Add Markdown support to all Zammad content and knowledge base improvements

Feature requests
1

Hi, I leave it as a suggestion to add support for Markdown in all Zammad content and especially in the knowledge base.

There’s a similar thread, but closed for comment here: Knowledge base better editor or Markdown/rst support

I consider something fundamental and essential for any knowledge base and content in general to support Markdown or some markup system, every small or large company needs to have its content base in a markup language, in addition to being much easier to create and maintain , even easier than HTML, while when using a visual editor with HTML it becomes dirty HTML, difficult to maintain and without standardization, since Markdown is simply a markup, when saving it continues Markdown, only needing to render to generate HTML and has several OpenSource and simple to use, can be done in JS or what I recommend directly in Ruby, some Markdown parser projects: Category: Markup processors - The Ruby Toolbox, it is even possible to transform from HTML to Markdown also, mainly used for migration of legacy content made directly in HTML and has tools like Pandoc OpenSource that migrates to several types of markup format, Welcome — Sphinx documentation and Mkdocs are excellent projects for documentation and both use Markdown, Sphinx also supports reStructuredText, but this one is a bit more complete and technical and more boring to create H1, H2, H3, while in Markdown just '#, ##, ### ’ i.e. 1, 2 or 3 repeated keys.

I also find it very easy even for non-technical people and anyone using a Help Desk system can easily get up to speed if they don’t know Markdown, they even have visual systems for Markdown for those who prefer it, but in general it’s more productive to add it directly in the language of markup + keyboard shortcuts and resource shortcuts in the menu, a good example is the editor of this Forum, very well done and with essential resources, other good examples of using markup language is Mediawiki and Dokuwiki, both use markup and with this makes versioning, creation and maintenance much better, so much so that Mediawiki is the tool used by Wikipedia and with several contributions from people without technical knowledge since it is super easy to use any simple markup system with a basic editor to help with shortcuts and commands.

Markdown can also be used even to respond to Tickets, blog, cms, send email and all communication, and it would even be recommended, since it is nothing more than a popular markup system used even in Github, Gitlab that jumped even more. , I myself avoid choosing any documentation system with a visual + HTML focus, as it loses the standard of good markup and I don’t recommend it for most cases nowadays, even more so when it involves important content or keeping content history/versions.

In addition to using Markdown as a default, I suggest resources such as:

  • Add images easily by pasting them similar to Dokuwuki with plugin
  • Easy to embed video like PeerTube (OpenSource for video), Youtube, Vimeo and etc
  • Add images from the Editor’s Menu easily directly in Markdown format too
  • Fixed TOC when editing and in content, great for large content, so it can be found by H1, H2, H3…
  • Preview mode for Markdown or if you are going to use a visual editor, which can also be edited directly in the Markdown code, for example Ckeditor, but in general I recommend a simpler editor
  • I would indicate Monaco or CodeMirror as editor, in a project we use Monaco with Vue.js it is easily customizable and already has several essential resources included after all it is almost like VS Code, being easy by fixed TOC to edit large documents, highlight of code, snippet, among other resources of a great editor and of course to easily put the Markdown Preview mode, if you want, I release my project made in Monaco + Vue.js to be used in Zammad, so you already have the base of a great editor with lots of extra features we funded
  • Versioning support, as in Dokuwiki and Mediawiki
  • Support for including content from another page, on Mediawiki known as Transclusion, more details here Help:Transclusion - MediaWiki, this is key to a good content system, Redmine also has https ://www.redmine.org/projects/redmine/wiki/RedmineTextFormattingMarkdown#Macros
  • Landing Page mode for the entry page or a page that can be used as a Landing Page with a more visual focus and in this case the use of direct HTML or even Markdown + HTML would be welcome
  • Blog/CMS micro system, it would be interesting so it would be possible to maintain all company communication with Zammad

Thanks, Felipo Antonoff

42 Likes
2

This would wipe the Lamas Ass :slight_smile:

3

We are considering to start using Zammad and we need markdown support in tickets, as well.

As of today, markdown is not supported in tickets.

( Zammad Version 6.2.0-17 … .jammy )

1 Like
4

Is there any news on this?

1 Like
5

I guess a real mini-editor would be more in order than markdown.
The mini-editor that’s available here (on the forum) would be almost completely fine, just need the ‘table’-button as well because people here like to send tables :slight_smile: Or the be specific, they want to press TAB to insert a TAB for formatting and I can understand why. But TAB is difficult so a table would do just fine.
image

The edit-box in Zammad is already a rich-text box and accepts tables and everything pasted into it from eg. Word just fine. So showing a line with some formatting-buttons would be a minor operation, I think.

Markdown may also be supported, but I really wouldn’t know why we would go back to WordPerfect 5.1-times and not go with WYSIWYG instead of WYTYSYDG (What You Thought You Saw, You Didn’t Get) :slight_smile:

1 Like
6

There is already an improved WYSIWYG editor in the mobile view. I personally would prefer something in that direction with the upcoming new desktop view, instead of markdown support.

1 Like
7

Hi,

the editor for KB-Articles is a bit too “minimalistic” in being completely absent, it is just a plain box with no indication about usage whatsoever e.g:

  • Images work when the just are put there with drag’n drop (while copy paste from another site seems to work but doesn’t stay after saving) but there is no indication for this feature other then try and error, Positioning is also a bit weird…

  • I can copy paste styled text and it will display as is but there is no visible format feature at all so I can’t change, remove or set styles/formats

Of course I know that a WYSIWYG-Editor would cause some problem for usage as internal FAQ for default answers etc. so why not simply allow to use Markdown or rst

29 Likes
8

+1 from me. (i.e. it should be clear which styles Zammad’s KB supports. I’d vote in favour of full Markdown support!)

7 Likes
9

While I really like markdown/rst, I’m afraid that this will be a absolute power user feature, because many people might not catch up with that.

At least for the WYSIWYG-Editor, we have that on our list. :slight_smile:

5 Likes
10

Could you explain how Zammad handles formatting/styles at the moment?

11

Please!! Implement Markdown immediately!

@herzkerl well there’s nothing beside links and internal link ATM. You can do formatting via keyboard shortcuts, but i.e. you cannot include images or enter code blocks.

immagine
immagine928×493 24.5 KB

1 Like
12

Ah, I see—that should include the basics. Thank you!

13

Woah no offense… but, insert coin please if you want it now. :wink:

This is true, with exception for inline images (will come to that shortly):
image

Beside those shortcuts, you can also insert tables from e.g. an Office application (because it’s HTML stuff). Code-Blocks partly work and depend from where you copy them, but you can’t create them directly within Zammad at the moment.

No matter if markdown or WYSIWYG-Editor: Both options should contain code-blocks - it it’s not being markdown, it can be used broader by everyone which makes sense.

Now to inserting images… it does work to copy inline images, but highly depends on from where you copy. You can’t copy a image within your Browser and just insert it, you can’t copy the image file and just paste it into the editor. You need to copy the content of the image which does work with a photo manipulation software (paint.net) or viewers like Pictureflext Photo Viewer (Windows 10 App I use).

Here’s a screencast:

https://cloud.smrg.de/index.php/s/MRQZZxAw827SPPT/download(image larger than 4 MB)

The above works perfectly for knowledgebase and ticket articles.

14

This helps for now, you may need to add those Linux/Windows-Shortcuts to the documentation, I only found the one for mac :wink:

I’m in favor for a Markdown support, so we can re-use some of our git documentation, and I personally like markdown, but I can live with a WYSIWYG-editor if there will be an option to use a “text-only” insert into tickets.

15

indeed… :smiley: I was just thrilled to use the KB and found there was no option to add a code block, a bit disappointed. :thinking: but I accept your note. :rofl:

I’m for MD as well: there are JS toolbars to use it in textareas, and it’s probably easier and safer than pure html to handle, in term of security.

1 Like
16

No worries, I just like to be the bad guy :smiley:

Edit: I’m sure that we will find a way / solution for this, but I currently can’t tell any roadmaps to this.

17

Is there anyway to add imbedded video currently?

18

With source code hacking only.

19

Roger, I think I’ll avoid doing that and breaking things =)

Thanks!

1 Like
20

@MrGeneration First of all great work on Zammad, we just deployed on our server, so we gonna use it for our own project Automatio, as a ticket system. I think its best Open Source solution available. Keep up with great work.

I came here also because I felt that KB editor is very minimal.

Are there any plans or updates on this? Like other people said either Markdown or WYSiWYG editor is what is need for KB.

Because it’s very limited what u can write in there. I tried your way in copy image from some software directly to KB editor, it works which is good, but the .GIF images are not working.

Additional to that, I think the current editor does not support videos either.

This would fulfill the missing features in Zammad and make it perfect, without need to install additional software, in my case WordPress and buy some KB themes.

I hope to see this feature in the near future because its really needed.

All the best guys!