Is JSON the fix to my problem?

[JWHoneycutt]

I have created multiple TW5 files - 

• one for personal, 
• one for an AirBnb I run,
• one for work, 
• one for a work-related course, 
• one for the 5.1.14 pre-release,
• one for learning how to use TW5 without destroying functionality (test.html)...
  

Often, I find myself searching within these TW5's for a tiddler - and it is frustrating to figure out where it is. If I copy the tiddler and modify it in the new TW5, I get into "version control" issues.

I started a search into "merging" all my TW5 files, and developing a strict naming convention, and worried that the file would get out of control by sheer size or huge search results.

Then I found JSON (on TW5 Tribal Knowledge and 5.1.14 pre-release) - and I am curious.

• I understand I can create separate tiddler files and store them in a "/tiddlers" subdirectory
  
• I can also call up entire TW5 files (like mine above) so that I don't have to MERGE them?
• I must create a tiddlywiki.info file as a JSON type of file in the root of the directory

This sounds like the answer to my problems (not having to merge disparate TW5's), except:

• I managed to load JSON onto my Mac - but I can't find the "APP" in my applications folder to place it onto my toolbar for easy access
• I have managed to create a separate JSON directory in my Dropbox, and when I double click the "tiddlywiki.html" file my default browser pops up with a file I can modify like I was in "any of my established TW5 files"
• I have also managed to add a link into my regular TEST.HTML which when I click brings up the default browser and loads - my link is "file:///Users/jwh/Dropbox/JSON/tiddlywiki.html"

Now is where it all falls down: I can't figure out how to create the tiddlywiki.info file that contains a JSON object comprising the following fields:

• plugins - an array of plugin names to be included in the wiki
• themes - an array of theme names to be included in the wiki
• languages - an array of language names to be included in the wiki
• includeWikis - an array of references to external wiki folders to be included in the wiki
• build - a hashmap of named build targets, each defined by an array of command tokens
• config - an optional hashmap of configuration options (see below)

Using Sublime Text I created this (trimming the example from the 5.1.14 pre-release) and saved it as "tiddlywiki.info" in my JSON directory:

{

"includeWikis": [

"../Users/jwh/Dropbox/TW5/JWH_Personal.html"

],

"build": {

"index": [

"--rendertiddler","$:/core/save/all","index.html","text/plain"],

"favicon": [

"--savetiddler","$:/favicon.ico","favicon.ico"]

},

"config": {

"retain-original-tiddler-path": true

}

}

Mind you I am winging it - I still don't know what a JSON is, but...

• I should be able to get to tiddlywiki.html using "Terminal" (as I did at one point during setup instructions) - but now I can't figure out what is the "path" or command - I need a simple stupid explanation of what constitutes a valid path (ie. is my root "Dropbox" or "Users" and do I use a period or two periods and how many forward slashes...) vs a relative path (for simplicity's sake I am willing to use only absolute paths)
• By double clicking the tiddlywiki.html file in Dropbox, it does not load the .tid file in "file:///Users/jwh/Dropbox/JSON/tiddlers"
• By double clicking the tiddlywiki.html file in Dropbox, it does not load "file:///Users/jwh/Dropbox/TW5/JWH_Personal.html" (I renamed all my TW5's with a "_" instead of spaces in case this was the problem)

I installed JSON using "sudo npm install -g tiddlywiki (Mac/Linux)", but do not know how the -g flag is used when loading the tiddlywiki from the command line - I tried "tiddlywiki -g --build index" 

• TypeError: Cannot read property 'build' of null
• Do I need to build an index?
• When I get this right, is my command window supposed to morph into an open instance of my browser showing me tiddlywiki.html?

[JWHoneycutt]

After a lot of trials, I have learned:

• The file tiddlywiki.info needs to be just inside the User directory of the Hard Drive (Mac)
• JSON is creating a tiddlers file with all .tid's imported into it
• A Terminal command prompt of: tiddlywiki --verbose --load ./BrandNew.html --server will load a BrandNew TW5 file but not my old TW5 files - do I have to change my old TW5 files into 5.1.13 or 5.1.14? How?
  
• ./Dropbox/Anything.html does not work - does Dropbox not work with JSON or --server?
• --password <MyPa55word> also fails - maybe it doesn't like special characters?