A long long time ago, before there was a full API for write operations, I implemented a hackish method for invoking an external editor (e.g. emacs/vim) when editing wiki pages or manipulating uploaded files. It depended on a Perl script reference implementation which was later ported to Java.

https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:External_editors

This feature has been removed with the following changeset:

https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/#/c/30173/

The removal will go live on Wikimedia wikis in the two-week 1.22wmf2 cycle kicking off next Monday:

https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki_1.22/Roadmap

In addition to an antiquated design, this feature also had the disadvantage that users would sometimes experimentally activate the preference for editing all pages with an external tool and then find themselves unable to edit, which is why there are scary warnings next to the user preference.

Having nicer ways to manipulate content with desktop applications is desirable, but any future approach this problem will likely look entirely different.

All best, Erik

-- Erik Möller VP of Engineering and Product Development, Wikimedia Foundation

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