Help desk
< July 4	<< Jun \| July \| Aug >>	July 6 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Help Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current Help Desk pages.

July 5[edit]

Skip to the top/bottom[edit]

Resolved

– Done on Talk Page

I noticed that on the bottom and top of the help desk, there are links that bring you to the bottom and the top of the page. On the top, there is a "skip to the bottom" link and the bottom has "back to the top" link. Can someone do that to my talk page? I think it could be useful. Thanks, RyRy (talk) 00:32, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Done on your talk page :p Gary King (talk) 00:40, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. :D -- RyRy (talk) 00:49, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Help with Action Buttons[edit]

What I am looking for is a way to modify something (internally) by using a hyperlink, button, etc. (basically anything I can interact with by clicking, not editing) so I can change a graphic (or something that will indirectly cause a graphic to change). I would think that the most obvious solution is a variable (or a template acting as one), but I don't know how to write to one.

I call this an action button because a similar feature is implemented in Microsoft Office. Graham (talk, contrib) 05:45, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Do you mean on Wikipedia? or on Office. If Office:

Have you tried Wikipedia's Reference Desk? They specialize in knowledge questions and will try to answer just about any question in the universe (except how to use Wikipedia, since that is what this Help Desk is for). Just follow the link, select the relevant section, and ask away. I hope this helps.. If Wikipedia: Check Help:Links StewieGriffin! • Talk Sign Listen 10:42, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

If it has something to do with images: Check out Template:Click. StewieGriffin! • Talk Sign Listen 10:43, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Actually, it has nothing to do with Microsoft Office (I just used that to indicate an example of its operation). And I don't mean Template:Click. I mean something like an image that I would like to cause another image to change (for example, given everything mentioned, when you press the red button [an image of a red button], the color of the square [another image of a square in several colors with different names] next to it changes to red). Graham (talk, contrib) 20:17, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Do you mean the example of User talk:WBOSITG?...... Dendodge .. Talk^Contribs 20:20, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not sure what on User talk:WBOSITG you are talking about. Could you explain? Graham (talk, contrib) 20:15, 6 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

When you click a button - the colour sceme and text changes...... Densock .. Talk^{(Dendodge on a public network)} 11:34, 7 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

How to make page come up on google search[edit]

I have created a Wikipedia page for a writer. It still seems to be in stub form even though it has external links. But I don't know how create the external links sub section, so at the moment the links do not correspond to anything. They are in number form - 1,2, 3,4 on the page. The page also does not come up on a google search. Is this because it needs developing? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Feedmeorstarveme (talk • contribs) 11:59, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

p.s The page in question is for the playwright Jason Charles —Preceding unsigned comment added by Feedmeorstarveme (talk • contribs) 12:02, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I added {{reflist}} so the references now show. Google will catch up fairly soon, so don't worry about it. You need to worry about expand ding the article per WP:BLP. --—— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 13:00, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. I'm not sure if it worked as it is still in exactly the same state as before. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Feedmeorstarveme (talk • contribs) 13:13, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

See WP:FOOT and WP:LAYOUT. --Teratornis (talk) 06:37, 6 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Signature[edit]

I usually see people signing other people's comments on Talk Pages. Can only Admins do this? If not, how do you do it? --71.225.85.57 (talk) 13:33, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

No, anybody can do this. Please read this section of this essay to learn how to do this. Lra drama 13:47, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah, if you look at the top just above the editing box you see "B" "I" buttons and stuff, go to the 10th button from the left like start at the "B" button and count down or so and you see what looks like cursive writing, click that and it'll automatically enter your signature. I found that out a few months ago and it helps alot!!! Hope this helps! --Chrismaster1 (talk) 00:32, 9 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Speedy Deletion Tags[edit]

Are there any templates that you can post on pages that have a 'Speedy Deletion' tag that say you agree with deleting the page? I know that that have tempaltes that say you disagree with the deletion, such as the 'Hangon' tag. --71.225.85.57 (talk) 14:21, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

No, and such agreements are kinda unnecessary. Either the article qualifies for speedy deletion, or it does not. Unlike an WP:AFD, there's no need to support or oppose the deletion (aside from the {{hangon}} tag). — The Hand That Feeds You:^Bite 15:04, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Unlike speedy deletions, there is a such an agreement tag for proposed deletions - it's {{Prod-2}}.--87.252.35.195 (talk) 17:20, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

trouble adding an image to an article[edit]

Hi - I tried to add an image to American Revolution by clicking on icon 'picture gallery', then putting in [[1]], plus a caption. NOthing happened. What am I doing wrong? Thanks. waldenpond (talk) 14:45, 5 July 2008 (UTC)Rosedora[reply]

It works for me... Just go to 'Edit' on this page and copy the code for it. --71.225.85.57 (talk) 15:24, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

User Pages[edit]

How do people have all these awesome userpages? Are there any pages that say how to make every single template? I don't know much Wikicode language, so it's hard for me. --71.225.85.57 (talk) 15:25, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

You should have an account first before making a user page. Once this is done, you can see Wikipedia:User page for information on user pages. Likewise, if you need help on making your user page, you can visit the user page design center. --Sky Harbor ^(talk) 15:49, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I tried doing that and it seems that only administrators have that. --Chrismaster1 (talk) 00:33, 9 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Hidden text question[edit]

I've been adding citations to a few unreferenced articles lately, and I've noticed something strange on a few of them. When editing some of the shorter ones (~1-3 sentences), there is hidden text that says, "Long comment to avoid being listed on short pages", which is followed by a couple of lines of blank space before the hidden text is closed. To be honest, I'm not sure what "short pages" are or where there is a list of them, but this seems deceptive and unnecessary. Should this text be removed, or is this somehow useful? Thanks, GaryColemanFan (talk) 15:35, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

See User talk:Necrothesp#long comment. -- Jeandré, 2008-07-05t16:11z

Excellent. Thanks for clearing it up. GaryColemanFan (talk) 22:08, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

diploma colleges in mumbai[edit]

which colleges are there in mumbai where i can do diploma in IT —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.115.71.10 (talk) 15:42, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Our List of Mumbai Colleges will be of interest to you. Xenon 54 15:48, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

CSS code to change monobook background[edit]

Does anybody know the CSS needed to change my personal background for Monobook from that book? (I haven't decided what to change it to yet though)...... Dendodge .. Talk^Contribs 17:11, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

why we cannot copy an audio cd to a hard disk?61.2.193.231 (talk) 18:43, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[edit]

why we cannot copy an audio cd to a hard disk?

This page is for questions about using Wikipedia. Please consider asking this question at the Computing reference desk. They specialize in answering computer questions and will try to answer any question in the universe except how to use Wikipedia, since that is what this Help Desk is for). Just follow the link and ask away. You could always try searching Wikipedia for an article related to the topic you want to know more about. I hope this helps....... Dendodge .. Talk^Contribs 18:51, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

About my IP[edit]

I logged on to Wikipedia earlier assuming that I would still be logged on but I was not so I made an edit and now my IP address is visible. I am uncomfortable having it out in Public Domain. Is there anything I can do??? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Caribbean1 (talk • contribs) 19:10, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

No, sorry. Once you make an edit, it is recorded by Media-Wiki and cannot be removed because the GFDL says we can't. The only way you can get it removed is if you can prove it is enough of a breach of privacy to warrant oversighting. Xenon 54 20:05, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

It's not like some hacker is going to hack on your computer after seeing your IP. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.225.85.57 (talk) 21:28, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

And how would they link the user name with the IP address? – ukexpat (talk) 03:32, 6 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

By looking at his edit history. The user kinda exposed his own IP when he did that. This can be fixed by any administrator using selective deletion, but I'd start with Oversight first. -- ShinmaWa^(talk) 08:14, 6 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

It is not about linking with the Username and IP address. I know that there was an incident on a Message board where the IP addresses are visible and they then posted Personal info of a user from their IP address. Caribbean1 (talk) 08:05, 6 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Really? Explain. This may require some attention: giving out personal information is a violation of privacy and definitely warrants oversight. The way you say this, however, makes it seem like this is a past event that only occured once or twice; you shouldn't pull out your hair because your IP was posted once. For a little help, look at the artcle on IPs. Graham (talk, contrib) 17:51, 6 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I just ran a WHOIS on that IP, and it's dynamic - so there is no personal information about you connected to it...... Densock .. Talk^{(Dendodge on a public network)} 11:21, 8 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah, usually IP addresses dont give out personal info unless u want to. Before I created an account I made a ton of edits with an IP address, so you have nothin to worry about pretty much. --Chrismaster1 (talk) 00:36, 9 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Detailed Template Question[edit]

I want to create a wiki template that will list a category's all pages like "See also" links. I want to give category name as parameter. This will probably like to give example {{listallarticles|Asia Countries}} . This template should give the result like

Basicly the names of articles in this category. How can I do this? Thank you.

The CategoryTree extension does something similar. The code is:

<categorytree mode=pages>East Asian countries</categorytree>

For example:

--h2g2bob (talk) 21:47, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Oddball Image question[edit]

I recently uploaded this PD photo Image:Betsy1901.gif, but when I attempted to include it in Madera County, California, it only posts as a link. Help? Cheers,—Preceding unsigned comment added by Tillman (talk • contribs)

Went to have a look, but User:Fuhghettaboutit has sorted it. --Ka renjc 22:49, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

(e/c) I'm not sure exactly why but gifs don't seem to work well sometimes. I re-uploaded it as a jpg at Image:Betsy1901.jpg, credited you in the edit summary, and replaced the image in the article with it, which is now displaying fine (I had to make a new image page rather than replace it it in the same media file because the name had ".gif" as part of it, so it wouldn't allow a different extension).--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 22:49, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks! Pete Tillman (talk) 16:18, 6 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

You're welcome.--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 04:29, 7 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Closing proposed policies[edit]

I've been involved in two discussions, WP:Usage of diacritics and WP:Notability (aircraft). Both are essentially dead at this point. The first has simply died off after much hue and cry and there appears to be no consensus to implement it. The second has been mostly inactive because there have been no substantial objections to it. What is the process for closing these? Can I just be WP:BOLD? SDY (talk) 21:03, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

You can indeed just be bold. Given your description of the two it sounds like the first can be tagged with {{Rejected}} and the second with {{Historical}}.--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 22:23, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Total nubcakealamode question[edit]

I was reading Wikipedia_talk:Good_article_nominations#Stuck_between_a_rock_and_an_en-dash, and I got confused (not an unusual event, mind you). Why does it matter when almost no-one can tell the difference? SDY (talk) 21:15, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

They're actually not completely indistinct; a hyphen and an endash have very different lengths. WP:MOS#Hyphens describes the specific uses of each. Someguy1221 (talk) 21:29, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]