Tutorial:AdvancedTutorialPage1j

Before we close, we will take a look at how to customize MediaWiki and add extra features.

Simple Javascripts can be added to your monobook.js page, normally available at YOURUSERNAME/monobook.js (but not enabled on this wiki) . You can paste in the script directly, or read it in from another user's page. Take a look at my Wikipedia Javascript page.

The most valuable features are usually available as extensions to MediaWiki. These are generally pieces of code that can find quite general use, though many are not used by default on Wikipedia. These are installed by the wiki system administrator (usually someone from your IT department). There are also Firefox extensions you can install yourself, and these may perform functions in Mediawiki, but only if you are using Firefox.

We have seen one extension already - Parser Functions are introduced using a MediaWiki extension. Let's look at some more:

• The Quiz extension was written for use within Wikiversity, and it's very valuable for educators.
• The Form extension allows variables to be entered by the user via radio buttons etc, and these variables are used to generate a new wiki page using a template.
• For RSC ChemSchool, one of the RSC staff recently wrote the DrawStructure extension which can be used to draw a chemical structure within Mediawiki (via a proprietary Javascript web tool), and then search the wiki for structures that correspond to that chemical.

One useful example of a Firefox extension is WikiTrust, which is installed on User:Walkerma's laptop computer. This extension allows a Wikipedia user to see which words in an article are written by a less-trusted editor.

OK, let's end with that - and if there is time you should try "playing" in your Sandbox with what you've learned. The best way to learn MediaWiki is to try something, preview it, and keep going until you get what you want. Have fun!