Help:Contents
General
To edit a MediaWiki page, click on the "Edit this page" (or just "edit") link at one of its edges. This will bring you to the edit page: a page with a text box containing the editable text. Depending on the preferences that have been set, a version of the edit page called preview page appears: in this case the rendered page is also shown; if not you get it by pressing "Show preview", see below. . Help After adding to or changing the wikitext it is useful to press "Show preview", which produces the corresponding webpage in your browser but does not make it publicly available yet (not until you press "Save page"). Errors in formatting, links, tables, etc., are often much easier to discover from the rendered page than from the raw wikitext.
Composition of the edit page
- Edit Toolbar (optional)
- Edit Box
- Edit Summary box
- Save/Preview/Cancel links
- list of templates used
- preview (optionally either on every edit page or just after pressing "Show preview"; optionally the first item)
Minor edits
When editing a page, a user has the option of flagging the edit as a "minor edit". This feature is important, because users can choose to hide minor edits in their view of the Recent Changes page to keep the volume of edits down to a manageable level.
When to use this is somewhat a matter of personal preference. The rule of thumb is that an edit of a page that consists of spelling corrections, formatting, and minor rearranging of text should be flagged as a "minor edit". A major edit is basically something that makes the entry worth revisiting for somebody who wants to watch the article rather closely. So any "real" change, even if it is a single word, should be flagged as a "major edit".
Basic text formatting
What it looks like | What you type |
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You can italicize text by putting 2 apostrophes on each side. 3 apostrophes will bold the text. 5 apostrophes will bold and italicize the text. (Using 4 apostrophes doesn't do anything special -- |
You can ''italicize text'' by putting 2 apostrophes on each side. 3 apostrophes will bold '''the text'''. 5 apostrophes will bold and italicize '''''the text'''''. (Using 4 apostrophes doesn't do anything special -- <br> there are just '''' left over ones'''' that are included as part of the text.) |
A single newline generally has no effect on the layout. These can be used to separate sentences within a paragraph. Some editors find that this aids editing and improves the diff function (used internally to compare different versions of a page). But an empty line starts a new paragraph. When used in a list, a newline does affect the layout (see below). |
A single newline generally has no effect on the layout. These can be used to separate sentences within a paragraph. Some editors find that this aids editing and improves the ''diff'' function (used internally to compare different versions of a page). But an empty line starts a new paragraph. When used in a list, a newline ''does'' affect the layout ([[#lists|see below]]). |
You can break lines Please do not start a link or italics or bold on one line and close it on the next. |
You can break lines<br> without a new paragraph.<br> Please use this sparingly. Please do not start a [[link]] or ''italics'' or '''bold''' on one line and close it on the next. |
You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: |
You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: <br> - Three tildes gives your signature: ~~~ <br> - Four tildes give your signature plus date/time: ~~~~ <br> - Five tildes gives the date/time alone: ~~~~~ <br> |
See also Help:Editing
HTML tags
You can use some HTML tags too. For a list of HTML tags that are allowed, see HTML in wikitext. However, you should avoid HTML in favor of Wiki markup whenever possible.
What it looks like | What you type |
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Put text in a typewriter
font. The same font is
generally used for |
Put text in a <tt>typewriter font</tt>. The same font is generally used for <code> computer code</code>. |
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<strike>Strike out</strike> or <u>underline</u> text, or write it <span style= "font-variant:small-caps"> in small caps</span>. |
Superscripts and subscripts: X2, H2O |
Superscripts and subscripts: X<sup>2</sup>, H<sub>2</sub>O |
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<center>Centered text</center> |
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<blockquote> The '''blockquote''' command will indent both margins when needed instead of the left margin only as the colon does. </blockquote> |
Invisible comments to editors (<!-- -->) only appear while editing the page.
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Invisible comments to editors (<!-- -->) only appear while editing the page. <!-- Note to editors: blah blah blah. --> |
Organizing your writing
What it looks like | What you type |
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Section headings
Headings organize your writing into sections. The Wiki software can automatically generate a table of contents from them. Subsection
Using more equals signs creates a subsection. A smaller subsection
Don't skip levels, like from two to four equals signs. Start with 2 equals signs not 1 because 1 creates H1 tags which should be reserved for page title. |
== Section headings == ''Headings'' organize your writing into sections. The Wiki software can automatically generate a table of contents from them. === Subsection === Using more equals signs creates a subsection. ==== A smaller subsection ==== Don't skip levels, like from two to four equals signs. Start with 2 equals signs not 1 because 1 creates H1 tags which should be reserved for page title. |
marks the end of the list.
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* ''Unordered lists'' are easy to do: ** Start every line with a star. *** More stars indicate a deeper level. *: Previous item continues. ** A newline * in a list marks the end of the list. * Of course you can start again. |
A newline marks the end of the list.
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# ''Numbered lists'' are: ## Very organized ## Easy to follow A newline marks the end of the list. # New numbering starts with 1. |
Here's a definition list:
Begin with a semicolon. One item per line; a newline can appear before the colon, but using a space before the colon improves parsing. |
Here's a ''definition list'': ; Word : Definition of the word ; A longer phrase needing definition : Phrase defined ; A word : Which has a definition : Also a second one : And even a third Begin with a semicolon. One item per line; a newline can appear before the colon, but using a space before the colon improves parsing. |
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* You can even do mixed lists *# and nest them *# inside each other *#* or break lines<br>in lists. *#; definition lists *#: can be *#:; nested : too |
A newline starts a new paragraph.
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: A colon (:) indents a line or paragraph. A newline starts a new paragraph. <br> Often used for discussion on talk pages. : We use 1 colon to indent once. :: We use 2 colons to indent twice. ::: 3 colons to indent 3 times, and so on. |
You can make horizontal dividing lines (----) to separate text. But you should usually use sections instead, so that they go in the table of contents. |
You can make horizontal dividing lines (----) to separate text. ---- But you should usually use sections instead, so that they go in the table of contents. |
You can add footnotes to sentences using the ref tag -- this is especially good for citing a source.
References: <references/> For details, see Wikipedia:Footnotes and Help:Footnotes. |
You can add footnotes to sentences using the ''ref'' tag -- this is especially good for citing a source. :There are over six billion people in the world.<ref>CIA World Factbook, 2006.</ref> References: <references/> For details, see [[Wikipedia:Footnotes]] and [[Help:Footnotes]]. |
Links
You will often want to make clickable links to other pages.
What it looks like | What you type |
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Here's a link to a page named Official position. You can even say Official positions and the link will show up correctly. |
Here's a link to a page named [[Official position]]. You can even say [[Official position]]s and the link will show up correctly. |
You can put formatting around a link. Example: Wikipedia. |
You can put formatting around a link. Example: ''[[Wikipedia]]''. |
The first letter of articles is automatically capitalized, so wikipedia goes to the same place as Wikipedia. Capitalization matters after the first letter. |
The ''first letter'' of articles is automatically capitalized, so [[wikipedia]] goes to the same place as [[Wikipedia]]. Capitalization matters after the first letter. |
The weather in Moscow is a page that doesn't exist yet. You could create it by clicking on the link. |
[[The weather in Moscow]] is a page that doesn't exist yet. You could create it by clicking on the link. |
You can link to a page section by its title: If multiple sections have the same title, add a number. #Example section 3 goes to the third section named "Example section". |
You can link to a page section by its title: *[[List of cities by country#Morocco]]. If multiple sections have the same title, add a number. [[#Example section 3]] goes to the third section named "Example section". |
You can make a link point to a different place with a piped link. Put the link target first, then the pipe character "|", then the link text. Or you can use the "pipe trick" so that text in parentheses or text after a comma does not appear. |
*[[Help:Link|About Links]] *[[List of cities by country#Morocco| Cities in Morocco]] *[[Spinning (textiles)|]] *[[Boston, Massachusetts|]] |
You can make an external link just by typing a URL: http://www.nupedia.com You can give it a title: Nupedia Or leave the title blank: [1] |
You can make an external link just by typing a URL: http://www.nupedia.com You can give it a title: [http://www.nupedia.com Nupedia] Or leave the title blank: [http://www.nupedia.com] |
Linking to an e-mail address works the same way: mailto:someone@domain.com or someone |
Linking to an e-mail address works the same way: mailto:someone@domain.com or [mailto:someone@domain.com someone] |
You can redirect the user to another page. |
#REDIRECT [[Official position]] |
Category links do not show up in line but instead at page bottom and cause the page to be listed in the category. [[Category:English documentation]] Add an extra colon to link to a category in line without causing the page to be listed in the category: [[:Category:English documentation]] |
[[Help:Category|Category links]] do not show up in line but instead at page bottom ''and cause the page to be listed in the category.'' [[Category:English documentation]] Add an extra colon to ''link'' to a category in line without causing the page to be listed in the category: [[:Category:English documentation]] |
The Wiki reformats linked dates to match the reader's date preferences. These three dates will show up the same if you choose a format in your Preferences: |
The Wiki reformats linked dates to match the reader's date preferences. These three dates will show up the same if you choose a format in your [[Special:Preferences|]]: * [[July 20]], [[1969]] * [[20 July]] [[1969]] * [[1969]]-[[07-20]] |
Just show what I typed
- See also Text formatting examples.
A few different kinds of formatting will tell the Wiki to display things as you typed them.
What it looks like | What you type |
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The nowiki tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It reformats text by removing newlines and multiple spaces. It still interprets special characters: → |
<nowiki> The nowiki tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It reformats text by removing newlines and multiple spaces. It still interprets special characters: → </nowiki> |
The pre tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It also doesn't reformat text. It still interprets special characters: → |
<pre> The pre tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It also doesn't reformat text. It still interprets special characters: → </pre> |
Leading spaces are another way to preserve formatting. Putting a space at the beginning of each line stops the text from being reformatted. It still interprets Wiki markup and special characters: → |
Leading spaces are another way to preserve formatting. Putting a space at the beginning of each line stops the text from being reformatted. It still interprets [[Wiki]] ''markup'' and special characters: → |
Images, tables, video, and sounds
After uploading, just enter the filename, highlight it and press the "embedded image"-button of the edit_toolbar.
This will produce the syntax for uploading a file [[Image:filename.png]]
This is a very quick introduction. For more information, see:
- Help:Images and other uploaded files for how to upload files
- w:en:Wikipedia:Extended image syntax for how to arrange images on the page
- Help:Table for how to create a table
What it looks like | What you type | ||||
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A picture, including alternate text: You can put the image in a frame with a caption: |
A picture, including alternate text: [[Image:Wiki.png|This Wiki's logo]] The image in a frame with a caption: [[Image:Wiki.png|frame|This Wiki's logo]] | ||||
A link to Wikipedia's page for the image: Image:Wiki.png Or a link directly to the image itself: Media:Wiki.png |
A link to Wikipedia's page for the image: [[:Image:Wiki.png]] Or a link directly to the image itself: [[Media:Wiki.png]] | ||||
Use media: links to link directly to sounds or videos: A sound file |
Use '''media:''' links to link directly to sounds or videos: [[media:Sg_mrob.ogg|A sound file]] | ||||
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{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" align="center" ! This ! is |- | a | table |- |} |
Mathematical formulas
The site has MathML support through ASCIIMathML, a javascript based system that translates "ASCII" notation (the one often used in newsgroups and emails) placed in \` delimiters to MathML. La-TeX-style formulas also work. So registered users can use this notation in any page of the site for rendering mathematical formulas.
For Detailed Syntax see Help:Formula.
What it looks like | What you type |
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`x_(1,2)=(-b+-sqrt(b^2-4ac))/(2a)` |
`x_(1,2)=(-b+-sqrt(b^2-4ac))/(2a)` |