"Erik Moeller" erik@wikimedia.org wrote in message news:b80736c80701042001t58c3a7f9naf68c1e70045885@mail.gmail.com...
c) Create a "PDF basket" UI which makes it possible to compile a PDF from multiple pages easily (and rearrange the pages in a hierarchy). The resulting structures could potentially also be stored as wikitext, using a new <structure> extension tag, so that they can be used both by individuals compiling PDFs for personal use, and by groups collaborating on complex documents.
Why not just use the current page transclusion method.
If I want to create "The Human Body" I could create a page in my userspace: "User:HappyDog/Body" and transclude the appropriate articles:
{{:head}} {{:torso}} {{:arm}} {{:leg}}
etc.
I pick the articles, and pick the order. I can insert my own headings and specialised introduction, create a TOC manually (suppressing the normal one using the __NOTOC__ magic word), and all the other stuff that is so easy to do in Wiki text. Then I can just 'Export PDF' to get my book.
Collections of information that may be useful to many people can be created in the same way, but in a 'public' namespace (which will vary according to the wiki in question).
I would suggest an addition to the transclusion syntax that allows the specification of a particular revision, e.g. {{:body|1726}} to give revision 1726 (and yes, I am aware that pipe syntax will not work - I don't know the parser well enough to suggest an alternative), but aside from that I think the mechanisms we already have offer a much more simple and flexible approach than a dedicated 'basket'.
- Mark Clements (HappyDog)