About STE

Created: 11 Jun 2011 04:01 by leiger, Last updated: 26 Nov 2015 10:48 by Anonymous. History

What is it?

STE is a cross-platform application written in Java, meaning it will run on any computer with the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) installed. (Most computers will already have this.)

The program allows you to edit your Wikidot site outside of the browser! You can get your work done faster (without waiting for web pages to load), work offline (when your Internet connection is intermittent or not available), and use tools to rename or change tags on many pages at once!

It allows you to import source code directly from a page on Wikidot.com and then export it back again after you have made any changes to the page content or metadata. You can also quickly edit many pages (much faster than doing it manually) using tools to move pages or edit tags.

Many well-known Wikidot community members use STE: RobElliottRobElliott, Ed JohnsonEd Johnson, James KanjoJames Kanjo, bcammobcammo, tsangktsangk and leigerleiger are just a few!

How does it work?

STE communicates with Wikidot using an Application Programming Interface (API) known as the "Wikidot XML-RPC API". If you would like to find out more about the API, read the post on the Wikidot.com blog.

The diagram shows that a third-party application like STE can completely bypass the web interface by using the API to communicate with Wikidot:

20100705-how-api-works.png

Features

  • Completely cross-platform – meaning that it will work on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. You just need the Java Runtime Environment. (Most computers already have this installed.)
  • Requires no installation – there is no installer because it isn't needed. Just download the application to the folder you want to run it from! Installation instructions.
  • Allows you to completely bypass Wikidot's web interface to edit your website. No more waiting for pages to load on a slow connection!
  • Quickly edit hundreds of pages, completing tasks that would usually take you several days in only a few hours at most! You can rename or change tags on many pages at once.
  • Works offline: You can save and re-open Wikidot pages to your computer – all metadata and formatting is preserved! Perfect for those occasions where you need to get some work done but know that you won't have access to a stable Internet connection.
  • Supports Wikidot syntax: Buttons and menus provide access to Wikidot syntax. If you're new to Wikidot (or old and forgetful!), you won't need to remember all of the syntax!
  • Highly customisable: Change the appearance of the editor, hide toolbar buttons, and extend the capabilities using extensions!
  • Highly-active development schedule: The program is regularly updated, and the developer listens to all feature requests!
  • Automatic checking for updates: STE can tell you if a new version is available, saving you the time you would have spent checking this manually!

Where can I find out more?

You may want to have a closer look at some screenshots, or ask other users a few questions in the forum.

It's also a good idea to have a quick look at the rest of this wiki. Some pages that you might be interested in:

I want to try STE, but where can I get it from?

That's what the download page is for. The latest version is always available on that page, and STE has the ability to check for updates built-in – you don't even need to visit the website to find out if a newer version is available!

If you would like some detailed instructions on how to "install" STE, try reading the docs on installation.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License