How to install a TiddlyWiki plugin.
I’m writing the post on how to install a TiddlyWiki plugin so that there is a record somewhere out there on the internet for the next person that has to search Google to figure out how to do this. Apparently, there aren’t any instructions out there (at least none that Google can easily find).
Quick background: TiddlyWiki is a (free!) client-side-javascript based wiki written by Jeremy Ruston. It’s a great tool for keeping notes locally on your own machine. I’m trying to use it as a replacement for my Stickies (both the ones on screen and on my desk). It seems to be working well. However, it’s lacking a nice to-do list creator. Fortunately, TiddlyWiki seems so popular that a large community of developers has sprung up to create all sorts of plugins. One of these plugins, is the CheckboxPlugin by Eric Shulman.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find an easy tutorial on how to install a plugin. Neither on the TiddlyWiki site nor via a google search. Well, thanks to the TiddlyWiki Google group, I got a nice simple answer from Michael:
- Go to the plugin page and click on EDIT to view the source of this particular Tiddler
- Copy the entirety of the source.
- Open your TiddlyWiki and click on NEW TIDDLER
- Give your Tiddler a title (in this case “checkboxPlugin”) and a tag if necessary (for this plugin, we need to add the tag “systemConfig”)
- Paste the code you copied into this Tiddler and click SAVE CHANGES
- Relaunch your TiddlyWiki and you are set!
As for this particular plugin, it allows you to create checkboxes for to-do lists, and will remember which ones you check/uncheck when you save. It’s not nearly as robust as some of the online to-do list options out there such as Ta-da lists or Remember the Milk but it’s simple, easy to use, and works nicely with the Wiki. Check it out.
13 Comments
Wow, I can’t thank you enough. I have been struggling with manually pasting plugins, including the checkbox plugin, into the source code only to end up with a blank page. The method that you outline worked like a charm. So easy. How the $#@* is anyone supposed to know this? How did you find out? I could not find anything on this with Google. I found this post entirey by mistake while searching for ‘tiddlywiki markup’. Go figure ~:(
Success! I wrote that post specifically for folks googling the information. I spend a few days trying to figure it out myself and google was of no help.
I think a big problem is that TiddlyWiki information is often being stored in TiddlyWikis. TiddlyWikis are entirely dependant on Javascript, so google can’t actually point you to the content you are looking for. Another reason why the whole AJAX trend isn’t all roses.
To answer your question, I finally found the answer via the TiddlyWiki google group:
http://groups.google.com/group/TiddlyWiki
I asked the question and got a similiar response as yours. Seems like this is a common issue. No idea why they don’t have simple installation instructions on the plugin directory sites.
Glad you found this post and hope other’s do as well!
Wow. Just today I decided to install TiddlyWiki and try it out and it took me forever to figure out how to install plugins! Then I found this and it’s exactly what I need: small, fast, and powered by Markdown.
(Should there be a tag in the svn repository for version 1.0.1, though)
Thank you! I had kinda assumed that this was how you installed plugins, but I hadn’t found anything to say that I was right. I appreciate the newb friendly post.
Thanks, this was just what I was looking for, strange it’s not (easily visible?) on the Tiddlywiki site.
Dude! You rock! I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to do this, and your explanation is totally clear. Thanksalot@MNteractive!
This was my first result on Google for ‘tiddlywiki install plugin’ and exactly what I needed – thank you.
Wow, that was easy! Thanks!
Thank you thank you!
DisableWikilinksPlugin? 574 B Yes 0ms Error Error: SyntaxError: missing ; before statement
doesnt work for me. nice try anyways
You’re a lifesaver… thanks for taking the time to do this, it helped me a lot! I was pulling my hair out trying to figure it out as well…
Cheers!
Thanks for posting this!
FWIW, there are also instructions on the TiddlyWiki community wiki:
http://www.tiddlywiki.org/wiki/Importing
http://www.tiddlywiki.org/wiki/Plugins#Installation
Thanks, could use the tutorial.
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