Test-ParserFunctions-in-ExternalData
Testing combined use of GetExternalData and ParserFunctions extensions
This page is used to test a variety of methods for combining the functionality of the GetExternalData extension with the ParserFunctions extension. Initial attempts to use the two extensions together failed. Though the documentation isn't entirely clear, it appears that since both extensions use the MediaWiki template functionality (using curly braces "{ }" that there is some incompatibility.
Testing will continue but for the immediate future, we have found that using the Display_External_Table format option does work. This option requires the creation of a template for each query and the presence of variable names in both the wiki page and the template makes maintenance somewhat confusing.
Test Case:
Display the current Manager / Staff roster from Google Sheet CSV web feed via the CSV import capability of the GetExternalData extension.
Use #ifexist and #ifeq conditionals in the ParserFunctions Extension to "clean up" the import, for example, ensuring that we only show links to a wiki user page if that user page actually exists.
Test ifexist in an ExternalData call:
Use Display External Table
| Name | Role | Wiki User Page | WikiUsername
|
|---|
ManagerData Template:
|-
| {{{Role}}}
| {{{FirstName}}}
| {{{LastName}}}
| User:{{{WikiUsername}}} (Page not created)
([[special:Contributions/{{{WikiUsername}}} | {{{FirstName}}}'s Wiki Contributions]])
| send email
Try using display_external_table without table markup.
| Name | Wiki User Page | Role | Test |
|---|
ExternalData without wiki table markup
{{{Name}}} ({{{Email}}}) is WikiUser {{{WikiUsername}}} ({{{Role}}}) and is not a volunteer User Page Doesn't Exist.