making takenote special

[chris...@gmail.com]

A recently discussed goal is to make the "takenote" application in
TiddlySpace special somehow:

http://cdent.tiddlyspace.com/20111108#7168e5bbece18431aec780701e1dd85a

One idea for how to deal with this is to make it so that linking
to other content in your space is made both easier and somehow more
likely to happen. It is, in fact, the ability to make useful links,
a wiki-way, that distinguishes the tool from just typing in a text
box. So how to make that super deluxe?

One proposal is to provide a dynamic list of things to link to to
one side of the text entry box. Based on what's being typed, that
list would change. If you clicked something in the list, then your
text would be updated to show a link to that.

The algorithm for what shows in the list is up for debate. Some
simple ideas:

* If you type [[<some letter> all tiddlers in the space that start
with that letter will be listed. Typing a second letter narrows
the list.

* If you type the second half of a wiki word WikiW you'd get a list
of those wiki words that match. (Not sure this is great, but how
else would you do it? It would be good to encourage and enable
wiki words. They are useful[1].)

More complex ideas involve running a constant watch over the text of
the note and indicating when something _could_ be linked, but is
not. I'm not sure I much like that one because it doesn't help you
drive your writing in alignment with tiddlers you already have.

But the upshot is that a bit more flourish and usefulness to the
takenote application would be great.

Ideas?

[1] http://cdent-mt.tiddlyspace.com/Collaboration%20Requires%20Goals
(from 2003)

--
Chris Dent http://burningchrome.com/
[...]

[Måns]

Hi Chris

> One proposal is to provide a dynamic list of things to link to to
> one side of the text entry box. Based on what's being typed, that
> list would change. If you clicked something in the list, then your
> text would be updated to show a link to that.
>
> The algorithm for what shows in the list is up for debate. Some
> simple ideas:
>
> * If you type [[<some letter> all tiddlers in the space that start
>     with that letter will be listed. Typing a second letter narrows
>     the list.

It's very close to Word Completion as featured by WriteType:
http://groups.google.com/group/tiddlywiki/browse_thread/thread/5a317c720087183a/1a4efba494ea4042?hl=da&q=writetype#1a4efba494ea4042

If it could also be developped as a TiddlyWiki plugin - sth. like
IntelliTaggerPlugin [1][2] - just for text instead of tags - That
would be awesome :-)

[1]http://tiddlywiki.abego-software.de/#IntelliTaggerPlugin
[2]http://tiddlywiki.abego-software.de/#IntelliTagsEditCommandPlugin

> * If you type the second half of a wiki word WikiW you'd get a list
>     of those wiki words that match. (Not sure this is great, but how
>     else would you do it? It would be good to encourage and enable
>     wiki words. They are useful[1].)

I wonder if it could work on a "glossary" tiddler: a list of words
which *should* activate suggestions - even if you type only the first
(or two) letter(s) of a listed word???

An alternative to "glossary" tiddler (optional) could be to be able to
specify a tag and get a list of suggestions from those words/tiddlers
which are tagged with a userdefined tag....

The reason why I'd want both options is that you don't have to have
tiddlers with a suggested title to make a suggestion - I *do*
understand that your idea is to use what's already present in the TW -
and produce wikilinks, - however I believe/think it has potential use
for all kinds of term = definition quizzes, language training etc - if
it could work on a list words alone...

Cheers Måns Mårtensson

[Måns]

Hi again

> If it could also be developped as a TiddlyWiki plugin - sth. like
> IntelliTaggerPlugin [1][2] - just for text instead of tags - That
> would be awesome :-)
>
> [1]http://tiddlywiki.abego-software.de/#IntelliTaggerPlugin
> [2]http://tiddlywiki.abego-software.de/#IntelliTagsEditCommandPlugin

I forgot to mention Tobias' TagSearhPlugin [1] which exploits Eric's
GoToPlugin [2] for sth very similar...
I can't help thinking that if it could work on text and not just tags
- then you would have the best of several worlds - both configurable
lists AND existing tags OR tiddler titles...

1 http://tagsearch.tiddlyspot.com/
2 http://www.tiddlytools.com/#GotoPlugin

Cheers Måns Mårtensson

[Måns]

http://groups.google.com/group/tiddlywiki/browse_thread/thread/f267d68147e5449c

[colmjude]

On Nov 16, 6:03 pm, chris.d...@gmail.com wrote:
> A recently discussed goal is to make the "takenote" application in
> TiddlySpace special somehow:
>
>    http://cdent.tiddlyspace.com/20111108#7168e5bbece18431aec780701e1dd85a
>
> One idea for how to deal with this is to make it so that linking
> to other content in your space is made both easier and somehow more
> likely to happen. It is, in fact, the ability to make useful links,
> a wiki-way, that distinguishes the tool from just typing in a text
> box. So how to make that super deluxe?

I agree that link is the next thing that takenote needs to do and do
well.
Linking notes/tiddlers is one of the key components of tiddlyspace and
needs to be treated so.

>
> One proposal is to provide a dynamic list of things to link to to
> one side of the text entry box. Based on what's being typed, that
> list would change. If you clicked something in the list, then your
> text would be updated to show a link to that.

A UI element appearing next to the textbox does seem to make the most
sense to me. It allows the user to decide whether to use the helper UI
or to just carry on manually entering a link because they know what
they are doing - in this situation the linking UI would still be
useful because it'll remind the user of the exact name of the tiddler
they are linking to.

>
> The algorithm for what shows in the list is up for debate. Some
> simple ideas:
>
> * If you type [[<some letter> all tiddlers in the space that start
>     with that letter will be listed. Typing a second letter narrows
>     the list.

+1. Simple, predictable, familiar

>
> * If you type the second half of a wiki word WikiW you'd get a list
>     of those wiki words that match. (Not sure this is great, but how
>     else would you do it? It would be good to encourage and enable
>     wiki words. They are useful[1].)
>

I'm not sure about the second approach, WikiWords can occur, and do
often occur, by accident. For example in an acronym. I know the wiki
peeps will say this is a good thing but is it for a general user?
These are my notes if I need a note reminding me of what that acronym
is then I'll create it and link to it. I don't really want that
dictated to me.
Enabled yes. Encouraged yes but not too much.

> More complex ideas involve running a constant watch over the text of
> the note and indicating when something _could_ be linked, but is
> not. I'm not sure I much like that one because it doesn't help you
> drive your writing in alignment with tiddlers you already have.

To be honest I don't think it needs to be anything too clever. Linking
is simple, it is a simple concept people get, helping people link
should be simple too. I also think linking should be an intentional
action which is why I like the [[<letter> method. I want to create a
link so I intentionally do so by typing [[<letter>. That makes sense
to me.

Colm