Wikipedia:Extended image syntax

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In brief, the syntax for displaying an image is:

[[Image:{name}|{type}|{location}|{size}|{upright}|{border}|{caption}]]

Only [[Image:{name}]] is required. Most images should use [[Image:{name}|thumb|Example image caption]] (and should not specify a size). The other details are optional and can be placed in any order.

Type: 'thumb' / 'thumbnail' or 'frame'. Causes image to be displayed with specific formatting (see below).
Location: 'right', 'left', 'center' or 'none'. Determines placement of the image on the page. Defaults to 'right'.
Size: {width}px or {width}x{height}px, scales the image to be no greater than the given width and height, keeping its aspect ratio.
Upright: for use only on images that are taller than they are wide. This scales the image differently, considering both width and height instead of only width.
Border: adds a border around the image
Caption: Any element which cannot be identified as one of the above is assumed to be caption text.

Note that it doesn't matter whether the file is from Wikimedia Commons or on Wikipedia – the same syntax is used.

1 Syntax to use an image in uploaded size, with a caption
2 Syntax for images with no automatic caption or formatting
- 2.1 Example
3 New syntax for images
4 Thumbnail with caption text underneath that has one or more links
5 Additional caption formatting options
6 Compatibility considerations
7 Cancelling floating-around-image mode
8 Linking to the image description page
9 Image galleries
10 See also

[edit] Syntax to use an image in uploaded size, with a caption

To use an image as uploaded with a caption use [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|frame|none|caption text]]. This is the syntax you should use to update images that used the original image markup of the form [[Image:Westminsterpalace.jpg|caption]]

caption text

[edit] Syntax for images with no automatic caption or formatting

The old syntax for images without captions is [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|alt text]]. This is rendered inline, and the specified text is used as the image's alt attribute (alternate text for programs which cannot display images, such as screen readers) and as the title attribute (supplementary text, often displayed as a tool tip when the mouse is over the image).

See Wikipedia:Image markup with HTML for an old, deprecated, way of putting a caption under the image using HTML code. Please use the new way of associating captions with images, as described on this page.

See Wikipedia:Captions for discussion of appropriate caption text. See Wikipedia:Alternative text for images for discussion of appropriate alt text. Unfortunately, it is not possible to specify different text for these two purposes.

[edit] Example

[edit] New syntax for images

The Palace of Westminster

The new syntax is backward compatible, so articles don't have to be changed.

In the syntax [[Image:filename|options]] (e.g. [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|thumb|100px|left|The Palace of Westminster]] shown in the left), several options can be set when including an image. Those affect the placing of the image, its size or the way the image will be presented. The options are right, left, center, none, sizepx, thumbnail (thumb), frame, and alternate (caption) text.

From the Thames

The options can be combined, and vertical bars ("|") are used to separate options from each other.
Do not put spaces around the vertical bars for readability – options will not be interpreted correctly.
The options can be put in any order.
An unknown option is taken as the caption text, but this will appear only if thumbnail or frame are specified.
If there are two or more unknown options, the last one upstages the rest: [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|thumb|The Palace of Westminster|200px|right|From the Thames]] (shown on the right).

Here is the description of the options other than the caption text:

right: The image is right-aligned, and text floats to the left of the image: [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|right|70px|]] (shown on the right).
left: The image is left aligned, and text floats to the right of the image: [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|left|70px|]] (shown on the left).
center: The image is centered, and...

the text following the image starts below it: [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|center|70px|]] (shown above).
none: The image is put at the left, and...
the text following does not float to the right (or to the left, obviously), and starts below it: [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|none|70px|]] (shown above).

Notes:

What is between the last vertical bar and the closing brackets ("]]"), void or not, is taken as the last option, and works as usual. For instance, when the last option is right, the image is right-aligned, and text floats to the left: [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|70px|right]] (shown on the right).

This text is displayed.

sizepx: This option renders a version of the image that's [size] pixels wide (e.g. [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|right|50px|]] shown on the right). Height is computed to keep aspect ratio (i.e. the shape of the image)

Notes:

Specifying a size does not just change the apparent image size using HTML; it actually generates a resized version of the image on the fly and links to it appropriately. This happens whether or not you use size in conjunction with thumb.

This means the server does all the work of changing the image size, not the web browser of the user. By having the server do all the work means faster downloading of pages. It also means that larger images can be stored on the server without any slowdown by the browser (especially on dial up telephone lines.) Only the data for the actual size on the page is transmitted.

From MediaWiki 1.5 the default thumbnail width can be set in the preferences, so it is recommended not to specify "px", in order to respect the users' preferences (unless, for a special reason, a specific size is required regardless of preferences, or a size is specified outside the range of widths 120–300px that can be set in the preferences).

If you specify a "frame" option the image will not be scaled, and no size specifiers will be in the HTML. The image will be rendered at full size

When there are two or more "size" options, only the last one is valid: [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|right|50px|80px]] (shown on the right).

thumbnail, thumb: The Palace of Westminster

The thumbnail (thumb) option generates a thumbnail image. It is automatically resized when the "size" attribute is not specified. Without the options left, center, and none, the image is normally on the right. If the image has a caption text, it is displayed in the lower margin. E.g. [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|thumbnail|left|100px|]] (shown on the left) and [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|thumb|The Palace of Westminster]] (shown on the right). Note: thumbnail (thumb) cannot be used in lists.

This is a globe, and take a look at it in the actual size.

An "enlarge"-icon is put also in the lower margin of the thumbnail. Both the image itself and the icon link to the image description page with the image in its actual size. The icon shows the link title "Enlarge" in its hoverbox, even in cases where this term does not apply, because it leads from the enlarged image to the one with the actual size. E.g. [[Image:tst.png|right|thumb|100px|This is a globe, and take a look at it in [[Media:tst.png|the actual size]].]] (shown on the right).

frame: The Palace of Westminster

With this option, the embedded image is shown with its actual size enclosed by a frame, regardless of the "thumb" or "size" attribute, and the caption, if any, is visible in the frame. Without the options left, center, and none, the image is normally on the right: [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|frame|thumbnail|50px|The Palace of Westminster]].

With none of the options other than sizepx and alternate (caption) text, an embedded image is rendered inline.

text text text text text text
[[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|150px|The Palace of Westminster]]
text text text text text
[[Image:tst.png|100px|This is a globe.]]
text text text text

gives

text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text

The option none can be used to have thumbnails without left- or right-alignment. This is probably most useful for tables. This is an example:

How to use `none`
London's palaces
Palace of Westminster	From the Thames	`[[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg\|thumb\|none\|100px\|From the Thames]]`
Buckingham Palace	Queen's home	`[[Image:Buckingham palace Copyright2003KaihsuTai.jpg\|thumb\|none\|100px\|Queen's home]]`

[edit] Thumbnail with caption text underneath that has one or more links

From MediaWiki 1.3, it is also possible to include links in the caption text, e.g.:

[[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|right|thumbnail|This is the [[Palace of Westminster]] in London]]

This is the Palace of Westminster in London

Just make sure the number of opening and closing square brackets are right. One extra or missing would mean the entire image syntax line would not work.

[edit] Additional caption formatting options

Additional caption formatting options are possible.

[[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|right|thumbnail|<div align="center">This is <span style="color: green">the </span><br /> [[Palace of Westminster]]<br /> '''in <span style="color: red">London</span>'''</div>]]

This is the
Palace of Westminster
in London

All of the normal text formatting options work.

[edit] Compatibility considerations

The floating options left, center, and right explained above are supported by modern browsers, but have unfortunately no effect with legacy browsers. If necessary it's simple to get a floating effect also for old browsers:

{| align="right"
| [[Image:Westminstpalace.jpg|160px|Example]]
|}

This code is not intended for general use, however. There are few, if any, instances where support for such legacy browsers is necessary.

[edit] Cancelling floating-around-image mode

After having had an image floating next to text, putting further text below it and again using the full width can be done with the following markup. This blocks an image from appearing next to the material following this markup, possibly due to aesthetic reasons or a change in topics.

<br style="clear:both" />

For legacy align="right" (etc.) floating this isn't good enough; legacy browsers would ignore inline CSS. To cancel floating under all conditions the following markup (valid XHTML 1.0 transitional) works:

<br clear="all" />

The same code can be issued by using template {{Clr}} or {{-}} in certain namespaces (En, meta).

[edit] Linking to the image description page

If you want to make a link to the description page for an image, use a leading colon before "image:" in an intra-wiki link, like this: [[:image:STS-32 crew.jpg|STS-32 crew]] which yields: STS-32 crew

[edit] Image galleries

See Help:Images and other uploaded files

Source code

<gallery Caption="example">
Image:Example.png
Image:Example.png|New syntax allows for
Image:Example.png|easy production of
Image:Example.png|image galleries.
Image:Example.png
Image:Example.png
</gallery>