Non-Programmers
Documentation > Extending BoltWire > Non-Programmers
What is BoltWire（BoltWire是什麼？）
BoltWire is a wiki not only for building web contents but also for building web applications. Comparing to hundreds of other cms/wiki systems, most of the features are similar, but one thing makes BoltWire unique. Which is:
Normal people can write code in BoltWire, build your own applications.
Needing a function not exist? You can do it yourself. No need to learn php or javascript first. In BoltWire's framework, a normal people can 'write' codes without special programming training for years. I can show you how easy it is.
The best use of BoltWire
- You can use it as a cms system
Controlling the content, handling the pages, managing members, publishing news, setup in intranet for collaborative works...
- You can use it as a web engine
Using BoltWire as your tool box. Customizing your own applications by DIY (do it yourself). It's fun. And you can really create useful things.
The role of a 'form'
Before we go further, one thing should be explained. Which is the role of a 'form'.
In a non technical point of view, a form is a messenger which carries various informations from the front end to the back end, and finally processed by BoltWire. A form may appeared as simple as a button or a input box or a complexed edit form with check boxes, radio buttons, selectors and so on.
You can use form to create page, edit page, delete, rename, set field value, sand message to screen...Actually most official built in actions in BoltWire are using forms. You can find hundreds of form examples in 'boltwire.com'.
How to create applications in BoltWire
But you don't need to know all things above to write code in BoltWire. To create application is so easy that every one can do it.
It is as simple as this:
You create a certain kind of pages, then list them in a special order. That's it. You've done a application.
Say, you create pages recording your tasks to do, and listing them in a special order, then you have a todolist application. You create pages recording your thought, and listing them in a special order, then you have a blog draft application...
The key is customizing a special 'form' to create pages with default information inside, then using customized 'search' syntax to find which page contained that info, list them. Here is a simple code of a mini-application:
<code> [form] Task: [session target todo.1369356592] [session savedata title] [form] No search results found. </code>The few lines inside a pair of the [form]'s generate an input field which will transform the words in the box to page title. It does not create any content on these pages, but stores them as empty pages in the todo directory.
The last line generates a list containing the pages with the certain data which has been specified in the form above. To add content to a page, just click it and edit. To remove an entry, just delete it. Add sort=title to alphabetize the list.
You can copy the lines to any page and set the title of the page as 'Todo List' or 'Inspirations' or 'Weekend Shopping List' ... any thing you like. It will work just fine.
And put the lines in page 'side', and change the two instances of 'todo' to '{p}' and you'll see an amazing result that you've virtually created a dedicated sidebar menu system for EVERY group. That is a tricky effect naturally happened from BoltWire's inheritable zone page feature.
How did I know how to write the code like this? Actually I didn't 'write' the code, I only used 'copy and paste' from the official site's resources and the local pages listed in 'site'. There are already sample codes, your work is find the right ones, combine them, tweak a little, try and error.
That is DIY. And BoltWire is your workshop.
