Wikipedia talk:Template messages/Archive 3

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Archives
2004 February 2005 – December 2005 January 2006 - October 2006

Contents 1 The Status of Protest on Wikipedia 2 template to add 3 Guidelines? 4 Template messages infobox 5 Template to encapsulate HTML markup 6 The edit links in table edit the wrong sections?! 7 NEW TEMPLATE... but where to put it? 8 Wikipedia:Useful styles 9 Tables 10 Dynamic Images 11 if-template 12 "Inadequate" 13 Colour definitions 14 Graphic image tag? 15 Question 16 Taxobox needed template 17 Question 18 added Template:CategorisationDisputedTopics 19 Is there a template for missing information? 20 No interwikis template? 21 List from usage of templates 22 talk page's main article template 23 Where to add new template 24 Template for changing a title 25 Too Many Templates / Polymorphism 26 Made three new Harvard templates 27 Fantastic Page! 28 Link to entries using these templates 29 SparkNotes, Yahoo! Movies 30 Request Template: Information is Mecurial 31 Legal Dispute template? 32 Template hiding and showing 33 How to make a template 34 Refq template 35 National Portrait Gallery template 36 Turn off templates? 37 Passing variables... variably?

The Status of Protest on Wikipedia

Wikipedia it seems does not delineate between freedom of expression and the right to protest and vandalism. Wikipedia is supposed to be a viable source of information. In my mind it must also be an "appropriate" source of information. But if we can't conduct peaceful, nonviolent protests on the texts of actual articles which people find disturbing (i.e. queef) what kind of message are we sending across to people who wish to protest but find themselves being blocked as a result of what editors consider "vandalism". I agree with the sentiments expressed by some that a template that has been termed as "nonsense" (Wiki-Protest) should be allowed in order for editors, WPs, and contributors to protest what they consider as harsh, racist, or inappropriate wikipedia articles in a manner outside of the normal spectrum for wikipedia. What do you all think about this? A friend of mine was blocked recently for participating in this kind of protest. -- Dominick_Turner —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Dominick Turner (talk • contribs) 16:48, 21 February 2006 (UTC)

See Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not, in particular the section on What the Wikipedia community is not section for Wikipedia's official policy. It is not designed as a forum for free expression as "protest". Think of it as using your free expression to tell your boss that he's a fat slob. Your boss will turn around and tell you that he recognizes your rights of expression but you're fired. The Wikipedia community is the same way, except substitute "you're blocked" for "you're fired". Neil916 16:14, 11 June 2006 (UTC)

Very good analogy. •Jim62sch• 16:13, 30 June 2006 (UTC)

If you find an article disturbing then don't read it. Wikipedia is not a place for censorship by repressed/ultra-conservative individuals. SynthesiseD 21:58, 14 August 2006 (UTC)

But are they really individuals or rules? Surely there can be various interpretations of applying rules, but then one finds out by experience. "Learn the rules well in order to break them". If one wants to complain about an ecological damage in Wikipedia, one goes by the rules to do it. The effective protest would be to include an acceptable encyclopedic article on actual facts. It is for rules kept that Wikipedia becomes a strong medium to present an article on some ecological damage, to link it to other appropriate articles, etc. If one thinks that an objectively stated fact about racism is being attacked as inappropriate, one can protect it by doing the things that the rules permit. Hoverfish 19:56, 7 October 2006 (UTC)

template to add

I'm not sure where to add {{Infoboxneeded}}. Can somebody give pointers? Circeus 06:56, 1 January 2006 (UTC)

At the top of the article talk page. --GunnarRene 07:11, 2 May 2006 (UTC)

I'm not sure where to add the {{coor}} Template:coor for geographical coordinates. Can somebody give pointers? Skierpage 03:16, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

Guidelines?

Where are the guidelines for templates loacated? Cacophony 18:39, 15 January 2006 (UTC)

See WP:TS. WP:SFD, WP:TFD, an incomplete proposal WP:TG, and otherwise try to make sense out of Category:Wikipedia templates. See also below. Omniplex 08:31, 5 March 2006 (UTC)

Template messages infobox

Started creating a small infobox for all template messages, it's located at Template:Template messages and looks like this:

_→AzaToth 10:31, 29 January 2006 (UTC)

Sorry, removed this template from the project page, it's incompatible with my browser (Firefox on Linux) and creates a usability disaster. --Francis Schonken 16:08, 10 February 2006 (UTC)

Template to encapsulate HTML markup

I just created {{breakafterimages}} to expand to the HTML <br style="clear:both;" /> in order to get a break effect that includes images. What category does that sort of template belong in? - Bevo 00:12, 5 February 2006 (UTC)

Not sure, but I did the same thing with {{CleanBr}} the other day. --James S. 07:27, 10 February 2006 (UTC)

See Template:- (edit talk links history) or Template:Clear (edit talk links history) but please don't touch them - they are the result of long discussions and used on hundreds of pages. Omniplex 08:13, 5 March 2006 (UTC)

The edit links in table edit the wrong sections?!

Clicking any [edit] link in the table edits the next section of the table. E.g. the General edit link to http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Template_messages&action=edit&section=1 brings up [[/Sources of articles|Article sources]]</center>=== <!-- Table #2 -->, i.e. the next table section. I tried in both Firefox and Internet Explorer. Weird. Skierpage 02:57, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

This is true in both FF 1.5.0.1 and IE 7 Beta 2; the page is behaving rather strangely. Furthermore, some titles ("General" and "Cleanup") don't appear in IE. Any wikitable whizz know why this is? ENCEPHALON 17:05, 19 February 2006 (UTC)

NEW TEMPLATE... but where to put it?

New templates. I think we should include. But any sugestions where? see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikibreak or wikibreak --CyclePat 18:15, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

Wikipedia:Useful styles

Seeking input for this new pages, any help or suggestions appreciated. Circeus 15:35, 2 March 2006 (UTC)

Tables

I really liked the table formatting that AzaToth removed. The template page is much more difficult for me to use now (since it requires either scrolling way down or clicking an extra time to get to the desired section, as the whole page is much longer vertically without the tables.) --Tifego 00:21, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

(as posted on AzaToth's talk page) Hmm, I liked it the way it was before. You specified in the summary edit that it should be conforming to whatever is at WP:KISS. (a red link as of 00:25 UTC, 17 March 2006). --Ted 00:26, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

I thought the tables was too wide (didn't thought at the before, but when I checked at 800x600 the colums per cell was one word wide.) Also the editing of the page was rather cumbersome to edit. _→AzaToth 00:45, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

Looks fine to me at 800x600. (Although I don't see how anyone can stand using displays that tiny.) Since it bothers me as non-table, and at least one other person agrees, I'm changing it back for now (once). --Tifego 01:14, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

Dynamic Images

Is there a way to implement dynamic images into Wikipedia, for user namespaces? Say there is a last.fm chart update, and a dynamic image is generated off of that. Can it be somehow implemented into the userpage? --модулятум 20:26, 19 March 2006 (UTC)

if-template

Is there already something like an if-template, or can/should I make one? I thought about something like {{{if|condition|then|else}}} (i.e., if <condition> is not empty, then <then> is inserted, otherwise <else>). What do you think about it? — Shir Khan (?-"-!) — 13:09, 2 April 2006 (UTC)

Check out {{Qif}}. Its description is on its discussion page. –T_if_eg_o^(t)_{08:33, 6 April 2006 (UTC)}

"Inadequate"

I'm not sure where Template:Inadequate should be listed. Maurreen 07:54, 6 April 2006 (UTC)

TfD, maybe. That template is inadequate, in that it doesn't link to the talk page or state the problem in an appropriately informative and neutral way. Anyway, the real place it could go is Wikipedia:Template messages/Cleanup, but I don't know how long it will survive as it is. –T_if_eg_o^(t)_{08:31, 6 April 2006 (UTC)}

Colour definitions

I've noticed that a large number of the pastel boxes in this listing ignore the common web design practice of defining a foreground colour (mostly black) whenever defining a background colour. Depending on the user's skin and/or overriding default browser settings, the default foreground colour may be a light one designed to be read on a dark background, common for people with visual impairments. Does anybody object to me going through them and adding color:black where necessary to the styles? I realise a lot of caches will be affected but it's a genuine needed improvement. BigBlueFish 08:55, 27 April 2006 (UTC)

Graphic image tag?

Is there a tag that warns of an article having images that may be of a graphic or obscene nature?--BerserkerBen 04:08, 11 May 2006 (UTC)

Ok I guess not so I made one, this one though is only specific to nudity:

-It warns viewers of the image(s) presences

-It warns them not to censor by editing

-It directs to wikipedia disclaimer

Template:Nudity warning --BerserkerBen 22:01, 11 May 2006 (UTC)

I completely agree — such a template isn't saying that there should be no articles about a given subject, just that users should be warned beforehand. I would add that the same could be said of potentially inappropriate text (for younger readers), as well, as in The Aristocrats. That said, what happened to the template above which I'm currently seeing as a red link? --Lenoxus 14:36, 2 June 2006 (UTC)

See Wikipedia:Templates_for_deletion/Log/2006_May_11#Template:Nudity_warning —Mike 02:47, 5 June 2006 (UTC)

Question

I was unsure of where to put this so I decided to put it here. I understand there is a template that can make the table of contents go to the right hand side of the article. Does anyone know how to hide the table of contents? It isn't for an article, just my user page. Normy 09:02, 16 May 2006 (UTC)

just put __NOTOC__ at the top of your page. CG 11:16, 16 May 2006 (UTC)

Taxobox needed template

I have been looking for a template to request a taxobox, in this case for the sordes article. I have for the moment used the diagram request and specified that what was needed is a taxobox. Is there a way of requesting a taxobox, is there a template in this case?? --Francisco Valverde 17:22, 1 June 2006 (UTC)

Question

Ok I know this may sound stupid but I have to ask how do you get a template to the left hand side of a page? I've tried "|left}} and "}}|left" but they don't seem to work, and I've tried other things such as "{{left|". So is there anyway to do it? Horses In The Sky ^{talk contributions}

added Template:CategorisationDisputedTopics

Following Template:CategorisationDisputedPeople, I decided to be bold and create this template for contentious categories such as Category:Pseudoscience. This seems to be a fair way of resolving concerns about the NPOV-ness of assigning topics to that category (since the category condition is either on or off, with no room for "so and so says this topic is pseudoscientific for this reason"). I hope my boldness didn't step on anyone's toes. thx, Jim Butler^(talk) 08:53, 18 June 2006 (UTC)

Personally, I don't see the need for this template. I understand your reasoning, but I can't agree. Sorry. •Jim62sch• 16:20, 30 June 2006 (UTC)

Is there a template for missing information?

Would be helpful in articles that lack important information. Añoranza 06:37, 4 July 2006 (UTC)

If the article is too short, use a categorized stub. If you know what information is missing, use Wikipedia:Template messages/General#Expansion_requests and detail on the talk page what is missing. (Without elaboration, expansion requests are useless). If a source/citation is missing, or a statement appears unverifiable, you can mark it with one of these: Wikipedia:Template_messages/Disputes#For_inline_article_placement --GunnarRene 09:42, 4 July 2006 (UTC)

Good one,is there also a template for a missing template? (many readers have no idear where to find the right template). Mion 08:47, 6 July 2006 (UTC)

No interwikis template?

Is there a template for articles missing interlanguage links? Thanks! --Vanka5 03:56, 17 July 2006 (UTC)

Regarding your question, Perhaps there is the template for articles missing interlanguage links. But I'm not sure abour this. *~Daniel~* ☎ 02:35, 18 July 2006 (UTC)

List from usage of templates

Is there a way to make a list from the use of templates. For example, on airport pages (like LHR, LAX, etc.) there is a Template:Runway to list the runways and information about them for each airport. Is there a way I could make a page like List of airport runways that builds the list from all the uses of the template and allows you to use the values in the template to format your list? I know there is the What links here page for the template but that isn't really what I am looking to do. I want a table to list that would be updated as the individual pages that use the template are updated. Is there anyway to accomplish the same goal if using Templates wont work? I've looked at using category pages (I want it to be like that sort of) except that I want to have access to all the varables in the template and not just the page name. Fsamuels 14:31, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

talk page's main article template

I know there's a template that goes on a Talk page whose article is somewhere else is summarized using the

Main article: main_article

template. It says something like "this article is summarized on another page; remember to keep those pages with this one." Anyone know where I can find it? --Ephilei 00:41, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

{{main}} ;) --Quiddity 20:42, 4 September 2006 (UTC)

Where to add new template

I made a {{LinkedDate}} template as I figured it'd be useful, but can't see an obvious spot to add it to the list. Any suggestions? --jwanders^Talk 17:05, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

That is more of a Wikipedia special effects templates than a template message. I would add it to that category or look around Wikipedia:Tools if it fits somewhere else. --Trödel 18:08, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

Update - {{FULLDATE}} also exists and {{today}} redirects to it. See Category:Date math --Trödel 18:11, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

Template for changing a title

Is there any template saying something like "It has been suggested that the title of this article be changed. Please discuss."?--Húsönd 01:33, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

That would probably be covered by a requested move template, as "moving" and "renaming" are synonymous around here... If not and you'd like a custom template, drop me a message and I can throw one together for you. --jwanders^Talk 06:59, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

I think I'll go for the move template and place a request then. Thank you.--Húsönd 13:23, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

Too Many Templates / Polymorphism

I've been scanning through many template pages looking for an answer to this question, but the volume is so great I might have missed it: Why don't templates use polymorphism? This isn't a theory question (because the capability exists), but a practice question (and perhaps a policy question). For example, there are 4 ways to post a spoiler, 2 ways to post a spoiler ending, multiple disabiguation templates, reference templates, etc. I think it would be much simpler to have a single template that accepts multiple arguments (some defaulted) with a clear 'noinclude' discussion about how to use the function (it's syntax) than to have multiple templates that all have similar functionality and appearance. Does Wikipedia have a policy on template polymorphism?--Burzum 20:35, 14 August 2006 (UTC)

The number of templates is overwhelming, even for the capable student. I'm a reasonably bold, intelligent, and persistent person, but I've found it daunting to try to sort out what's going on with templates as I've pursued contributing to WP in my modest way. For perspective, I've run into many people in R/L that didn't even know they could edit content on WP at all. (I'm sitting here, with hundreds of contributions to my credit, using "WP", and I'm still not even sure if that stands for "Wikipedia" or "Wiki Projects", and my one quick search attempt (wikipedia:WP) didn't clarify.) My point is, the threshold of knowledge that is the barrier to contribution must watched carefully, lest only a progressively smaller fraction of netizens feel comfortable diving into the unknown depth of the new undertaking. ENeville 16:30, 4 September 2006 (UTC)

Made three new Harvard templates

I made three new Harvard citation templates (actually, made minor mods to existing templates). Not sure if there is some group overseeing these kinds of things. If I've gone beyond bold into reckless, please let me know.

• Template:Harvcol. Harvard citation with colons for page numbers.
• Template:Harvcolnb. Same as above, no brackets.
• Template:Harvcoltxt. Same as above, can use for cites like "according to Smith (1999), the..." Links to Auth name & year. Looks a bit funny when page numbers are included.

Examples are at: Austronesian languages, Homeland section.

Thanks Ling.Nut 03:30, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Fantastic Page!

I only found this page by asking at the help desk. This needs to be more easily accessible. Maybe a link in the style guide? --Navstar 08:42, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

Link to entries using these templates

Is it possible to look up the articles that are using specific templates? Some seem very obscure and I would enjoy reading the tagged entries --Navstar 10:39, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

On any page, in the bottom of the lefthand sidebar, in the "toolbox" section, there is a "What links here" link. Click that :) (They're ordered chronologically by date of creation, iirc). --Quiddity 19:59, 4 September 2006 (UTC)

SparkNotes, Yahoo! Movies

Are there templates for links to SparkNotes and Yahoo! Movies pages similar to those for the IMDb? TheMadBaron 12:01, 9 September 2006 (UTC)

Request Template: Information is Mecurial

I'd like to see a template I can use to warn the user that a reference (like radio station formats) is in a constant state of flux and, while it was accurate at one time, the user may want to verify the information with another source. (And edit the information if they are inclined. Any thoughts? Something like Template:Mercurial 'bitchen' ric 13:21, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

Cool. I figured it out. I've added Template:Mercurial and Template:Mercurial-section to the General page. If this is redundant, please let me know the proper template to use.'bitchen' ric 15:20, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Legal Dispute template?

Hi. I'm involved in the sorry mess at Gregory Lauder-Frost, where we have removed verifiable information from the article due to threats of legal action under UK law. This has been going on for a while, and there's no immediate end in sight. Folks there seem to be ok with a notice at the top of the article page, and this is the template I came up with:

Content has been removed from this article because of a dispute over the legality of its inclusion, and so the article may not meet normal Wikipedia standards.

Currently this is in user space, and you can see the source here. If the title and template seem right to you folks, I'd like to move it into the main template space. It's my first template, so any feedback is appreciated. Thanks, William Pietri 17:49, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Update: current word from on high is that we can now include the material, so the question is moot. I've substituted the template here and will eventually delete the template unless this becomes an issue again. William Pietri 17:21, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

Template hiding and showing

Sorry if this question has been done to death, but in articles such as South Australian legislative election, 2006 where there are two templates at the bottom, is there a way to show both of them rather than them being hidden, whereas if there's only one template it is automatically shown? Timeshift 15:38, 26 September 2006 (UTC)

How to make a template

This article,nor does anyone other article on templates,give any information(or at least simple information) on how to make a template.Now maybe making a template is not simple.But if anyone would be so kind as to give me a simple layout on how to make a template.Please Dermo69

Refq template

Ok. I saw what Shantavira recommended as an idea and I created a template that can answer many of the "See Dog" questions for us.

{{Refq|42|Leave personal message or press the spacebar here.}}

Produces

Welcome to Wikipedia. You can easily look up this topic yourself. Please see 42. In future, try using the search box at the top left of the screen. It's much quicker, and you will probably find a clearer answer. If you still don't understand, add a further question below by clicking the "edit" button to the right of your question title. Leave personal message or press the spacebar here.

Look good? Alter it however is best, and I hope it will increase our productivity. — X [Mac Davis] (SUPERDESK|Help me improve)18:58, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

I wanted this to be on the Reference Desk talk page, but somebody moved it, and I am guessing it belongs here instead. — X [Mac Davis] (SUPERDESK|Help me improve)22:46, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

This section was duplicated here by me. Sorry about any confusion but I thought it would get better response from here. It's now at both places. --hydnjo talk 23:41, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

National Portrait Gallery template

I have created a new template which may be of particular use to those editing biographical articles related to the UK. The template is {{npg name}}, and it povides an easy way to offer a link to the list of images of a person held by the National Portrait Gallery (England).

The code is adapted from the widely-used {{imdb name}}, and it works in a very similar way. Full instructions on the talk page.

(Sorry if this is the wrong place to announce this). --BrownHairedGirl ^{(talk) • (contribs)} 00:29, 14 October 2006 (UTC)

Turn off templates?

Is there any way to view Wikipedia with no templates? There are so many templates now it's hard to tell if I am reading an encyclopedia, or the coupon page for the local shoppers mart. Nagtags, navigation "aids", etc.. creators of templates (and their court) create fiefdoms of articles that they rule over mandating that they be employed using no rational or justification other than the templates mere existence. The only recourse is TfD which only works for the most worst cases - the end result is "template gridlock" with pictures and templates competing 50/50 with actual text for space to the point many articles look and feel chopped up and hard to follow. -- Stbalbach 05:15, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

You can change your personal CSS to put display: none on the CSS classes of templates that offend you. If you are using the default skin, that file is at User:Your Name/monobook.css. Mike Dillon 21:35, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

Passing variables... variably?

I need a bit of help. I'm trying to create a template that basically will list every variable I pass, only. I.e.:

{{template|var1|var2|var3}}

Will output something like 3 rows of text, as in:

• Foo-template-output var1
• Foo-template-output var2
• Foo-template-output var3

But will scale--so, if I add only one variable, I get only one line of output; if I add 20 variables, I get 20 lines of output. Is this possible? I was experimenting with this last night but got lost trying to get it right. If you can provide just a barebones, working example of this, I can go crazy with it--it really doesn't need to be super fancy; just output the same basic text string around my variables. · XP · 18:02, 25 October 2006 (UTC)