MoinMoin WikiSyntax

This page sums up the basic syntax you should know to start editing the MusicBrainzWiki.

For more information visit the extensive HelpContents on the original MoinMoin wiki, which include HelpOnEditing.

Note: the MusicBrainzWiki was ported from UseMod to MoinMoin. There are some subtle but important differences in syntax between the markup used by the UseMod (old) and MoinMoin (new) wiki engines and it might remain some UseMod syntax here and there.

Contents

MoinMoin WikiSyntax
Questions

Bulleted Lists

In MoinMoin, a space must precede the *s to make a bulleted list. Use more spaces than the previous bullet to make a deeper bullet level.

Syntax:

 * Level 1
  * Level 2

Results:

Level 1
- Level 2

Numbered Lists

In MoinMoin, use space and 1 or A or a or i to make a numbered list.

Syntax:

 1. Level 1 first entry
 1. Level 1 second entry
  1. Level 2 first entry

Results:

Level 1 first entry
Level 1 second entry
1. Level 2 first entry

Definition Lists

MoinMoin uses space title:: definition. Also note that MoinMoin does not allow links in definition list titles.

Syntax:

 Some Title:: a long definition.

Results:

Some Title: a long definition.

Preformatted Text

Use {{{ three curly braces }}}.

If the braces are all on the separate lines, a box is added around the preformatted text.

Inline Example:

This line contains some preformatted text.

Div Example:

This code is separated from the surrounding text.

Escape Syntax

In MoinMoin, a preceding ! means a WikiWord won't be linked.

Syntax:

This is a normal WikiWord, while this !WikiWord isn't a link.

Results:

This is a normal WikiWord, while this WikiWord isn't a link.

Emphasized (Italic) and Strong (Bold) Text

In MoinMoin, two single quotes '' mean emphasized (italics) text and three single quotes ''' mean strongly emphasized (bold) text. the two can be combined:

Syntax:

Example with ''emphasis'' and '''strong emphasis'''. 
Note that ''emphasis can become '''strong'''''.

Results:

Example with emphasis and strong emphasis. Note that emphasis can become strong.

Linking

The rules for links in MoinMoin are a bit ugly. This is even a FeatureRequest/ConsistentLinkSyntax for MoinMoin.

WikiWords

MoinMoin used slightly different rules to UseMod on what is a WikiWord. For example DiscID was a WikiWord in UseMod, but it is not in MoinMoin. Therefor you must use ["DiscID"] or [:DiscID: DiscID] to link to DiscID).

To break a WikiWord into parts in MoinMoin, use 2 backticks (`), or 6 single quotes (').

Syntax:

WikiWord``s or WikiWord''''''s.

Results:

WikiWords or WikiWords.

Internal Links

This is where MoinMoin gets really ugly. For non-camelcased WikiNames UseMod used double brackets, but MoinMoin uses quotes inside brackets ([" "]).

Syntax:

["Artist"]

Results:

Artist

Alternative link text

MoinMoin surrounds the page name with colons ([: : ]). This is anything but nice, since the colon can be used for other things like InterWiki links, too.

Syntax:

[:WikiName:replacement text] or even
[:Artist:replacement text]

Results:

replacement text or even replacement text

Note the second example: With this syntax it doesn't matter if the page name is a WikiWord or not. So when trying to link to a non-WikiWord treat the non-WikiWord as a WikiWord and exclude the quotes.

Anchors

In MoinMoin defining an anchor is a macro ([[Anchor( )]]), and the link to the anchor uses the hash symbol ([# ]).

Syntax:

[[Anchor(anchorname)]] defines an anchor.
[#anchorname go to anchor] links to it.

Note that anchors only work within pages. IIUC there is no way to link to an anchor on another page. Following wiki philosophy this is a good thing, since the unit of reference should be the single page. If you start to create many anchors and want to link to them, then the best thing is probably to split the page --DonRedman

Results:

(The anchor is defined on top of the page) go to top of page

InterWiki Links

With MoinMoin you can create InterWiki links with prefixes to WikiWords; on MusicBrainz this has been extended to support references to frequently referenced types of objects: albums, artists, editors, etc.

Syntax:


[wiki:Artist:c0b2500e-0cef-4130-869d-732b23ed9df5 Tori Amos]
[wiki:Album:b84ee12a-09ef-421b-82de-0441a926375b Dark Side of the Moon]
[wiki:Track:0774cb44-c0b5-48b5-81db-f47e1aa41a8e Pound to the Dollar]
[wiki:Label:f31e1603-a456-4397-950e-e1a051487f75 Victor Entertainment]
User:dupuy
Edit:814078
Ticket:1040
Doc:MusicBrainzBio
MBWiki:MoinMoinWikiSyntax

Results:

Tori Amos

Dark Side of the Moon

Questions

The full syntax is far more detailed. Please check the extensive (old site:) HelpOnEditing (new site: http://moinmo.in/HelpOnEditing ) and (old site:) HelpOnFormatting (new site: http://moinmo.in/HelpOnFormatting ) on MoinMoin, before asking questions here.

Anyone know how to escape inadvertent interwiki links? Bang doesn't work, and it doesn't seem to be in the moin documents anywhere. -- BrianSchweitzer 2008-01-11 22:13:56

Tip: If you're using tables, and the row and/or column lines keep disappearing, set the tablewidth, then set the the widths of each column in the top cell of each column, and keep the total of all column widths equal to tablewidth-1. -- BrianSchweitzer 2008-01-27 04:28:29

CategoryWiki