[pmwiki-users] Unified approach to delete, archive (and more?)

[Pico]

We have a delete process that doesn't actually delete the file that stores a page, but does cause the renamed page to be bypassed by searches, pagelists and links, and now we are talking about adding an archive approach that will cause the page to be bypassed by searches, pagelists, but may, or may not, cause the file that stores a page to be renamed, relocated and reachable by older links.

Would it be helpful to think of delete and archive as different stages in the same, or similar process.  In fact, while we are at it, should we think about tossing other types of stages into the mix?  What about "private" pages that are intended to be excluded from searches, pagelists and link from those who lack sufficient rights?  What about documentation pages that some sites seek to exclude from ordinary searches, so that only the site's added public content appears in search results?

Is there a better (more efficient) way to deal with these different points along the spectrum from "live" public content to archived and deleted?  As things stand now, we are looking at different approaches to deal with each situation.  

We could deal with all of these as invoking different rights, but that would likely involve more overhead, not less.  

Or we could deal with all of these by making changes at the file and directory levels, by altering page names or directory structures.  With the existing arrays for libraries where, for example, skins and farms can supply content that may vary with context, relocating files might not be such a drastic idea.  Or, perhaps we could just add subdirectories to existing libraries where files could be relocated, with different treatment by searches etc.

Pico

Pico Ben-Amotz
pico at ben-amotz.com