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## <a name="20_Minute_TWiki"> 20-Minute TWiki </a>

This step-by-step, hands-on tutorial gets you up to speed with all the %WIKITOOLNAME% basics, in mere minutes...

> ### <a name="1_Get_set_"> 1. Get set: </a>
>
>  Open two browser windows, side-by-side, so that you can follow these steps in one window, while trying things out in the other.
>
> ### <a name="2_Take_a_whirlwind_tour_"> 2. Take a whirlwind tour: </a>
>
>  A %WIKITOOLNAME% site is divided into webs; each one usually represents one area of collaboration. You can navigate the webs from the upper right corner of each web page.
>
> * Each web has hyperlinked topics, displayed as pages in your browser.
> * The home page in each web is the %HOMETOPIC% topic.
> * To browse a %WIKITOOLNAME% web, just click on any highlighted link. These links are called [[WikiWords]] and comprise two or more words with initial capitals, run together.
> * Follow the [[WikiWord]] link and learn what it is.
> * If you know the name of a topic, you can jump directly to it by typing its name into the **Go** field on the top of the page. Type `WebSearch` to jump to the search page. **_Hint:_** Do not confuse the **Go** field with search.
> * You can search each %WIKITOOLNAME% web. Enter a search string in the %HOMETOPIC% topic or the [[WebSearch]] topic accessible from the `Search` link on each topic. %WIKITOOLNAME% searches for an exact match; optionally, you can also use [[RegularExpressions]].
>
> ### <a name="3_Open_a_private_account_page_"> 3. Open a private account page: </a>
>
>  To edit topics, you need to have a %WIKITOOLNAME% account.
>
> * Go to the [[TWikiRegistration]] page to create your %WIKITOOLNAME% account.
>
> ### <a name="4_Check_out_WIKITOOLNAME_Users_o"> 4. Check out %WIKITOOLNAME% Users, offices and groups: </a>
>
> * Go to the %MAINWEB%.%WIKIUSERSTOPIC% topic in the %WIKITOOLNAME%.%MAINWEB% web; it has a list of all users of %WIKITOOLNAME%. Your [[WikiName]] will be in this list after you register.
> * Go to the %MAINWEB%.OfficeLocations topic in the %WIKITOOLNAME%.%MAINWEB% web; it has a list of corporate offices already entered into %WIKITOOLNAME%.
> * Go to the %MAINWEB%.TWikiGroups topic in the %WIKITOOLNAME%.%MAINWEB% web; it has a list of groups which can be used to define fine grained [[TWikiAccessControl]] in %WIKITOOLNAME%.
>
> ### <a name="5_Test_the_page_controls_"> 5. Test the page controls: </a>
>
>  Go to the %HOMETOPIC% page to find out what you can do. The bottom of the page has action links:
>
> * **Edit** - add to or edit the topic (discussed later)
> * **Ref-By** - find out what other topics link to this topic (reverse link)
> * **Attach** - attach files to a topic (discussed later)
> * **Diffs** - topics are under revision control. Diffs shows you the complete change history of the topic, e.g. who changed what and when.
> * **r1.3 | &gt; | r1.2 | &gt; | r1.1** - view a previous version of the topic or the difference between two revisions
> * **More** - additional controls, like **Rename/move**, version control and setting the topic parent.
>
> ### <a name="6_Change_a_page_and_create_a_new"> 6. Change a page and create a new one: </a>
>
>  Go to the Test.%HOMETOPIC% topic of the %WIKITOOLNAME%.Test web. This web is the sandbox where you can make changes at will.
>
> * Press the **Edit** link. You are now in edit mode and you can see the source of the page. (Go to a different topic like [[Test/TestTopic3]] in case you see a "Topic is locked by an other user" warning.)
> * Look at the text in edit mode and compare it with the rendered page (move back and forth in your browser.)
> * Notice how [[WikiWords]] are linked automatically; there is no link if you look at the text in edit mode.
> * Now, create a new topic, your own test page:
>   1. In edit mode, enter a new text with a [[WikiWord]], i.e. <br /><code>This is PaulsSandBox topic.</code>
>   2. Preview and save the topic. You can see a linked question mark after the topic name. This means that the topic does not exist yet.
>   3. Click on the question mark. Now you are in edit mode of the new topic.
>   4. Type some text, basically, like you write an email.
>   5. A signature with your name is already entered by default. **_NOTE:_** The `%MAINWEB%.` in front of your name means that you have a link from the current web to your personal topic located in the %MAINWEB% web.
>   6. Preview and save the topic.
> * Learn about text formatting. You can enter text in [[WikiSyntax]], a very simple markup language. Follow the [[WikiSyntax]] link to see how, then:
>   1. Go back to your sandbox topic end edit it.
>   2. Enter some text in [[WikiSyntax]]: **bold** text, _italic_ text, **_bold italic_** text, a bullet list, tables, paragraphs, etc. **_Hint:_** If you need to look up the [[WikiSyntax]], click on the [[TextFormattingRules]] link located below the edit field.
>   3. Preview and save the topic.
>
> ### <a name="7_Upload_files_as_page_Attachmen"> 7. Upload files as page Attachments: </a>
>
>  You can attach any file to a topic, not unlike attachments to an email.
>
> * Go back to your sandbox topic and click on the `Attach` link at the bottom.
> * Browse for any file you would like to attach; enter an optional comment.
> * Upload and attach the file.
> * Do this again with a JPG or GIF image file.
> * Checkmark the box "Create a link to the attached file at the end of the topic."
> * Upload and attach the image file.
> * The image will show up at the bottom of the topic. To move the image, you can edit the topic and move the last line (bullet containing <code>%ATTACHURL%</code>) to anywhere you like.
> * If you have a GIF or JPG image of yourself, why not upload it now to your personal topic?
>
> ### <a name="8_Get_email_alerts_when_topics_c"> 8. Get email alerts when topics change: </a>
>
>  It is very important that team members are kept in sync of changes.
>
> * %NOTIFYTOPIC% (one per %WIKITOOLNAME% web) is a subscription service to be automatically notified by email when topics change in a %WIKITOOLNAME% web. This is a convenient service, so you do not have to come back and check all the time to see if something has changed.
> * It is strongly recommended that you subscribe to the %WIKITOOLNAME% web(s) relevant to your work.

That's it! You're now equipped with all the TWiki essentials. You are ready to roll.

**_NOTE:_** When first using TWiki, it will probably seem strange to be able to change other people's postings - separated messages is the online rule, with email, message boards, non-Wiki collaboration platforms. **_Don't worry about it._** Nothing gets lost, you can always check previous versions, and copy-and-paste from them if you want to revert after saving a change. Use TWiki for a short while, and you'll want this sort of natural communications freedom...everywhere!

-- [[PeterThoeny]] - 13 Sep 2001 <br /> -- [[MikeMannix]] - 14 Sep 2001 <br />