[Mediawiki-l] custom

[revansx at cox.net]

Folks,

I would like to customize my mediawiki (1.6.10) such that it displays the wikidb database pageid value at the top of every page. This is important to us (my company) because we wish to use the page ID to label various equipment in the field.

The question is:
What is the "right" way to make this edit such that it does not introduce compatibility issues with the various skins let alone the wiki itself?

Also, how can I create a link in an external document (like an email or a PDF) that points directly to a wiki page referenced explicitly by the pageid with no knowledge of the page's title?

thanks!
- Rich (revansx)