Extension:Widgetbar

IMPORTANT: Since this extension was designed with mainly Wikkii in mind, it is recommended that you set your default skin to Monobook or a skin based on Monobook while using this extension. The extension wasn't designed for, and never will be designed for, other skins, as they don't really fit with this extension. However, it is still available to all wikis, as we are more than happy for non-Wikkii wikis to use this extension.

The Widgetbar extension provides an easy way to create dynamic sidebar widgets. They can be customized on a per-page basis, and magic words as well as templates can be included in the sidebar. You may define the sidebar in-page or reference another page which contains the text. The extension was mainly designed with Wikkii in mind, and hasn't been tested with any skin other than the Monobook skin or the new Wikkii skin. The extension is largely compatible with the regular sidebar, so you won't need to make any changes to the MediaWiki:Sidebar page on your wiki while installing the extension.

Widgets
These can be created using the regular sidebar code, but the added ability of magic words and templates makes the effect of widgets. There are also a set of built-in widgets that come with this extension:

Built-in
So far, there is only one built-in widget, but there should hopefully be more, once more people begin using the Widgetbar extension on their wikis.

Navigation widget
Enables users to add third-level menu items in their sidebar. To enable this widget, simply do these steps:
 * 1) Create a menu structure at the MediaWiki:MenuSidebar page on your wiki. This works differently to the main MediaWiki:Sidebar format, as you need to put   and    around second-level menu items. Otherwise, though, it works the same. To create a third-level menu item, simply use ***  |  .
 * 2) As the add-on is displayed in addition to the content of MediaWiki:Sidebar, you may want to change some stuff in there in order to prevent the new menu structure from displaying at the bottom of the sidebar.

Additional widgets
There will be an area opening soon where users can share widgets created using the Widgetbar extension. Users will be able to choose whether or not they can be used by non-Wikkii wikis. This area hasn't opened yet, but will do soon.

Creating widgets
This works no differently to the format of MediaWiki:Sidebar, although with the added ability of magic words and templates. Just use them in your sidebar as you would in any wiki page.

Customization
Just like any extension, you can customize any feature it introduces. You can also control the colour of the first, third, fifth menu items etc. using the li.odd class, and the other menu items using the li.even class.

Using this extension, it is possible to change the sidebar just for a particular page; just use   and   around the sidebar code, then add it to the page you want a different sidebar on. Alternatively, you can share the same sidebar across several pages, but not the whole wiki, by using  Name of page which contains a customized sidebar . The sidebar code for this is no different to the code used for the MediaWiki:Sidebar page.

Download
Firstly, create a "Widgetbar" folder in the "extensions" folder located on your wiki's files, then add a file under the name of "Widgetbar.php" with the following code in it: Then, add the following code in LocalSettings.php: Finally, you might want to set to "monobook", then make a few adjustments to the MediaWiki:Monobook.css page on your wiki to make it look better.

To-do list
This is marked on a scale of 1 to 3, with 3 meaning that EpicWikipedian, the creator of this extension, is more dedicated to try and work on that problem.
 * 3 - Add the ability for users to define a seperate sidebar for anonymous users.
 * 2 - Fix a problem where the navigation widget seems to conflict with other widgets.
 * 2 - Add an area where users can share widgets they have created using the Widgetbar extension.
 * 1 - Allow widgets to be collapsed and expanded, similarly to the Vector skin.
 * 1 - Add a special page where users can easily add and remove built-in extensions on demand.

Version 0.1.0 (24 June 2012)

 * First public release.

Wikis using the Widgetbar extension
Please add your wiki to this section if it uses the Widgetbar extension. Thanks.
 * Development Wiki
 * English Nonsary (doesn't actually use the Widgetbar extension, but contains a sidebar which is based on the navigation widget from this extension)