Using the Wiki--Please save

Lawrence and I are working on getting the pbs wiki going so we won't have
to use his so I haven't had a lot of time to help all of you who have been
struggling to figure out how to use Lawrence's wiki. There is a bit of a
learning curve for me the non techie and it is very time consuming. I
appreciate your efforts in trying this out and I appreciate the others who
have jumped in to help like Sheila and John.

I am trying to create clear instructions for everyone that will help you.
The beauty of a wiki is that everyone can use it and help make it better.
The disadvantage of a wiki is that anyone can make changes. My
GettingStarted page which I created to give you all tips to tell you how to
put your information and picture location on our page so it will be easy
for everyone to read keeps getting relocated. I have several times put it
on our page and this morning it was gone again so I put it back.

I suggest that everyone who plans to upload images or provide information
for our wiki go to this page and print out the instructions. They are much
clearer than the instructions for editing that appear on the very bottom
when you edit and which I can't change. After you have printed out the
instructions then go to the bottom of the page and push edit. You will then
see how it looks when you are working on it and before it is saved and I
have examples to illustrate every point. Please don't edit the
GettingStarted page for now although you can send me ideas for improving
it. If you want to know how to create a wikipage to put in pictures for a
genus or how to italicize a botanical name or how to make sure the wikilink
is on its own line the information is here. GettingStarted will be on our
page so you can refer to it unless someone moves it again and if they do
please someone put it back.
http://ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/pcwiki/…

If you just want to practice your editing skills you can use the SandBox.
Type whatever you want and save it and see how it looks.
http://ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/pcwiki/…

Once we get our Pacific Bulb Society web page up and operational all this
information can go there and remain secure. In the meantime I will make a
note of this archive number so I can refer everyone to this information so
I won't be repeating it over and over.

Procedure for images for this list:

1. First you need to upload the message. To do this go to:
http://ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/pcwiki/…
The Browse key will allow you to find where on your computer you have
stored the image file.

2. Be sure you have named your file something short that tells what it is
and do not put spaces in the title. Either string the words together or use
underlines or dashes. Eg. Worsleya-rayneri.jpg, Worsleya_rayneri.jpg or
Worsleyarayneri.jpg. Otherwise it may not wrap well. You will have an
opportunity to give us the complete name of what you are sending in your
post and also when you describe your image on the wiki page.

3. Find the file and push upload. After the file has been transferred from
your computer to the server you will be given the url location. Make a note
of this or copy it and paste it directly in your email so you won't lose it.

4. Identify in the subject of your post what the image will be so that
everyone will know what it is. Example: Crocus image

5. Tell us about your image in the post and then include the url if you
have not so already.

6. Please add this url to our wikipage listed below by editing the page (go
to the bottom and push edit) and pasting the url where the plant would go
in alphabetical order. Above the url write identifying information about
your picture in a couple of sentences. (Full name of plant, country of
origin, garden grown or in the wild, photographer, perhaps suitability for
which garden zone) and then type in three % signs before your wikilink
(your url that you have pasted.) When you edit you can see how everyone
else has done it and copy their style or refer to GettingStarted for more
information.

Exactly what you put here we haven't decided for sure. We don't want it to
be too long, but I think knowing which country it comes from would be
information I'd want to know and also some idea of who might be able to
grow it would be really helpful. If you don't know all this information
include what you do know. You can create a wikipage just for yourself as
the photographer if you want to and choose what information you are willing
to go on the web. To do this follow the instructions in GettingStarted. Or
you can just give your name but we do want to know whose picture it is.
7. Preview you changes to make sure it looks like you intended and save
your changes. You can save and then edit it if it needs fixing.

To view images posted to the PBS wiki site or to put the images in that you
have already posted to this group go to:
http://ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/pcwiki/…

If you did not make a note of your url when you uploaded it you may be able
to find it in your email if you sent it to us or in the archives if you
didn't keep that email. You also can find it by going to the list of files:

http://ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/pcwiki/…

Look through the list of files until you find your file. Click on it to be
sure and then copy the url from your Browser location window and paste it
in our page as directed above.

Don't be put off by all these instructions. I tried to make them as
complete as I could so I covered all the possibilities. Once you do this a
couple of times you find it isn't that difficult.

I hope this will answer all the questions. Perhaps a few of you who have
figured this out (hint Sheila) would be willing to help those people who
are stuck until I have more time.

Mary Sue