Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the NARGS Wiki and how do you use it?
• Who can edit/add to the NARGS Wiki?
• How do I request a login?
• Can I change my Wiki password? How?
• Where do I start?
• Can I correct mistakes I find?
• Can I state things directly from my experience?
• Temporary Sandbox
• Can I break the Wiki or permanently delete information?
• What is the question mark after items in the Encyclopedia?
• How do I edit the Wiki?
• How do I create links to other pages in the Wiki?
• Can I upload my own pictures?
• Can I copy pictures from other web sites?
• Copyright policy

What is the NARGS Wiki and how do you use it?

The NARGS Wiki is a place that allows rock garden enthusiasts to learn or disseminate information on various rock garden subjects. Or to state it in another way, it is a group communication mechanism that allows its contents to be edited by anyone in the group. In effect, it allows users to create a page or edit a page or add to a page.

One can learn more about exactly how to do this by going to the How To Do It page, studying the documentation on the Tiki Wiki Internet site or just by trying things out in the Sandbox. The NARGS Wiki committee can also assist you.

One thing we ask of you is to treat the NARGS Wiki with respect and add or edit things that are apropos. The committee also reserves the right to remove or correct any addition to the site, but you being rock gardeners, this is not anticipated.

Have fun, try it out and help fill the Wiki with good rock gardening information!

Who can edit/add to the NARGS Wiki?

LOGIN PRIVILEGES ARE AVAILABLE TO NARGS MEMBERS ONLY
Anyone can freely visit and peruse both the NARGS website and the NARGS Wiki, but to order books, participate in the Seed Exchange, view the Quarterly Cumulative Index or internal NARGS documents, or add content or images to the Wiki, you must be a member of NARGS.

Local Chapter membership does not count as NARGS membership.

You must be logged-in to the Wiki to edit pages (not just logged-in to the NARGS main web site).

How do I request a login?

Members may request a login ID and password using the link in the Requesting a Web Login box in the right sidebar of the Wiki. Non-members may apply for membership by clicking the NARGS Membership Form.

NARGS members should place the initial request with the Executive Secretary, Bobby Ward, at: . After confirming that the person asking for login is a member of NARGS, the Executive Secretary will forward the request to the webmaster who will assign username/password.

Can I change my Wiki password? How?

Yes. Here's how:

1. Login, then click on the User Preferences link in the left sidebar (last link in the NARGS Wiki Home section).
2. Go to the Account Information section of the window and in the New password field, type your preferred password.
3. In the Confirm new password field, re-type your preferred password.
4. Type your old password in the Current password (required) field.
5. Click on the Change administrative info button.

(NOTE: Failure to properly fill-in all the required fields will lead to an Error window that will explain what's missing & let you either Go back to correct the pertinent User Preferences field or proceed to the Home page without making any changes to your account.)

Where do I start?

Wherever you want or play in the Sandbox, which we will delete and clean up periodically. Use the Wiki syntax help link at the right and/or the list which will appear below the work area when you are in the edit mode.

Copying already formatted text and links from an existing page, then modifying it is a very good and fast way to add content.

Can I correct mistakes I find?

Yes, please do. If it might not be a real mistake but just a difference of opinion or different experience from gardening in different climates, you may want to just add your information. For example if someone has written plant "x" loves to grow in full sun, but your experience in Arizona is somewhat different, you might add an additional sentence like: "May appreciate midday shade in hot dry climates," or "In non-maritime climates, it will turn into a brown crisp in full sun," or " In Arizona it has been found to grow best in light deciduous shade."

Can I state things directly from my experience?

Yes, you may, but we would like to have the Rock Garden Wiki contain consensus information. For a more discussion-like feature, please go to the NARGS Rock Gardening Forum.

Temporary Sandbox

For practicing Wiki page creation and editing, the Sandbox is the place to go first, especially if you are unsure of what you want to add or change.

Can I break the Wiki or permanently delete information?

No, we/you can rollback to previous versions of a page very easily. One way is to go to the Last Changes link in the link list at the left side of the Wiki screen and click on the "b" behind the version of the page you want to rollback to. To see what the other options are, just mouse your cursor over any option for a few seconds and a little box will tell you what it is for.

What is the question mark after items in the Encyclopedia?

This just means that there is no page for this subject yet, thus there is no information on the subject. If you click on the question mark ?, the page will be created and you can then fill it in with your information. After which, back on the Encyclopedia page, that title will now be underlined &/or bolded, indicating that it has become a clickable link that will bring up the newly created and/or edited page.

How do I edit the Wiki?

Any time you want to add to a page or create a new page, you must login to the Wiki (not just the NARGS web site). If you want to add some information to any page, go to the page and click on the EDIT PAGE or the EDIT SECTION symbol (a pencil in a box) or the word Edit which appears at the bottom left of the page. You then can add to the words within the box.

If you want to create a new page that is linked to the page you are editing, add the following at the position you want the title of the new page to appear ((the title you want)). This will add the title on the page with a question mark at the end of the title ?. Click on the SAVE button to save the edit. Then go back to the page you just edited and click on the question mark. The new page will be created and you can then add your information to it. The title on the former page will now be underlined &/or bolded, indicating that it has become a clickable link that will bring up the newly created page. For more detailed instructions see the How To Do It section.

How do I create links to other pages in the Wiki?

Here is one way to do it:

1) In one browser window, create (or copy) a new link code, while in the edit mode, on the page you want to LINK FROM. Here is one I copied from the another Wiki page:

2) In a second browser window, go to your new page (or any other page you want to LINK TO). At the top, "right click" on the large font page name, in this case "betulifolia group," and select "copy link location."

3) Go back to the first browser window, and in the LINK FROM page paste in the "link Location," which will look like this:

4) The part you want is what follows the "page=" which is "betulifolia+group." Cut and paste this into the left side of the link code before the "|". DELETE the rest of the link info:

4a) The "+" equals a space in the link code. So edit (by copy and pasting) the example brought from another page to contain the information for the new link you want.

4b) you change to:

4c) Finally, replace the "+" with a space and add the ' ' to make what appears on the page as italics (because it is a scientific name/latin binomial) but leave the _ _ to make the link description in BOLD letters and you get :

Which will look and work like this: Campanula betulifolia group

That should do it. Of course, it is easy to "pre-create" the link in the page you want to link from and then click on the ?, but you do have to do this procedure for cross links. Once you are familiar enough with the syntax, you can just type it out and forget the copy & pasting steps. But typos in the page name can cause you problems! For more detailed instructions see the How To Do It section

Can I upload my own pictures?

Yes, please see the NARGS Wiki copyright policy. We prefer that you upload your pictures to the Wiki Image Galleries first and then link from there to the Wiki page you want them on. See the How To Do It section for instructions.

Can I copy pictures from other web sites?

Yes, with permission! Please see the NARGS Wiki copyright policy.

Copyright policy

NARGS Wiki copyright policy

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