User talk:Giftiger wunsch/Questions Archive

Requesting block for vandalism[edit]

{{helpme}} To anyone out there, I wanted to know how to suggest that an administrator block an IP address for vandalism. I looked at WP:BLOCK but only found instructions to administrators applying the blocks. I noticed recently that following a user being banned for vandalising PEZ, an IP address has continued the vandalism, and looking at that IP's recent edits, they have all been vandalism. --Giftiger wunsch (talk) 11:54, 4 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

You can suggest it at WP:AIV. Bejinhan Talk 11:59, 4 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for the help. I opted to leave a warning with the uw-vandalism3 template instead since the IP address hadn't received a warning. --Giftiger wunsch (talk) 12:13, 4 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Advertising policy[edit]

{{helpme}} Sorry to be a bother, but could someone tell me what the policy is on listing links to stores on wikipedia pages? Is it prohibited due to advertising? Someone had reverted an edit with the link added before, so I reverted it when it was readded but want to make sure that was the best thing to do. GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 15:01, 6 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It really depends if the link(s) add information to the article that could not otherwise be added. And also, we don't like advertizing. It is explained in depth in WP:EL - and you could cite that policy when removing it, or - of course, always best - speak to the user on their talk page. Chzz ► 15:04, 6 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Parser functions question[edit]

I'm testing templates and parser functions on a sandbox page I created, but the date/time doesn't update when the page refreshes as I expected it would. When are parser functions interpreted? Thanks in advance. GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 14:57, 8 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Never mind, I think I've just answered my own question; updated on edit. Sorry if anyone followed the helpme and wasted their time. GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 15:04, 8 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

No problem - I was about to respond, and had already written this, so might as well post it...when you subst it actually puts the variable content into the page at the moment you save, whereas transcluded templates/magic words are updated all the time.

E.g.

{{subst:numberofarticles}} = Number of articles when I saved this: 3,286,092

{{numberofarticles}} = Number of articles when you loaded this page: 6,841,885

Chzz ► 15:10, 8 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Okay in that case I'm confused. I realise that substituted pages are parsed only once, but on my sandbox page I have it displaying the time both using subst: and without. The subst: copy was evaluated once and the date copied onto the page, replacing the parse function as I expected, but without the subst: it only seems to be evaluated when I edit the page, not when I load the page. GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 15:23, 8 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for the note on my talk - no, I wouldn't have noticed the reply here if you hadn't alerted me. You can also use template:tb to achieve the same, easily - ie putting a quick {{tb|Giftiger_wunsch}}~~~~ on my talk.

Sorry about the confusion re. the updating. You've hit upon a complex issue. The output of the parser function is the time the page was last rendered into HTML; mediawiki software uses a complex caching system, and the page content will not necessarily be updated each time you load it, unless you purge the cache. So, the following link will make the time change to the current; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Giftiger_wunsch/Sandbox1?action=purge

Hope that clarifies? Chzz ► 15:46, 8 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, that's clear now. GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 15:48, 8 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Strange talk page creation[edit]

{{helpme}} Could someone tell me the procedure for suggesting that strange talk pages be deleted, or deleting them myself? What is the policy which governs creation of talk pages like these? Thanks. GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 08:47, 10 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Is db-g8 appropriate here? GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 08:53, 10 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, where there is no article and the talk page is just random stuff like that, G8 is appropriate. If it's a case of inappropriate content on the talk page of an article, things are more complicated - see WP:Talk page guidelines. Regards, JohnCD (talk) 09:02, 10 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Javascript[edit]

{{helpme}} I wanted to know whether it was possible to use javascript on specific pages, or whether the script has to be added to a user's monobook.js (or whatever their theme is set to) in order to take effect, to prevent malicious scripts being added to pages? I want to make a simple expanding link box on my user page but have so far only found out how to make my scripts apply to the entire site by adding them to my monobook.js. Thanks in advance for any help. GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 14:03, 11 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

In a word, no, you cannot. The only JavaScript that applies to all users is the one in MediaWiki:Common.js, and you wouldn't be able to add something to that without very compelling reasons to do so.

The link Special:MyPage/skin.js links to your own javascript, dependent on your skin choice in preferences - but anything in there only applies when logged in to that account.

You can, however, do things like an 'expanding link box' without java, using collapsing tables and suchlike - for example;

Example collapsed tables with links

Sausage links
Black pudding · Sausage roll · Salami

Tea links
Green tea · PG Tips · Darjeeling

Chzz ► 15:03, 11 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Reverting nonsense in talk[edit]

{{helpme}} Hi, just wanted to ask if the policy for reverting patent nonsense only applies to article space, or if it can also be used to remove nonsense comments from talk pages and public discussions. Thanks in advance. GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 12:55, 14 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Article discussion pages, yes, fine - remove obvious junk, using a clear edit summary.

For user talk pages though, I would not; unless it is disruptive (e.g. pages and pages of Lalalalalalalala) or offensive, I would leave it to the user.

These are not policies, just convention. See Wikipedia:Etiquette. Generally speaking, as long as you are acting in the best interests of Wikipedia, people are unlikely to complain. Chzz ► 13:05, 14 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I realised it would be a bad idea on a user talk page; I'm actually specifically wondering about nonsense deletion on pages discussing AfD requests and the like; the discussion about redirect of Malamanteau has been attracting a lot of comments using invented words. I assume this is also fine as long as it's uncontroversial. GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 13:11, 14 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

For a deletion debate or other such areas, I would be cautious. If you can tidy things up to make it simpler for people, and you are 100% sure that you are not removing anything that could be interpreted as a valid comment (ie it is absolutely blatant junk), then I suggest removing it but put a comment in-place of the removed text, something like <small>(Nonesense edit by User:Foo removed here, ~~~~)</small>.

Best, Chzz ► 13:39, 14 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

P.S. Thanks for the star; you're very welcome, any time. Chzz ► 14:11, 14 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Cross namespace merges[edit]

{{helpme}} I recently proposed a merge of WP:Free links into Help:Wiki markup, but when trying to add a {{merge from}} template to Wiki markup, it wouldn't let me change the namespace of the from page, and tried to instead find Help:Free links, which doesn't exist. Is there a special procedure for cross-namespace merging which I'm missing? Thanks. GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 19:04, 14 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The template can't handle cross-namespace stuff; admittedly, I could write a template that would work, but it's probably not worth it. If this isn't controversial (and I can't see why it would be), I suggest just doing the merger, without bothering with discussion - per WP:BRD. IF somebody objects, we can put it back and then discuss it, no?

If I've missed something, and discussion really is needed, let me know. Otherwise though, I'd just do it - leaving a redirect of course. Chzz ► 19:23, 14 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Gallery tag[edit]

{{helpme}} Is there an improvement tag for use in an article when a gallery is excessively large or does not include relevant captions? I've tried looking in logical places for one but I can't see one. Thanks in advance. GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 22:50, 21 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yes; there is the tag {{Cleanup-gallery}}. It is mostly used for overly large gallery sections, though it in theory can also be used for miscellaneous gallery cleanup. Intelligentsium 22:57, 21 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Naming conventions for companies[edit]

{{helpme}} I was hoping someone could point me to the policy on article naming conventions when the subject of the article is a company. I have seen a few company pages with "Inc", "Ltd" "GmBH" etc. in the titles while newpage patrolling, but since most don't seem to have this, I am guessing this is against typical convention. Couldn't find the page or section dealing with this though, and obviously I want to be sure before I start moving pages. Thanks in advance. GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 22:27, 22 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The guideline Wikipedia:Naming conventions (companies) says that the article title generally shouldn't contain the legal status. Svick (talk) 22:35, 22 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for the help. GiftigerWunsch [TALK] 22:48, 22 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]