Automatic backlinks for tickets based on document referer

[daniel.oconnor@…]

This is distinct from TracCrossReferences (similar to BackLinks (#611)); but solves a similar problem.

• Every view of a ticket records the referring URL; and increments the count for number of referrals.
• The ticket page shows the number of referrers as a 'pages and tickets which mention this ticket' widget

A simple list of allowed URL patterns or referrers can prevent spam easily.

The benefit of this approach is to organically strengthen the relationship between tickets, rather than rely on explicit macros. Garbage collection could be optionally included; so that links dissolve over time.

[cboos]

Interesting, that would rank the back references from actual use of the forward references instead of the age of references.

A simple list of allowed URL patterns or referrers can prevent spam easily.

If the allowed URLs are local ones, as the rest of your description suggests, this shouldn't be needed. But then, I see more value in your suggestion if the page would list any referrers, not just those from the local Trac.

This can be implemented by a plugin, but there are probably a few things that could be done in Trac to ease the implementation of such a plugin, e.g.

• pass the main WikiContext to the post-request filters, so that the plugin doesn't have to guess which resource was targeted
• provide an extension point in the Cross-references view, so that additional types of cross-references (like Referrers) can be provided.