Last edit by: IBJoel
Wiki post / wikipost questions, issues, discussion
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FAQ
Q. What is a Wikipost?
A Wikipost contains content that appears at the top of a thread, usually used to summarize important information in multi-page threads: "This is a community-maintained wikipost containing the most important information from this thread. You may start or edit a Wikipost once you have been on FT for 90 days and have made 90 posts." (Written at the top of every Wikipost.)
Q. Why are Wikiposts here? What is their purpose?
Threads that have high interest can grow very quickly, making it tiresome to sort through sometimes hundreds of posts to find information. A Wikipost is designed to contain a summary of relevant information, and may contain links to especially relevant posts, related threads and off-site resources. Any member with "90/90" can update obsolete information or update Wikipost information, and of course there's plenty of space to discuss or ask about more specific details.
Q. What display modes are offered for Wikiposts?
There are three modes of wiki post display: (c/o IBobi)
1. "Summary view" (default) -- this shows the top of the wikipost only.
2. Full display (when you click "Click here to display full Wiki") -- this shows the whole Wikipost.
3. Hidden (when you click the "-" sign at the top right) -- reduces this and ALL Wikiposts on FT to a narrow blue bar that says "Wikipost", until you click the "+" on one of them again, which will return them to default view.
(see more below)
Q. Can I link to a Wikipost?
Yes. Click on Wiki Link on the upper right of the wiki and the Wikipost will display ax a single post. You can copy the link and paste it elsewhere. Click "back" in your browser to return to the page you were on.
Q. Why are so many threads with Wikiposts concentrated on the front pages of some fora? cx
The most popular / used threads are often those with complicated content - frequent flyer or guest program changes, securing awards, etc. These are the threads most likely to have Wikiposts summarizing key points.
Q. How / why did Wikiposts come about on FT?
Wikiposts came about after requests from members to Internet Brands and a lot of forethought, followed by Beta testing. They are considered a valuable asset to FlyerTalk, and a viable and "closer" alternative to maintaining an off site, separate wiki.
Q. What do "wiki" and "Wikipost" mean?
The word "wiki" (wee-kee) is Hawaiian Polynisian for "fast" or "quick". Here, a Wikipost offers a quick look at the topic covered by a thread.
Q. Can I see a listing of Wikiposts?
Yes. Up in the dark blue navigation bar, a little below the FlyerTalk logo, it says "Flyertalk [sic, should be a capital T] Wiki." Click that and then "Show all Wiki [sic, should be plural]" from the sub-menu.
(Thanks to jackal)
Q. What do I do if I just don't want to read the Wikiposts?
Just continue browsing normally. Only minimized Wikiposts (a few lines) will be revealed until you click on / touch the blue "Click here to display Full Wiki" line. The full Wikipost will only be displayed if you click the link to read it. Ignore the Wikipost if you don't want to read the information therein.
Q. What do I do if I feel there are too darn many Wikiposts?
You can go to the "Wikipost" blue menu bar at the top of a thread page and click on the "-" sign at the right end of the bar, which will minimize all wikis; you never have to see a Wikipost again. That information never has to intrude on your reading of FlyerTalk. And, of course you can turn wiki posts "on" by clicking the "+" in the same menu bar when you wish.)
Alternatively, you can go to your FT Profile, look at Your Control Panel, Edit Options. Toward the bottom of the page you'll see
Wikipost Hide All
Hide all Wiki Posts in Threads
Hide all wikiposts
Hide all Wiki Posts in Threads
Hide all wikiposts
Q. What are the alternatives to wikiposts in a large forum?
1) Multiple (dozens or even more) threads with members having to search them all for answers, or start a new one out of frustration, assuring information fragmentation and dispersion.
2) Mega threads with hundreds of posts to sort through for answers.
Thanks to wetrat0
Q. I can't open and edit a particular Wikipost! Why?
A few wiki posts may be locked by moderators to prevent making changes; these preferably should be clearly marked with an explanation.
Q. I can't even see Wikiposts! Why?
If you are using the mobile skin, you can not see Wikiposts at this time.
If otherwise and you can not see the wiki posts:
Assuming you are signed in, have been on FT 90 or more days and have made 90 or more posts:
In your FT Profile, look at Your Control Panel, Edit Options. Toward the bottom of the page you'll see
Wikipost Hide All
Hide all Wiki Posts in Threads
Hide all wikiposts
Hide all Wiki Posts in Threads
Hide all wikiposts
Q. How do I open and start a wikipost myself?
To create a wiki, go to the Thread Tools menu on the right of the thread menu bar, click / touch Create a Wikipost
Q. I've got "90/90"; how do I edit a wikipost?
To edit a wiki, expand by clicking / touching the "Click here to display full wiki" message, then see the Edit button in the lower right of the wiki.
Q. What formatting can I use to make a wikipost more "eye-tractive" and readable?
Wikis accepts a lot of common BBCode formatting, some of which is shown below - but not all.
Bold and colors work!
Sizes work as well, from larger than this to this.
However, names of threads like WikiPost problems are not being normalized. (URL links to FlyerTalk in posts will render such: "Wikipost" / wiki post questions, issues, discussion.
In Wikiposts, they will render as full URL: "Wikipost" / wiki post questions, issues, discussion (consolidated) look at the above URL to see how you can adjust that.
See Calchas' post #122 to read about the wiki history rendering.
Q. Can I embed or add illustrations or photos in Wikiposts?
Links to photographs and graphic images can be embedded in wikiposts; framed video links can not be, nor can images be attached as in posts.
Link to an extensive thread about embedding images in the Travel Photography forum.
Link to thread in Technical Support and Feedback forum on embedding images.
Q. Can I create "chapters" within in Wikiposts with internal links and anchor points?[
Yes; as of September 2016, you can. Here are the basics:
Using the tag "wikifrom" you can write a text, and the name of the anchor you want to point to like this:
Visit Chapter 1
Visit Chapter 2
Then you can use the tag "wikito" to allow easy wikipost navigation:
Chapter 1 - Monday
Some text here.
Chapter 2 - Tuesday
Some more text here.
(Here is how it looks without the closing bracket)
[wikifrom=chapter1]Visit Chapter 1[/wikifrom
[wikifrom=chapter2]Visit Chapter 2[/wikifrom
Then you can use the tag "wikito" to allow easy wikipost navigation:
[wikito]chapter1[/wikito
Chapter 1 - Monday
Some text here.
[wikito]chapter2[/wikito
Chapter 2 - Tuesday
Some more text here.
See post number 205, by IBtyen.
Revised 7 Jan 2017 - JDiver
- Testing out a bug
- Every time the wiki is edited a blank bullet point gets added to this list.
- testing
No
"Wikipost" / wiki post questions, issues, discussion (consolidated)
#166
Moderator, Southwest Airlines and Choice Privileges
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,038
I think I must not have been clear. Who would intentionally design software such that it does exactly the opposite of what the UI says is going to happen? Clicking on a "+" sign with hover text reading "show Wikipost" is supposed to cause the already displayed post to collapse into a blue bar?
#167
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,931
There are three modes of wiki post display:
1. "Summary view" (default) -- this shows the top of the wikipost only
2. Full display (when you click "Click here to display full Wiki") -- this shows the whole wikipost
3. Hidden (when you click the "-" sign at the top right) -- reduces this and ALL wikiposts on FT to a narrow blue bar that says "wikipost", until you click the "+" on one of them again, which will return them to default view
This is as-designed.
1. "Summary view" (default) -- this shows the top of the wikipost only
2. Full display (when you click "Click here to display full Wiki") -- this shows the whole wikipost
3. Hidden (when you click the "-" sign at the top right) -- reduces this and ALL wikiposts on FT to a narrow blue bar that says "wikipost", until you click the "+" on one of them again, which will return them to default view
This is as-designed.
#168
Moderator, Southwest Airlines and Choice Privileges
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,038
Thanks for helping describe the problem, Zorak.
It's inconsequential for those who already understand the Wikipost system, whether from here or other web sites. For a Wikipost n00b, it's extremely confusing. The first time I encountered the bug (probably almost 18 months ago), I believed my click on the "+" was going to show something, because the hover text said it would. (I hadn't noticed the "-" before clicking the "+.") The Wikipost vanished, I didn't notice the blue bar (an animated collapse might have helped me notice it); I also didn't know to look for the blue bar, so just concluded the system was flat broken. I was supposed to be adding to a Wikipost some info about my status for an event. I never did figure out how to do so before the event, and only as of the other day came to understand the problem. I've pretty much ignored Wikiposts for a year or more because of the confusing encounter. (Didn't have much reason to learn the Wikipost system until recently.)
It's inconsequential for those who already understand the Wikipost system, whether from here or other web sites. For a Wikipost n00b, it's extremely confusing. The first time I encountered the bug (probably almost 18 months ago), I believed my click on the "+" was going to show something, because the hover text said it would. (I hadn't noticed the "-" before clicking the "+.") The Wikipost vanished, I didn't notice the blue bar (an animated collapse might have helped me notice it); I also didn't know to look for the blue bar, so just concluded the system was flat broken. I was supposed to be adding to a Wikipost some info about my status for an event. I never did figure out how to do so before the event, and only as of the other day came to understand the problem. I've pretty much ignored Wikiposts for a year or more because of the confusing encounter. (Didn't have much reason to learn the Wikipost system until recently.)
#169
No longer with Internet Brands
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: DL DM 1.6MM, Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 5,343
What ftnoob is saying is that if you click "Click here to display full Wiki" to go from mode #1 to mode #2, it ALSO changes the [-] to a [+]. You now have a wiki in mode #2 with a [+] sign and the [+] sign has hover-text of "Show Wikipost". The bug (albeit a fairly inconsequential cosmetic one) is that clicking "Click here to display full Wiki" also toggles the state of the [-]/[+] button.
#171
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
#172
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MDW/ORD and the late lamented Meigs Field...
Programs: UA 1MM Premier 1K, Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium/ LT
Posts: 1,229
Can't search Wikis using forum search function - only the attached thread?
I'm having trouble testing this, but I THINK that the forum search function searches only threads, not the Wiki that may be at the beginning of a thread. Example: In the UA MP forum thread "New" United Airlines Forum Glossary, I searched for EUA and "EUA" and the only results were posts, not the appearance of the term in the Wiki at the beginning of the thread. Same seemed to result from searching the UA MP forum itself.
I could search the Wiki using my browser search function - which worked fine, but if I'm right about this limitation, it might be useful to have Wikis part of the embedded search universe.
If I'm wrong - disregard, and sorry for wasting time.
I could search the Wiki using my browser search function - which worked fine, but if I'm right about this limitation, it might be useful to have Wikis part of the embedded search universe.
If I'm wrong - disregard, and sorry for wasting time.
#173
No longer with Internet Brands
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: DL DM 1.6MM, Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 5,343
I'm having trouble testing this, but I THINK that the forum search function searches only threads, not the Wiki that may be at the beginning of a thread. Example: In the UA MP forum thread "New" United Airlines Forum Glossary, I searched for EUA and "EUA" and the only results were posts, not the appearance of the term in the Wiki at the beginning of the thread. Same seemed to result from searching the UA MP forum itself.
I could search the Wiki using my browser search function - which worked fine, but if I'm right about this limitation, it might be useful to have Wikis part of the embedded search universe.
If I'm wrong - disregard, and sorry for wasting time.
I could search the Wiki using my browser search function - which worked fine, but if I'm right about this limitation, it might be useful to have Wikis part of the embedded search universe.
If I'm wrong - disregard, and sorry for wasting time.
#175
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
#176
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/recentforumwikiposts.php
"Show last 50 | 100 | 250 | 500 changes in last 1 | 3 | 7 | 14 days "
seem to recall it originally listed all, maybe too many now
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/recentwikiposts.php
"Show last 50 | 100 | 250 | 500 changes in last 1 | 3 | 7 | 14 days "
seem to recall it originally listed all, maybe too many now
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/recentwikiposts.php
#180
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Has there been any change in mobile skin display? (I've got wikipost instructions in other fora.)
TIA!
TIA!