Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2009 August 7

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August 7

Beta?

I can't find any information on the Beta accessibility release on WP itself. There's lots of external links, but there's nothing linking to an internal resource. Can anyone provide me with a link?PerfectProposal 01:27, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Interestingly, there should be information on the usability wiki, but I haven't been able to find anything either, other than the fact that the "beta" isn't really much of a beta as the real usability-initiative-beta-wiki is on a whole different wiki. Calvin 1998 ^(t·c) 02:02, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Other than this page on the usability wiki, which doesn't say much at all. Calvin 1998 ^(t·c) 02:05, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

I like the Beta version but the gadgets don't work • S • C • A • R • C • E • 02:28, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

There's a perfectly good link to leave feedback on the beta, you know. Algebraist 02:30, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

I left feedback after ending my session • S • C • A • R • C • E • 04:00, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Question: After selecting Beta, the text on my screen is extremely small, borderline with useless. How can I enlarge the font size to a reasonable size? Thanks, BatteryIncluded (talk) 01:32, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

Alternate accounts

If an alternate account is created how it legitimized and not considered a sock? • S • C • A • R • C • E • 03:57, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

The difference between an alternate account and a sock is that 1) An alternate account is declared as one, and 2) is not used for nefarious purposes. There's no special legitimization process. Calvin 1998 ^(t·c) 04:01, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

See also Wikipedia:Sock puppetry#Alternative accounts. It's not required to publish the connection between the accounts. PrimeHunter (talk) 04:05, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Can you create another account while logged in, if so, how? • S • C • A • R • C • E • 04:11, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Ask and ye shall find. Calvin 1998 ^(t·c) 04:16, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Thank you • S • C • A • R • C • E • 04:21, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

mediawiki markup?

If you wanted to include a short bit of code in an article, say in whitespace preserved, monospace with a horizontal scrollbar, and with a show/hide button (default hidden), what would the mediawiki markup for this be? Thanks in advance, 173.79.73.189 (talk) 04:41, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Try

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
!Code
|-
| <syntaxhighlight lang="text">
code here (specify language in "lang" attribute)
</syntaxhighlight>
|}

which gives

Code
code here (specify language in "lang" attribute)

Calvin 1998 ^(t·c) 05:55, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

I just need help regarding adding the references tag to my article

I've just about fixed up my article except for this one, red warning:

Cite error: "There are ref tags on this page, but the references will not show without a references tag"

I need help knowing where to put this 'reference tag' so the above Cite error disappears. Can someone give me a detailed explanation of where it goes? I can't seem to figure it out. Thanks. Timemachine1967 (talk) 09:42, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

To add an inline citation, you have to use this format: <ref>source here</ref> and add {{References}} under a section named "References". Of course, it would be best if you could follow an accepted standard. Easiest way is to use citation templates like Template:Cite web, Template:Cite news. See WP:CITE for more info. Hope this helps. ≈ Chamal ^talk 09:37, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

I got it. Thanks. Timemachine1967 (talk) 05:39, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

Infobox

How can you make an infobox? I am trying to, but it doesn't turn up, so I use tables. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Cam486 (talk • contribs) 09:20, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Hi Cam486 - What is the subject of the infobox you want to make? If it is for a tv channel, as you seem to be doing at TV3 plus1, I would suggest you use {{Infobox TV channel}}. Copy and paste the template from the "Usage" section of that page to the article you want to add it to, and fill in the information. You can delete any lines you don't need, but you won't be able to add new lines of other names. I would suggest starting the article in your sandbox, such as User:Cam486/TV3 plus 1 to give you breathing room to work on it before moving it to the main article section.

If you're looking for a different infobox, or you want to create a new kind of infobox, you can give us some more information here, and I'm sure someone will be able to help you. Thanks! --Kateshortforbob 09:30, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Just need someone to look at my article and tell me where to put the 'references tag', or what else I should do. Thank you.

I just need help regarding adding the references tag to my article.

I've just about fixed up my article except for this one, red warning:

Cite error: "There are ref tags on this page, but the references will not show without a references tag"

I need help knowing where to put this 'reference tag' so the above Cite error disappears. Can someone give me a detailed explanation of where it goes? I can't seem to figure it out. Thanks. Timemachine1967 (talk) 09:42, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

To add an inline citation, you have to use this format: <ref>source here</ref> and add {{References}} under a section named "References". Of course, it would be best if you could follow an accepted standard. Easiest way is to use citation templates like Template:Cite web, Template:Cite news. See WP:CITE for more info. Hope this helps. ≈ Chamal ^talk 09:37, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

With all do respect, this is still confusing for me. It asks me to add a reference tag and I'm good to go, but no matter where I add it, I still get the red warning. If you go to my article, can you tell me where and what to put on it so it'll be perfect? Much appreciated. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Jennings Timemachine1967 (talk) 09:49, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

I fixed it for you. :) Theleftorium 09:57, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Thanks. It's looks good. But the 3rd link under References "Rogue Cinema" takes me to an uncompleted webpage that doesn't finish downloading. Check for yourself. I went to the same Rogue Cinema webpage outside of Wikipedia and it downloaded just fine. Can you look into that and fix the link so Rogue Cinema downloads all the way. Thanks. Timemachine1967 (talk) 10:21, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Hi Timemachine1967 - I fiddled around a little with that link, and it appears to be working okay for me now. Would you mind checking to see if the problem has been fixed? It definitely did seem to be doing something a bit funny for a while. --Kateshortforbob 11:45, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

I put the clean up templates and prod back in that Timemachine removed. Was that correct? The Rogue Cinema also works for me now. Cptnono (talk) 12:00, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Putting back clean up templates is all right if the issues are still there. However, you do not re-add a removed prod. Removal of a prod tag means the deletion is contested, so the next step is WP:AFD if you still think the article should be deleted. See WP:PROD. If you don't want to nominate the article at WP:AFD, contact Cameron Scott (talk · contribs) who originally placed the prod tag and ask for his opinion. ≈ Chamal ^talk 12:09, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

I have removed the {{prod}} tag accordingly. ≈ Chamal ^talk 12:12, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

(oops, an edit conflict) Awww... I thought I got to it first. Sorry about that. I am not too familiar with the prod template and thought it might still be needed. I'll shoot a quick message over to the other editor to see if it meets the requested requirements. It looks like the clean up templates are still valid for now.Cptnono (talk) 12:15, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

All issues have been solved. Thanks. Timemachine1967 (talk) 05:38, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

Lists and images

Resolved

 – Cptnono (talk) 22:43, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

I can't seem to find it in the image MOS. If a list is used instead of prose, Is it OK (or better than OK) to have a list on the left with an image on the right in a section?Cptnono (talk) 12:45, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Yes. The focus is on the content, the image enhances the content. You can use templates like {{mem}} to do this. ---— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk 13:04, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

This is commonly seen in featured lists, and is one of the easiest and best ways to add images to a list type article. See, for example, List of United States Military Academy alumni (astronauts), which also uses the mem template. ≈ Chamal ^talk 13:15, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Thanks! I have run across a few articles where most of the content is in paragraphs but a subsection will be a bulleted list. Assuming the list is necessary, would the same apply?

As long as the images are relevant to that section and not excessive (otherwise they would lengthen the section and create a lot of empty space), that would be all right I think. ≈ Chamal ^talk 13:38, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

File in English link for other languages

If I have a subject in English, and I want someone in another language to read it in their language, if I send them the link, how do they convert? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Winderer (talk • contribs) 13:46, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

If it's a Wikipedia article, there is a box on the left-hand side of the page that says "in other languages". Click on the language and send the resulting article to the other person. For a normal (non-Wikipedia) web page, plug-in the address to something like Google Translate and send off the resulting page. Xenon54 (talk) 13:56, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

However, note that articles in other languages do not always have all of the same content. hmwitht 14:56, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Random using #expr:

Resolved

 –  – ukexpat (talk) 15:16, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Using the parser {{#expr:}}, is there anyway to output a random result? Thanks in advance. Erwin Springer [talk] 14:53, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

{{Rand}} illustrates one method. Algebraist 14:56, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Thanks, that will work. Erwin Springer [talk] 15:01, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Automating a list

I want to create a wikipedia list, from content that is constantly being updated on a website elsewhere (~weekly). I also have access to the database that content is based on. Is there a way of automating the process, so it does not need to be manually entered every time? There is also a few hundred entries already there, which would be great if it didn't need to be entered by hand. Would both of these tasks be ideal for a bot? Please point me in the right direction. Thanks. Sahmejil (talk) 15:23, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

They sound very much like the sort of thing bots are used for. Check out our bot policy and the guide to creating bots to find out how to get started. It may be possible, alternatively, to copy over the existing content without a bot, depending how adept you are with wikimarkup. What's the website? Gonzonoir (talk) 15:44, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for the reply. Its a list of past and present players that represented South Africa in rugby union. Info from here: [1] to be incorporated to here. (specific headings still not final) There's a whole bunch of info that is never going to change, but there's also info that changes almost weekly (new games played, points scored etc). Would be great if the list could update itself. Suggestions? Sahmejil (talk) 16:58, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Remember that if that website is not a reliable source by our standards, such updating would not be permissible, as the unpdates would not be deemed verifiable. --Orange Mike | Talk 17:35, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Beta?

Theres a new option of beta on the top scroll list. What is it really for?., is it any different from the regular browser, and does it have a spell check as it seemilngly looks like it does? thanks a bunch, any pointers to what it is would be great Ottawa4ever (talk) 15:25, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

See WP:VECTOR. hmwitht 15:31, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

For information about the usability initiative and future releases, see http://usability.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page. hmwitht 15:32, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Sub page

I am a relatively new user and have created a Sub Page with information on Cambridge House, a multi-purpose voluntary organisation, with the intention of linking it to a page on the settlement movement. How do I get it onto the site? If I do this will it be deleted, as I am a new user?

Also,there is already an entry for Cambridge House (difference building). Do I need to distinguish between the two? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Nkannas (talk • contribs) 16:13, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Firstly, I am going to move (rename) your user page article to Cambridge House (organisation). Then I'm going to have a quick look at it, and get back with my thoughts... be back soon! -- PhantomSteve (Contact Me, My Contribs) 16:22, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Ok, the article is at User:Nkannas/Cambridge House (organisation), along with a "for the mansion in London see.." link at the top of the page. As a stub for an article, it looks good - but I've only had a very quick look at it - could someone else have a look at it and comment? I've got to go out, so don't have time now. If no one's done anything about it when I next go online (not sure when that will be - the kids can be a handful!) I'll look at it again! -- PhantomSteve (Contact Me, My Contribs) 16:29, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

It needs more references to support notability. – ukexpat (talk) 17:41, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

editing articles

Hi, I was looking to edit some of the articles about various Transformers, by adding pictures of the figures as well as giving more descriptions to them, but the articles said they are semi-protected. When I looked up to see what that meant, it said my user name wasn't verified, or something of that nature.. how do I get my user name verified? Thank you <blanked> —Preceding unsigned comment added by Smokescreen 5 (talk • contribs) 18:35, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

It means that your account has not been autoconfirmed (active for four days and made at least ten edits). Once you reach those thresholds, you'll be able to edit semi protected articles. TNXMan 18:46, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Edit some unprotected articles and wait for a few days. A 4 days old account with at least 10 edits automatically gets the autoconfirmed permission.

I recall there was some discussion about "confirmed" userright to be made grantable by administrators, not sure if it was ever implemented. --59.95.115.115 (talk) 18:48, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

I see that you are planning to add pictures. Please be aware that Wikipedia has strict rules about the use of images. You can read more here: WP:FILE--SPhilbrickT 19:15, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

3rd link under references is wrong URL and has to be changed, Reflist needes to be unlocked for future updates

Under the newly created 'Jay Jennings' article, the 3rd link under references is the wrong URL and has to be changed. I clicked on edit and noticed that the reflist has been locked. In case of further additions that I may need to add to this list down the road, and as the original editor who started this article, I find this to be unfair and pompous by the Wikipedia community to 'lock out' the original editor who started the article in the first place. Can someone please remove this lock? Once again, I need to change the 3rd URL under References to: http://www.roguecinema.com/article329.html. The name of the link (Jay Jennings Talks About His Films) is OK, but the link itself must be changed. Thank you. Timemachine1967 (talk) 18:47, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Hi Timemachine1967, the refeences section isn't locked, but to change a reference you need to edit the part of the article where the reference is used, rather than the references section. I have made the change you suggested, and if you click on this link [2], you'll get a screen displaying exactly what I did to make the change. Hope this helps. DuncanHill (talk) 18:51, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

To understand the footnotes system, please read Wikipedia:Footnotes. ---— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk 18:53, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Thanks. Timemachine1967 (talk) 05:35, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

Translate the new Vector stylesheet

I'm an admin on the Icelandic wikipedia, currently trying out the Beta version (Vector template). However when I switch to it many of the "buttons" switch into English (for example all the tabs above). As this will become the default in not too distant future I need to translate the template for ALL users for Icelandic (not my personal vector.css). It's been years since I translated any sitewide template stuff and after digging through Meta and EN I've not seen any mention of where this can be done. Any tips? --Stalfur (talk) 19:24, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

how to create line drawings

How can I create simple line drawings for a wiki article, such as File:Baops.gif? Jfishburn (talk) 19:39, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

That image was probably done with a diagramming software; there are many vector editors that include symbols. I use SmartDraw. You can do simple charts with {{chart}}, but not like the image in question. ---— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk 20:34, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

How do you create a wiki page?

I would like to create a wiki page for my favorite online radio show and station? How do i do it? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.212.173.4 (talk) 20:14, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

You will need to first register an account, which has many benefits, including the ability to create articles. Once you have registered, please search Wikipedia first to make sure that an article does not already exist on the subject. Please also review a few of our relevant policies and guidelines which all articles should comport with. As Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, articles must not contain original research, must be written from a neutral point of view, should cite to reliable sources which verify their content and must not contain unsourced, negative content about living people.

Articles must also demonstrate the notability of the subject. Please see our subject specific guidelines for people, bands and musicians, companies and organizations and web content and note that if you are closely associated with the subject, our conflict of interest guideline strongly recommends against you creating the article.

If you still think an article is appropriate, see Help:Starting a new page. You might also look at Wikipedia:Your first article and Wikipedia:How to write a great article for guidance, and please consider taking a tour through the Wikipedia:Tutorial so that you know how to properly format the article before creation. – ukexpat (talk) 20:26, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Writing an article for Wikipedia is harder than many people realize. Over 99% of all articles submitted by someone with no other editing experience in Wikipedia are deleted. Even professional writers find that the format and style needed for a good encyclopedia article are different than what might be appropriate for other venues.

If your only goal is to make sure that an article is added to Wikipedia, you are urged to visit WP:RA where you can request that someone write an article on the subject.

If you are interested in becoming an editor at Wikipedia, our experience demonstrates that it is better to start by improving existing articles, which will help you get a sense of how this place works, and then writing your first article from scratch. A good place to visit is WP:BL, where there are literally hundreds of thousands of articles needing help from editors. Find an article in a subject area you know, and add a source, or a reference, or simply help write it better.

If you do decide to write an article immediately, please read WP:COI, to help make sure you don't have a Conflict of Interest, then read WP:FIRST, which will repeat some of the good advice above, then tell you how to start writing your first article. Make sure you start it in a User Subpage. You can edit to your heart's content in a sandbox, and no one will interfere, but as soon as it is in the main Wikipedia space, anyone can edit it, and anyone can propose it for deletion.--SPhilbrickT 20:52, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Infobox for Russian submarine K-496 Borisoglebsk

I need someone to help me figure out why this is all skrewed up thanks --Tim1357 (talk) 21:38, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Partially fixed. You entered [[Russia}} which messed thing up.--SPhilbrickT 21:48, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Adding a quote box for a written letter for the Kurt Wintgens Wikipedia article

Dear Fellow Wikipedians:

The PIPE Here...in addition to my existing question at the Heinkel He 277 discussion page, asking about bringing into Wikipedia, a scanned copy (with ONLY the original Heinkel factory-created content in it) of an original Heinkel factory "typenblatt" general arrangement drawing of the He 277 from my main reference book, authored by Manfred Griehl and Joachim Dressel, on the entire He 177 family of Heinkel-built WW II heavy bomber aircraft, I've been wanting to add to the page on Kurt Wintgens, the very first fighter pilot in aviation history to have ever downed an opposing aircraft with a synchronized machine gun, the text of a letter written by Leutnant Wintgens himself to a friend named "Karl", describing that pioneering aerial engagement in his own words, on the day (July 2 1915) following the engagement. The text of the letter is sourced from the very last issue of the "Cross & Cockade USA" WW I aviation enthusiast quarterly journal, published one summer in the mid-1980s.

After I had a software-induced hard disk crash just before Halloween of 2008, which I've only recovered from within the last month's worth of time, I thought I had lost the text of the letter...thankfully, the removal of the troublesome GoBack recovery software from my hard disks allowed me to regain access to the transcription of the Wintgens "victory letter", and I'd really like to get that letter's text placed in a quote box, complete with the usual "justification" (left just/center just/right just/etc.) that would give it the "general" look of the letter's text as depicted in the C&C USA English translation (the original letter that Leutnant Wintgens wrote on July 2 1915 describing the combat's events was, of course, entirely in German).

I have NOT yet found, anywhere in Wikipedia's help pages, anything that could help me format a quote box to have left/center/right "justification" of text in any manner...is such text "locational justification" possible in a quote box, and IF it is, just how do I go about doing it???

Hope to get an answer soon for this challenge in adding to the documentation on the very first aerial victory with a synchronized MG...

The PIPE (talk) 22:17, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

It's possible by using various wikicode methods - this is an example of a very very very primitive way to do it:

Some guy
Some street
Somewhere

Date

Guy I'm sending the letter to
Where he is

To Mr Man,

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Yours sincerely
My name

– Someguy, Letter to someone

I would suggest you look at other means of doing this tho, including uploading the source and translated text to WikiSource and then quoting small bits if necessary, I don't know what kind of impact putting hacky code like this into an article would have. Nanonic (talk) 23:42, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

You can use {{quote box2}} for the main part. I doubt you need the sender and recipient.

Nanonic— break tags are properly <br />. HTML Tidy will fix it, but we should do it properly if the text is reused on a wiki that does not use HTML Tidy.

---— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk 00:11, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

infobox footnote problem

Resolved

 – problem at my end. Never mind. --Jayron32 23:18, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

See First Coalition. The footnotes in the infobox are numbered, but should be lettered. It looks like the html coding is supposed to be autolettering the list, but it is not working. Could someone look at this and see what is wrong. --Jayron32 23:01, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

They are lettered for me in both Firefox 3.0 and IE8. Which browser are you using? PrimeHunter (talk) 23:12, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Not sure. This is not my usual computer. It must be a problem at my end. Never mind. Carry on. --Jayron32 23:18, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

I see it— never saw this done here before. Whoever did this is using a HTML list. The inline cite is inserted using <sup>[f]</sup>. The reference list is styled as an ordered list with <ol style="list-style-type:lower-latin"> which makes the <li>...</li> use letter instead of numbers. You could update it to use <ref>...</ref> with the group parameter. ---— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk 00:04, 8 August 2009 (UTC)