User:This, that and the other/Twinkle update

Just clearing up thoughts on how to do it.

  1. checkY Get gadget functionality, etc. working
  2. Make sure there aren't any obvious bugs in the new code
    • Test in IE9, Firefox (versions TBD), Chrome (all versions are pretty much the same, aren't they?), Opera, Safari
    • Search for any XXX comments and see if they are worth fixing
  3. Do evangelism
    • Add info for technically-minded folk at WT:TW#Rewrite (i.e. new prefs mechanism, explanation of Wikipedia.page for developers of morebits-based scripts, and lots more goodness) (see below)
  4. New documentation, etc.
    • Rewrite bits of WP:TW, WP:TW/DOC, etc.
    • checkY Add anchors to WP:TW/DOC according to the module script file name (i.e. {{anchor|speedy}} for the CSD section)
    • Is there a page describing morebits.js? If so, rewrite it
  5. The big switchover
  6. Relax (as if...)

Suggested spiel for WT:TW edit

Prompted by the short-lived switchover to MediaWiki's HTML5-compliant mode on Wikipedia (see Twinkle bug 441, and #2011-02-24 above), Twinkle developers have been working for some months on an overhaul of the tool, as well as AzaToth's morebits.js script library. This development has been taking place off-wiki, at a github repository, and has been largely done by UncleDouggie, Tcncv (the initiator, along with Douggie), AzaToth (Twinkle's inventor and owner), and This, that and the other.

Users of Twinkle will be able to take advantage of many improvements, including:

  • Transition to the MediaWiki API. Previously, Twinkle used to download the same editing form as is used by human editors, fill it out behind-the-scenes, and send the request back as if the "Save page" button had been clicked. This was unreliable – if the edit form changed, or if malformed editnotices were present, Twinkle failed. Now, Twinkle uses the MediaWiki API to edit pages, a more solid approach specially designed for programs and scripts like Twinkle.
  • New look. AzaToth created the old Twinkle look, with functional purpose only. Twinkle now has a refreshed look, based on jQuery UI.
  • Now works on Internet Explorer 9 (with very minor limitations, e.g. not being able to move the dialogs).
  • Lots of new features. You can now: tag a page with a protection lock using the RPP tool (for all users, not just admins); preview user warning templates before posting the warning; notify users about an AN/ANI discussion using the Talkback tool; enable a "userspace log" to keep track of your speedy and PROD nominations (huge thanks to Timotheus Canens for originally writing this).
  • Lots of new admin stuff. Admins can now: rest easy when protecting using the PP tool - it has been redesigned, and you have full control over what it does; opt not to delete the talk page and/or redirects when using the CSD tool; edit the deletion reason before deleting with the CSD tool.
  • And lots more minor annoyances and nits have been fixed.

Developers of scripts that use the morebits.js library should take note of the following two important points:

  • Obsolescence of Wikipedia.wiki and replacement with Wikipedia.page
  • Changes to loading of morebits.js --- write more here

For users and developers alike, if Twinkle stops working for you, or you have any other problems or questions, don't hesitate to ask them below. Thanks, <sign here>