[Bf-docboard] Cool features for wiki editors: (2) writing in wiki using an external editor -> itsalltext firefox addon

[mindrones]

Hi,

this is the second one:

WRITING IN WIKI USING AN EXTERNAL EDITOR: "ITSALLTEXT" FIREFOX ADDON!
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If you are a heavy wiki author and use Firefox, and you feel tired of 
editing in the text area you probably end up:

- copy-pasting the wikitext in your text editor
- editing
- copy-pasting back into mediawiki
- clicking show preview
- copy-paste the wikitext in your text editor
- etc etc

It's ok but also a hassle, especially if you interrupt often to do other 
stuff and have to save often, move, close firefox etc.

I've often tried to setup an external editor for wiki, but reading the 
docs seems to be complicated, and due to lack of time I gave up.

Then I've found this little addon, which is tremendously useful and easy 
at the same time:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4125/

After you have installed it:
- in firefox: tools, addons, choose itsalltext, configure it to use your 
text editor of choice (I use geany), save
- click on "edit" in a wiki page
- hover the mouse in the lower-right corner of the text area, a small 
blu icon "edit" will appear
- click on it and this will open a new file in your text editor, with 
the wikitext already in it!
- edit the text, save and switch back to firefox: you'll see that the 
text area becomes yellow and fade to white again: your text is now in 
the text area!
- click show preview, check things
- go back to the text edit, save. Same yellow fade out: your text and 
your edit area are linked! :)

Furthermore, say you have to interrupt your editing.
Save your text in the text editor, close firefox.

No worries, it is in your firefox home folder named something like
/home/<your-user>/.mozilla/firefox/kj34kj42.default/itsalltext/wiki.blender.org.382e1f2x7e.txt 
(in linux, windows should be a similar location)
where "kj34kj42.default" is your firefox profile, usually there is only 
one, but it's easy to find it anyway.

To retrieve your work, just open wiki.blender.org.382e1f2x7e.txt again, 
paste it into a new edit box and start to work.

The only safety measure is, don't use it to input personal data in text 
area (home banking or so) as they would be saved in a known location so 
other extensions can probably look in those files, not sure.

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This has been a huge step forward for me, so wanting to let you know :)


Regards,
Luca

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http://www.mindrones.com