(Apologies if this message appears more than once - I have had problems posting to the list...)
I have been working on the design of a wiki-style database extension to MediaWiki. If you can't be bothered to read the description and want to jump right into a demo, then skip to the bottom of this mail.
WikiDB is a MediaWiki extension that adds a new type of namespace and a couple of extra tags to the MediaWiki software. After installing the extension you are able to set up a table namespace in which you can define table structures. No table needs to be defined in order to add data to it, and data may be located anywhere on the wiki. This means that you can keep record-type data inside the article it applies to, rather than being forced to add it to a central store. In the true 'wiki way', if you have information to add, you can add it straight away, without requiring that a formal structure be set up in advance. Other people can come and refactor your work later, once a structure is in place.
Defining a table structure adds additional functionality that allows you to validate and format data and this structure (as with any wiki page) can be modified at any time. For example if you have an 'Albums' table, you can specify, for example, that the 'year of release' field should be a date. This will then cause all records that don't fit this definition to be flagged up. Change the definition to 'integer between 1850 and 2006' and it will highlight the rows that are invalid under the new definition. The important thing to note is that no data is affected - when displaying any data it is interpreted according to current the field type, so changing the field type changes how it is _displayed_, but not how it is _stored_.
Finally, you are able to query the database for information from any table and format it for display within any wiki page (again, no table definition required). Ultimately this will allow complicated queries that include join expressions and the like, although it is currently quite (very!) basic.
This extension is at a very early (but working) stage of development, and this is a request for comment from the MediaWiki community. I am looking for input at all levels - from code-optimisation to syntax to usage issues.
I have set up a demo on my testwiki (www.kennel17.co.uk/testwiki) which gives a bit of an introduction to the extension and some details about implementation. I will be adding to this as I go on. The main URL for the extension is www.kennel17.co.uk/testwiki/WikiDB.
Please bear the following points in mind:
* The extension is in a very early stage of development. Core functionality is in place, but many planned features are currently lacking (including some of those mentioned above).
* The syntax is currently fairly long-winded for certain tasks. This will be streamlined (suggestions welcome) but it is sufficient for proof-of-concept.
* There has been very little optimisation, and there is a lot of potential for it. I welcome advice on this matter, but do not be put off by speed/efficiency of the current version.
Thank you for reading - I look forward to your feedback.
-- Mark Clements (HappyDog) (To contact me directly, remove the capitals from my address)