WYSIWYG with history and working copy

[thorn]

Hello,

with this altered WYSIWYG-Module its now possible to keep a history of old contents, and to have a working copy (aka a draft) aside the published content.

Requirements:
WebsiteBaker 2.7 or 2.8

One can make changes in the working copy while the original content stands unchanged. Once the working copy is finished one can publish it. The old published content will automatically stored in history.
One can put content to history, view old entries, or restore content from history.

thorn.

This is a core-replacement. That mean you can not install this like a module!
Please read the documentation on how to install it.
Documentation is available here: http://nettest.thekk.de/doku.php/docu:start

Download: http://www.websitebakers.com/pages/admin/core-replacements/wysiwyg-history.php

[aimeeish]

Installed. Very nice.

Unfortunately, I'd have to redo all my pages to use the working copy function though.

[thorn]

Hello,

Unfortunately, I'd have to redo all my pages to use the working copy function though.

hm, good point. Maybe a core-replacement would be better?

thorn.

[aimeeish]

Hello,

hm, good point. Maybe a core-replacement would be better?

thorn.

I think that would be an excellent idea.

[VSG]

Very interesting (and helpful) idea - definitely going to keep an eye on it.

[Argos]

Great, this was one thing that WB was lacking! I'll give it a try. Thanks for contributing!

[Argos]

Is it only for WB 2.7x? I get an error on my 2.6x installations. If so, could you make it 2.6 compatible easily? All my sites are 2.5x and 2.6x, so it would be a pity I cannot use this...

[thorn]

Hello,

Is it only for WB 2.7x? I get an error on my 2.6x installations.

what error message did you get?

Ok, get it.
Its fixed now.

thorn.

[VSG]

Just a question on my part:

First time I visited this thread and expressed my interest, the module was listed as "beta" and "not to be used in a productive environment". Now I can see non of that anymore.

Does that mean the module has been tested enough and is stable?
If so, when will it be shown in the modules-repository of the WB-website?

And thanks, Thorn, I'm really looking forward to this module!

Best regards,
VSG

[thorn]

Hello,

First time I visited this thread and expressed my interest, the module was listed as "beta" and "not to be used in a productive environment". Now I can see non of that anymore.

Does that mean the module has been tested enough and is stable?

No.

I'm just awaiting more responses.
You could test this, too.

thorn.

[VSG]

I'm just awaiting more responses.
You could test this, too.

I will, but won't get to it until sunday. Then I'll try it on my XAMPP-installation.

I'll report what I find then.
Best regards,
VSG

[VSG]

Just did a quick install & test:
works as described, only one feature-wish - to be able to edit the comments in the history. And / or type in comments for "working copy".

Because most of the time you change something and save it as a working copy - but you're not able to have comment there with what has been changed.
Or you save as "publish" ("Änderungen veröffentlichen") and type in a comment - however in history-view the comment refers to what is online now and what is not changed in the history-entry. I hope I'm not saying this as confusing as it sounds.

Just first thoughts.
But looks good so far, especially the speed!
VSG

[thorn]

Hello,

Or you save as "publish" ("Änderungen veröffentlichen") and type in a comment - however in history-view the comment refers to what is online now and what is not changed in the history-entry.

If one publish the working copy, we have to save the old published content to history. It wouldn't make sense to save the working copy to history, while the old content is getting lost. For now, the history is just a kind of backup-system.
So the comment is not about the actual changes, but about the old published version.

To store just the actual content in history, one has to mark "save to history", and save the content unchanged.

thorn.

[Argos]

On my WB 2.6.7 installations I get this error when trying to save:

Code:

Parse error: parse error, unexpected '(', expecting '}' in /home/httpd/vhosts/[domainname_here]/httpdocs/site/modules/wysiwyg/save.php on line 116

FYI, I did this to install:
- rename default wysiwyg directory on the server to something else
- copy your version to server, and rename to wysiwyg
- run upgrade.php
- reload modules in backend

[thorn]

Code:

Parse error: parse error, unexpected '(', expecting '}' in /home/httpd/vhosts/[domainname_here]/httpdocs/site/modules/wysiwyg/save.php on line 116

ok, its a php4 issue. will be fixed in 2.7.5
Edit: it's fixed in 2.7.4.1

thorn.

[thorn]

Hello,

added new version V2.7.4.2
Would call this one RC1 ...

Would be nice if anybody who is interested could make a test
in an test-environment.

thorn.

[VSG]

Would be nice if anybody who is interested could make a test

Will do - but won't get to it until Wednesday. Unfortunately. But I'll report in. Thanks for the great work!

Best regards,
VSG

[VSG]

Hi there!

Did a few tests today, works like a charm! And fast, too.

Just two ideas:
1. when working in the original you can still choose whether you want to auto-save the original content. When working with the "working copy" there is no such option, an auto-save is always performed. I guess this is deliberately? Maybe you could also keep a checkbox whether you want to auto-save the original content there (or publish the "working copy" without creating a backup). But as said, I think you did this deliberately. And it is actually no 'problem', just something that struck me.

2. is there a way to highlight the pages with a "working copy" somehow in the pages-tree-view? Since pages with a "working copy" require work or need editing, publishing, a highlight would be great if several moderators work on a website. Or is this something to come in WB 2.8 / 3.0?

Anyway, I haven't found a bug so far, but I'll keep testing on my XAMPP.
Thanks for the great module!

Best regards,
VSG

[thorn]

Hello,

thanks for testing.

when working in the original you can still choose whether you want to auto-save the original content. When working with the "working copy" there is no such option, an auto-save is always performed.

??
The "auto-save" (aka "save always to history) affects the history only. Working content won't be stored in history normally ( - but there are two special cases).

The published content is stored in history, if:
- user marks "save to history", and save altered content (in this case the history-entry will be marked as stored explicitly, and will not be deleted by auto-remove)
- user marks "save always to history" and save altered content
- published content gets overwritten by working copy
- published content gets overwritten by restored history-entry

The working copy ist stored in history, only if:
- an existing working copy gets overwritten by published content
- the working copy gets deleted

is there a way to highlight the pages with a "working copy" somehow in the pages-tree-view?

hm, will be added next weekend.

thorn.

[VSG]

Hi, there!

I had a little time this evening and tested the module a bit. Haven't found a bug, but I had an idea.

When you open a new page, you get to work on the "Original". Then you can "Go to working copy".
If there is no existing working copy for this page wouldn't it be clearer to "Create a working copy"?

Once there is one and you switch from original to working copy it could still say "Switch to original / working copy". But before a working copy even exists I would think "Create a working copy" would make more sense ... for someone who isn't familiar with the module or WB in general.

Again, it works as it is, and once you get to know how the module works it works like a charm, but I'd think this would make it more self-explanatory.

German language-entries could be "Arbeitskopie erstellen" and the existing "Zur Arbeitskopie wechseln".

Just an idea.
Have a nice evening an a nice weekend!
Best regards,
VSG

[thorn]

Hello,

V2.7.4.4

In the new archiv, you will find a directory "wb" with
wb/admin/pages/index.php
wb/admin/images/wysiwyg_copy_16.png

copy these files to your server, too (save admin/pages/index.php before).
It will provide a new icon in pages-list for pages with working-copy.

thorn.

[VSG]

Wow, you posted the new version just seconds before I posted my latest idea here.

Just looked at the icon - and works flawlessly.

However, if a child-page has a working copy and the tree-view is collapsed, you cannot determine at the parent-page that a child-page would have working copy.

For example:
Page A
  Page A1
  Page A2 (with working copy)
  Page A3
Page B

If the tree-view is collapsed:
Page A
Page B
would it be possible to add a faded or different icon just stating "A sub-page of this page has a working copy" (the icon doesn't need to be a link or anything, jut a notification).

When a website has reached a certain size you can't keep all sub-pages visible by default.
But maybe I'm sort of an exception here .

Anyway, works great - and I can't wait to see a final version.
Best regards and have a nice weekend,
VSG

[thorn]

Hello,

would it be possible to add a faded or different icon just stating "A sub-page of this page has a working copy" (the icon doesn't need to be a link or anything, jut a notification).

there is no such concept in wb, yet. May be very cumbersomely to implement.

thorn.

[VSG]

there is no such concept in wb, yet. May be very cumbersomely to implement.

No problem - since I'm about the only one who would be concerned ... .
Still haven't found a problem, but I'll keep testing.

As mentioned in this post, I'd regard those changes as helpful.

Have a nice day!
Best regards and thank you very much for the great module!
VSG

[VSG]

Hi there!

Having tried the module for a week now, I'd have another feature-suggestion (if you're not already tiered of my comments).

1. As you implemented with the "working copy" icon in pages view, it would sometimes be quite useful to have such a button for the "page history" if one exists for that page. So that you can jump right to it - and if need be clear up the history once the new page-version has worked as expected. So you don't amount a history for several pages that might grow hard to manage. So to be able to "manage history" if it exists for the page from page-tree-view would come in handy.

2. In WB 2.7 you implemented to publish pages by date/time. I think with the working copy it would be possible to publish changes in websites by date/time - wouldn't it? So you could define a changed version of a page should go online at a specified time. However, I don't know how complicated or time-consuming it would be to implement something like this. But a "publish working copy on specific date/time" might be a useful feature.

I hope my suggestion don't seem to bloat the module and some might be easier to implement in WB 2.8 or 3.x, but I also hope you find my suggestions useful. And I'm looking forward to any replies.

Besides that, I still haven't found a bug, works like a charm and has already proven one of the most useful changes to WB.
Thanks! And have a nice weekend!
Best regards,
VSG