Help:Cargo
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The Cargo MediaWiki extension is designed to enhance MediaWiki's capabilities by providing a structured way to store and query data within wiki templates, particularly useful for managing data in infoboxes or similar structured data representations.
Cargo stands out as a powerful tool for those looking to leverage MediaWiki not just for content but for structured data management, offering a balance between complexity and usability for wiki administrators and developers. Its integration with MediaWiki's templating system makes it particularly useful for creating dynamic, data-driven content within wiki environments.
Functionality
- Data Storage: Cargo allows data to be stored in database tables, which can be either within MediaWiki's database or in a separate database for performance or security reasons. This data is typically derived from template calls, where each template invocation can define a row in a table.
- Querying Data: Users can query this data using SQL-like syntax through special pages or parser functions provided by Cargo, like #cargo_query. This allows for dynamic content generation based on the data stored.
- Parser Functions:
- cargo_declare: Defines the schema for a table, placed within the <noinclude> part of a template.
- cargo_attach: Specifies that a template adds rows to a table declared elsewhere.
- cargo_store: Stores data into a Cargo table, usually within the <includeonly> part of a template.
Features
- Data Types: Cargo supports various data types including simple types like strings, dates, and numbers, to more complex ones like hierarchies, coordinates, and wikitext.
| Field Type | Description | Unindexed? |
|---|---|---|
Page
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Holds the name of a page in the wiki (default max size: 300 characters) | |
String
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Holds standard, non-wikitext text (default max size: 300 characters) | |
Text
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Holds standard, non-wikitext text; intended for longer values | ✔ |
Integer
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Holds an integer | |
Float
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Holds a real, i.e., non-integer, number | |
Date
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Holds a date without time | |
Start date,
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Similar to Date, but are meant to hold the beginning and end of some duration. A table can hold either no Start date and no End date field, or exactly one of both.
|
|
Datetime
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Holds a date and time | |
Start datetime,
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Work like Start date or End date, but include a time.
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Boolean
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Holds a Boolean value, whose value should be 1 or 0, or 'yes' or 'no' (see this section for Cargo-specific information on querying Boolean values) | |
Coordinates
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Holds geographical coordinates | |
Wikitext string
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Holds a short text that is meant to be parsed by the MediaWiki parser (default max size: 300 characters) | |
Wikitext
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Holds longer text that is meant to be parsed by the MediaWiki parser | ✔ |
Searchtext
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Holds text that can be searched on, using the MATCHES command (requires MySQL 5.6+ or MariaDB 5.6+) | |
File
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Holds the name of an uploaded file or image in the wiki (similar to Page, but does not require specifying the "File:" namespace) (default max size: 300 characters) | |
URL
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Holds a URL (default max size: 300 characters) | |
Email
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Holds an email address (default max size: 300 characters) | |
Rating
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Holds a "rating" value, i.e., usually an integer from 1 to 5 |
- Special Pages: Cargo includes special pages like Special:CargoQuery for direct querying and Special:Drilldown for interactive data exploration.
- Integration with MediaWiki: It integrates seamlessly with MediaWiki's existing structure, allowing for data to be linked with pages, categories, and other MediaWiki features.
- Customization: Through settings like $wgCargoDefaultStringBytes or $wgCargoMaxQueryLimit, administrators can control how Cargo behaves in terms of data storage limits or query performance.
Advantages
- Ease of Use: Compared to other extensions like Semantic MediaWiki, Cargo might be simpler to install and use for basic to intermediate data management needs within MediaWiki.
- Performance: By potentially using a separate database, Cargo can help in managing performance issues related to data queries, especially on large wikis.
- Flexibility: Its design allows for complex data structures and queries, making it suitable for wikis where structured data management is crucial.
Community and Development
- Development: Cargo has seen contributions through programs like Google Summer of Code, indicating active development and community involvement.
- Support: There's community support through forums, documentation, and the MediaWiki extension repository, where users can find help or contribute to its development.
Special pages
Map examples
Table
Error: Table Employees not found.
Dynamic table
Error: Table Employees not found.
Open Layers
Error: Table Employees not found.
Leaflet
Error: Table Employees not found.
Related
- Help:Class - Defining a new Cargo template
- Help:Cargo (Overview)
- Help:Cargo (Query)
Resources
Links
- https://workingwithmediawiki.com/book/chapter16.html
- https://community.fandom.com/wiki/Help:Cargo
- https://community.fandom.com/wiki/Help:Cargo/recreating_tables
- https://community.fandom.com/wiki/Help:Cargo/customizing_tables
Example wikis
See Help:Cargo (Example wikis)