a history page --- much like the info page, but more compact ---
> which lists versions, dates, authors, and has links to views and diffs of
> each version.)

too cool!

 
>   Writing all these pages and links was giving me template headaches so
> I started working on a new template scheme.  First I tried PHPlib's templates
> --- which I think have some good ideas --- but wasn't happy.  I'm pretty
> happy with what I've got now.  Almost all of the HTML and I think all
> of the output text is in the templates now.  The templates support
> conditional chunks of output and loops.
> 
> So I'm not sure any of the original (meaning 1.1.7!) code remains in
> my version.  As I said, I'm a bit embarrassed.  I certainly don't want to
> take over your project.   However, you're more than welcome to my code.

Nah, don't be embarassed! It sounds like you've added some great things.
I'd love to see it all in action.

> Let me know your level of interest.  I can either check it into the CVS,
> either in the jeffs_hacks branch, or some other new branch.   Or I get
> a tar file to you.

Sure, check it into your hacks branch... I checked it out a couple of days
ago but was unable to make it work. I like the new switch:case in
index.php3.

> Note that tables are in the jeffs_hacks-branch of the CVS already.
> The syntax (copied from some Wiki --- I can't remember which at the moment
> is
> 
> || column 1 text || column 2 text || column 3 text
> |{ left aligned text || centered text |} right aligned text
 
I guess one cannot hold back the tide ;-)

> Another interesting idea I've put into my home hacks is to do away with the
> admin page.  Instead one can browse the Wiki in admin mode (through admin.php3
> instead of index.php3).  It's identical to normal mode, except there is
> a button on each page to lock/unlock it, (and you can edit locked pages).

This is the best idea yet. It makes great sense and it would greatly
reduce the amount of code we have! I wish I'd thought of it. What I want
to add eventually is something on the level of a mailing list's
authentication: user fills out registration (just a name and email
address), a password is mailed to the account, and the user can optionally
change it down the road. This simple access allows them to edit pages. A
lot of people are sqeamish about using Wikis because they think the pages
will be erased and filled with uuencoded warez and pr0n. With version
control and auth, they have some peace of mind.

I can't speak for Arno but if all of my code is replaced, I could care
less (I will just contribute more) because I want PhpWiki to be the best
designed, easiest to install and most featureful Wiki out there, and I
want you and Arno to get all the credit for your work!

I only wish you would have made more stingent demands to objectify
pagehash and the database, and I would have listened (or should have?) 
because I want my codevelopers to be happy... instead of forking the
code... but it's never too late :-) 

sw

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