# Two new extensions - WYSIWYG editor and Maruku filter **URL:** \ **Category:** Radiant CMS\ **Created:** [February 24, 2007, 1:56am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647 "2007-02-24T01:56:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laserwhit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2007, 1:56am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647/1 "2007-02-24T01:56:24Z")
I was a little late to the game when it came to checking out the Mental branch, but _wow_ I really like what I see. The extensions are very slick, and I can already see myself spending long hours making new ones. In fact, I’ve got a few to offer right now. The first is a simple text filter based on Maruku \. Maruku is very much like Markdown, but it has extended HTML support and a number of other goodies. You can download it here: \ The second is the one that I know a lot of people have been waiting for (Florian, I’m looking at you 😉 ). This is a WYSIWYG extension based on TinyMCE. It’s still a work in progress (I want to integrate an asset handler) but the basic functionality is all there. \ Try 'em out and tell me what you think … I’ll be around on and off over the weekend to answer questions or help with problems, so don’t be scared to ask. It may take a minute to get back to you, but I’ll do my best. – Nathan W. ---
**Author:** ![laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laserwhit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2007, 3:55am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647/2 "2007-02-24T03:55:04Z")
Sounds good. I’m looking forward to playing with this. I can see it being very useful (though I share John’s distaste for using WYSIWYG editors) for my customers. Are you willing to provide any details on the asset management piece you are working on? I’ve read about what the others are doing on and none of the approaches seems quite “right” for my needs. Actually, anyone working on an asset management system is welcome to contact me directly. If there is some way to make things work, it is possible that I could generate some funding to help develop it. ---
**Author:** ![laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laserwhit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2007, 6:22am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647/3 "2007-02-24T06:22:42Z")
On Fri, 23 Feb 2007 19:55:04 -0700, Chris P. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Sounds good. I’m looking forward to playing with this. I can see it > being very useful (though I share John’s distaste for using WYSIWYG > editors) for my customers. Ditto. How have you persuaded them to use something else? Mind altering drugs, perhaps? 😉 Mine have always been convinced that they need to use dreamweaver to manange their hundreds of pages … I figured that Radiant with a WYSIWYG was the lesser of two evils. > Are you willing to provide any details on the asset management piece you > are working on? I’ve read about what the others are doing on and none > of the approaches seems quite “right” for my needs. I think that John believes that assets should belong to a page rather than being more universal in nature, but I honestly think that this may complicate things too much for the average user. In my system all assets are available to all pages. You add those assets (be they images, pdfs, whatever) to your bucket (yes, I’m shamelessly ripping off Mephisto’s buckets), and then you simply click on them to insert them into your page. The insert behavior is “smart”. If you are inserting an image, it will insert an image tag into the page. This tag differs depending on the filter applied to the page … if you have no filter applied, or if you have my WYSIWYG applied, a basic \ will be inserted into the page; if you use markdown you’ll get a ![alt text](https://www.ruby-forum.com/path/to/img.jpg "Title") … you get the idea. If you try to insert a PDF, mp3, etc. into the page (or something else that can’t be directly viewed by the browser) the insert behavior will stuck a link into the page instead. Like above, the precise form of this link will depend on the filter that is applied to the page. In short, I think that inserting an asset into a page should be a simple procedure … the user shouldn’t have to think about the markup required to insert it. Since most assets are likely to be images, I want to make it easy for the user to resize those images to suit their needs. The URL of the image determines the size of the image, and the image can only be resized from the admin side of things. I’m still working out the details of how all of this will work, but I’ve got a basic system in place that seems to work well. It still hits the database to determine if an asset matching the size parameters exists … I need to work that out yet to minimize the database load. Is this at all like what you’re looking for? What are your ideas on the matter? – Nathan W. ---
**Author:** ![laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laserwhit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2007, 11:13am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647/4 "2007-02-24T11:13:04Z")
I wrote one of the first extensions for this, but kind of dropped it as I was in Central America for a month and have yet to pick it up again. For me at least, centralized assets are much better. I don’t want to have to hunt through each page to find a photo. The bucket idea seems like the easiest way to insert an image. Steal from the best and all. This is basically how I envisioned it… do you have anything ready to show? ---
**Author:** ![laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laserwhit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2007, 7:05pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647/5 "2007-02-24T19:05:00Z")
On Feb 24, 2007, at 9:19 AM, Chris P. wrote: > Sounds like you’re heading in the right direction (IMHO, anyway). > Feel > free to contact me directly. Others are welcome too – I’d like to > consider all possibilities. I think that this is a much needed aspect > to radiant (though maybe not something you’d ever put in the core). I’m hearing the arguments for both ways of managing assets (per page and global) and I really think both are valid. The use cases are there for having an asset local to the page, but lots of use cases for needing to easily reuse the assets too. Maybe we should be thinking about a global bucket but have the page UI able to add images restricted to only that page? dm ---
**Author:** ![laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laserwhit)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2007, 12:55am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647/6 "2007-02-25T00:55:45Z")
Nothing ready for public consumption just yet … though I am hoping to have it ready soon (next week or so, if my free time holds up). On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 03:12:05 -0700, Keith B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > Ditto. How have you persuaded them to use something else? Mind > > > > > none > > > ripping off Mephisto’s buckets), and then you simply click on them to > > > you get the idea. > > > required > > > work > > > > * * * > > > > Radiant mailing list > > Post: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid > > Search: [http://radiantcms.org/mailing-list/search/](http://radiantcms.org/mailing-list/search/) > > Site: [http://lists.radiantcms.org/mailman/listinfo/radiant](http://lists.radiantcms.org/mailman/listinfo/radiant) > > * * * > > Radiant mailing list > Post: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid > Search: [http://radiantcms.org/mailing-list/search/](http://radiantcms.org/mailing-list/search/) > Site: [http://lists.radiantcms.org/mailman/listinfo/radiant](http://lists.radiantcms.org/mailman/listinfo/radiant) ## – Nathan W. ---
**Author:** ![laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laserwhit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2007, 4:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647/7 "2007-02-24T16:19:14Z")
Nathan W. wrote: > I think that John believes that assets should belong to a page rather > than > being more universal in nature, but I honestly think that this may > complicate things too much for the average user. > > In my system all assets are available to all pages. You add those assets > (be they images, pdfs, whatever) to your bucket (yes, I’m shamelessly > ripping off Mephisto’s buckets), and then you simply click on them to > insert them into your page. I agree with John and other’s drive for simplicity in design and implementation. So there, the attach-an-image-to-a-page makes some sense – but only as long as users only ever use a given asset once. The minute they want to reuse it, we’ve just made the user’s life harder. The concept that an image is “owned” by page A and not page B is arbitrary (I can see them thinking that it is somehow “unfair” to page B and would probably just store the image with each page – messing things up when they must update that image and kissing DRY goodbye. It also forces the user to use their memory instead of having the system keep that knowledge: “I need picture X – I know I used it before. Let me see, where did I put that…” In my opinion, any good system should be able to tell you where (or if) assets are being used (in other words look at it from the asset perspective too). > The insert behavior is “smart”. If you are inserting an image, it will > insert an image tag into the page. > If you try to insert a PDF, mp3, etc. into the page (or something else > that can’t be directly viewed by the browser) the insert behavior will > stuck a link into the page instead. Like above, the precise form of this > link will depend on the filter that is applied to the page. > > In short, I think that inserting an asset into a page should be a simple > procedure … the user shouldn’t have to think about the markup required > to insert it. I like this approach too. In fact one of the concepts that I’ve been playing with is uniquely styling elements in certain pages – rather than sticking every possible fringe case into my main CSS file. Similarly, I may create a dynamic page or two (say with an interactive maps) that needs some unique javascript. In these cases I build mini CSS or JS files that are, really just assets to me. These need that same “smart” behavior to include them in the page correctly. Of course, in this case, they are added to the head section (automatically). This is certainly beyond what most asset managers are attempting but the use cases are, really, identical with “insert an image”, “figure out where this image is used” or “remove image from page.” > Is this at all like what you’re looking for? What are your ideas on the > matter? Sounds like you’re heading in the right direction (IMHO, anyway). Feel free to contact me directly. Others are welcome too – I’d like to consider all possibilities. I think that this is a much needed aspect to radiant (though maybe not something you’d ever put in the core). -Chris ---
**Author:** ![laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laserwhit)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 4:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647/8 "2007-02-26T16:04:13Z")
Nathan W. wrote: > While I agree that they are an “asset” in a sense, they are also an > asset > with a behavior, and that certainly complicates things quite a bit. > Depending on the technical skill (or lack thereof) of a user they could > even bring down your site (image a bad javascript file that writes in > pr0n > to your page or a css file that includes the declaration “body { > display: > none; }”). For most purposes, I’d think that this would be giving too > _much_ power to the average user. I’m not sure that it’s a problem in “most cases” but certainly the developer ought to be able to say that “for this site, users won’t be able to add js but css is ok” – or whatever. In another site, like one I’m building where the users are trustworthy and where it will also require approval before publishing, this is perfectly fine. I see it like configuring your WYSISYG editor to allow H1 tags or not, or blockquotes – or anything that the developer, owner wants to offer or hide, really. -Chris ---
**Author:** ![laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laserwhit)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647/9 "2007-03-01T22:49:47Z")
On 2/26/07, Nathan W. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > I’m hoping that someone makes an asset manager that’s so well thought out > and executed that John looks at it and says “Damn, we’ve got to have > that!” The have an interesting look asset management system at [http://www.silverstripe.com/home/](http://www.silverstripe.com/home/). Maybe radiant can borrow some ideas. Nicholas ---
**Author:** ![laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laserwhit)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 8:43am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647/10 "2007-02-26T08:43:57Z")
> It also forces the user to use their memory instead of having the system > keep that knowledge: “I need picture X – I know I used it before. Let > me see, where did I put that…” In my opinion, any good system should > be able to tell you where (or if) assets are being used (in other words > look at it from the asset perspective too). I agree. > In these cases I build mini CSS or JS files that are, really just assets > to me. These need that same “smart” behavior to include them in the > page correctly. Of course, in this case, they are added to the head > section (automatically). This is certainly beyond what most asset > managers are attempting but the use cases are, really, identical with > “insert an image”, “figure out where this image is used” or “remove > image from page.” While I agree that they are an “asset” in a sense, they are also an asset with a behavior, and that certainly complicates things quite a bit. Depending on the technical skill (or lack thereof) of a user they could even bring down your site (image a bad javascript file that writes in pr0n to your page or a css file that includes the declaration “body { display: none; }”). For most purposes, I’d think that this would be giving too _much_ power to the average user. > Sounds like you’re heading in the right direction (IMHO, anyway). Thanks, I’ll certainly keep the list posted. That, and your comments have given me some great new ideas/directions to take this thing. > I think that this is a much needed aspect > to radiant (though maybe not something you’d ever put in the core). I’m hoping that someone makes an asset manager that’s so well thought out and executed that John looks at it and says “Damn, we’ve got to have that!” – Nathan W. ---
**Author:** ![laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laserwhit)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 3:17am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647/11 "2007-03-02T03:17:23Z")
Just had a little bit of a poke around in their demo site. What ideas are you thinking we should borrow? On 2/26/07, Nathan W. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: I’m hoping that someone makes an asset manager that’s so well thought out and executed that John looks at it and says “Damn, we’ve got to have that!” The have an interesting look asset management system at [http://www.silverstripe.com/home/](http://www.silverstripe.com/home/). Maybe radiant can borrow some ideas. Nicholas ---
**Author:** ![laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laserwhit)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 7:28am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647/12 "2007-03-02T07:28:53Z")
I just finished building a site that used a lot of PDF files scattered across pages. At over 50 pages, in some cases a single PDF fit well on more than one page. Now that I’m done, it looks like I am going to build another page listing all the PDF documents - an asset tree, if you will. This way, if the user remembers seeing a particular asset somewhere and wants to see it again, they can find it more directly. I’ve already organized my PDFs in an organized folder structure inside /public. I did this naturally – in keeping with Dan’s comment that all the assets in one “folder” would be a big mess. It seems to me that if I organized all my PDFs in some sort of asset manager centralized location, that I could now automatically create the asset tree summary page I need - complete with organization. Just like you’d create a menu using radiant tags based on pages. -Chris ---
**Author:** ![laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/c6cbf5/32.png) [@laserwhit](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laserwhit)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 5:15am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/two-new-extensions-wysiwyg-editor-and-maruku-filter/86647/13 "2007-03-02T05:15:31Z")
On 3/2/07, Daniel S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Just had a little bit of a poke around in their demo site. What ideas are > you thinking we should borrow? I liked the method used for maintaining an image in page. Option to select another from the asset location or via an upload. Which I assume can be upload to a specified location in the asset tree. Their draft/staging mechanism is interesting as well. I haven’t used radiant for a long while so I’m not sure where it is with that. I’m planning to set it up again for a small site, so I might have better comments after that. I think that assets like images, pdfs, etc should be centrally managed as the can often be access by multiple pages. Allocation them to their own tree also allows more opportunity for static caching. Nicholas