Template:Backlog/doc

This message box is used to call attention to sets of tasks that are backlogged.

By default, this template categorizes pages into Category:Wikipedia backlog. If the parameter |, the page will be categorized into Category:Administrative backlog. In either case, a different category can be specified using the |category= parameter.

Usage

This template can be used without any parameters, in which case it will always be visible until it is manually removed:

     {{backlog}}

Which renders like this:

This template automatically shows the appropriate style depending on what kind of page it is shown on. The style above is for "other" pages such as "Wikipedia:" pages, and the style shown in the examples below is for category pages.

Autoreport

Often it is more efficient to handle several cases in a backlog at a time, since then we are up to speed with what needs to be done. Thus we often don't want to know about a backlog until it has reached some size.

When this template is placed on a category page it can count the number of items in the category (pages + images + subcategories). Then it can be set to automatically only report when the number of items is above some limit. The autoreport limit can be set to whatever value you prefer. Like this:

{{backlog|10}}

If the category has 10 or more items this template will render like this:

This category has a backlog that requires the attention of willing editors.
This notice will hide itself when this category has fewer than 10 items. ()

But if the category has less than 10 items then this template will not report the page (not categorise it into Category:Wikipedia backlog), and will instead render like this:

If this category has 10 items or more, it will be reported as a backlog. ()

Note that MediaWiki only parses the code when the category page is re-rendered. That is, when someone views the page and it is more than one week since it was last re-rendered. Thus it can take a week before this template changes when the number of items have changed. (But if no one visits the page then it can take forever.) To get an immediate change you can purge the page, for instance by clicking the () button in the template.

Some categories have subcategories which shouldn't count towards this threshold. In such cases, use the number it should actually check for first, followed by the number it should say it checks for. For example, Category:Requests for peer review has 6 such subcats, so the code there is:

{{backlog|16|10}}

Silence

To prevent any output when there is no backlog, use {{backlog|silent=yes}}

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Backlog in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for Backlog

A banner to keep track of backlogs

Template parameters

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Backlog threshold	1	The number of items pending before the category/page/etc. is considered backlogged. For example, setting the threshold to 1 means the process is considered backlogged if it has any items in the queue. Suggested values 1 25 100	Number	optional
Displayed backlog threshold	2	The number displayed as the backlog threshold. Useful if a backlog category has members that should not be counted towards the backlog (e.g. subcategories or example pages). See documentation for more information. Suggested values 1 10	Number	optional
disabled	disabled	If true, disables the template. This is functionally equivalent to removing the template. Default no Example yes	Boolean	optional
silent	silent	If true, hides the template entirely when there is no backlog. This parameter is ignored if not used on a category page Default no Example yes	Boolean	optional
Administrative backlog?	admin	If true, signifies that clearing the backlog requires the use of administrators' tools. Default no Example yes	Boolean	optional
Backlog link	backloglink	The destination of the backlog wikilink. Defaults to ":Category:Administrative backlog" if |admin=yes Default :Category:Wikipedia backlog	String	optional
demospace	demospace	For use in testing. Makes the template function as if it were placed in the given namespace. Suggested values Category Wikipedia	String	optional
page	page	The type of location of the backlog. Defaults to "This category" if used in that namespace. Otherwise, defaults to "This page". Default This page	String	optional
bot	bot	The name of the bot which updates this notice, without the User: prefix. Example RMCD bot	User	optional
Automatically updated?	auto	If true, says that the notice will automatically hide itself. Note: this only affects the message on the template; it does NOT facilitate automatically removing the notice. Default no Example yes	Boolean	optional
remove	remove	If true, asks editors to remove the message entirely when the backlog is cleared. Otherwise, the template will ask editors to change the template to {{no backlog}}. Default yes Example no	Boolean	optional

See also

• {{admin backlog}} – For tagging pages that have a backlog that require the attention of administrators.
• {{editsemiprotected}} - For requesting assistance from logged in editors (if you don't have an account yourself) to edit a semi-protected page.
• {{backlog status}} – for a list of backlogged maintenance categories with article counts
• {{backlog progress bar}} to visually see the backlog