TiddlyWiki: Import tiddlers and update the version

Introduction

I think it is appropriate to talk again about it because, with the use, I fought with a couple of needs. Needs that, unfortunately, may be a problem using FireFox version 15.

Import tiddlers from another file

Sometimes you need to import partially entries (tiddlers) from other TiddlyWiki files.

If we are talking about few items, readily identifiable, the easiest way is to use copy & paste.

In practice:

open the browser both TiddlyWiki file (source and destination information in which to put it);
in open source in edit the tiddler and copy the contents to the clipboard;
in the recipient create a new tiddler, and give it a name;
still in edit mode in the new tiddler, paste the contents from the clipboard and save.

If you have a lot of tiddly to copy, this method is much too expensive. In this case, with versions of Firefox prior to 15, you can use the backstage => import => browse for a file ... => Open in the TiddlyWiki target. This item allows you to select a check box with the desired tiddler, and command the import.

Unfortunately with Firefox 15, above menu items do not work anymore because of the Restriction of access policies to the local computer. Note: This is the reason why it may be necessary to change the file pref.js described in my previous post.

To work around this problem, I observed that in my PC (Windows XP professional SP3), worked this [import plug] [3].

Update the core code of TiddlyWiki file

Note: If you forgot, TiddlyWiki bases its functionality on javascript programs, hosted by html content in the file itself. These programs are called core code.

Sometimes it is necessary to use customized versions of TiddlyWiki, versions made available from other people. It may happen that these works are based on code (the core code above) not aligned to the latest version.

Under these conditions, before starting to use the customized TiddlyWiki, urge to update its core code to the latest version.

Same problem as in the previous section. With Firefox version before the 15th, upgrading the TiddlyWiki happen using the backstage => upgrade ... => Upgrade.

With Firefox version 15 and above, for the reasons explained previously, this does not work. To work around this problem, use the old methods, which summarize here for anyone who is not comfortable with English.

The logic is to load the file in the browser, replace the file system with an empty file where the code is updated, then use browser to save the empty file data from the previous file. In practice:

Make a backup copy of the file that you want to update (you never know ...).
Open the file to be updated in the browser. Minimize the browser.
Delete from the file system the file you just loaded in the browser.
Download the blank TiddlyWiki in the directory of the deleted file.
Rename the empty TiddlyWiki with the name of the file you just deleted.
Fall within the browser and save the content using the save changes.
Check that the tiddlers and any previous file plugins are in the new file.

If you want to check that the code of the new file is up to date:

create a new tiddler,
give it a name,
and put as content << version >>.

This tiddler will show the current version of the code in the file.

There may be difficulties with the plugin loaded in the old file. May not be present in the new. In this case it is necessary, only for the plugin, use the technique of copy & paste I described above.

Conclusion

One of the strengths of TiddlyWiki is the fact that it is autocontente: data and control code together in a single html file.

Unfortunately, the increasing attention of the brower safety issues are making life difficult for this item denying an essential aspect: the ability to write about himself in the local file system.

I hope that the development community of TiddlyWiki is able to maintain this project, because it is a tool that I'm used to it. I would hate having to give up.

Postscript

The use of TiddlyWiki sometimes is justified by the need to use the information on different machines, for example using a USB key (USB flash drive).

In these cases, the need to edit the file profs.js in the PC where you work can be a significant drawback.

Personally, to avoid this problem, I equipped installing [Firefox Portable] (http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable) in the USB disk where I save TiddlyWiki files to use on different PCs.

Even in this case serves the configuration files in profs.js . Only profs.js is in the USB disk (Drive:\ToolsDirectory\FirefoxPortable\Data\profile) and so I do not lose switching to another PC. Of course, this trick works using FireFox in the USB disk, not the one may be present in the disk of the host machine.

[3]: http://www.tiddlytools.com/ # ImportTiddlersPlugin