Help:Editing
Editing refers to the changing of a page by a Wikimedia user. Unless certain restrictions are in effect, such as protection, all pages are editable, by everyone. This is a brief overview of that process. The editing table of contents to the right contains more information on editing functions.
Contents
Editing basics
Review policy and conventions
- Make sure that you submit information which is relevant to the specific purpose of the wiki, or your content might be deleted. You can always use the talk pages to ask questions or check to see if your idea will be accepted. Please make note of the license your contributions will be covered with.
Start editing
- MediaWiki page, click the Edit this page (or just edit) link at one of its edges. This brings you to the edit page: a page with a text box containing the wikitext – the editable code from which the server produces the finished page, and often called the edit box.
- If you just want to experiment, please do so only in the sandbox.
Type your changes
- You can just type your text. However, also using basic wiki markup (described in the next section) to make links and do simple formatting adds to the value of your contribution. Wikimedia wikis have style guidelines available. If you follow these, your contributions will be more valuable as they won't need to be cleaned up later.
Summarize your changes
- Write a short edit summary in the small field below the edit-box. You may use shorthand to describe your changes, as described in the edit summary legend.
Preview before saving!
- When you have finished, click Show preview to see how your changes will look before you make them permanent. Repeat the edit/preview process until you are satisfied, then click Save page and your changes will be immediately applied to the article. Sometimes it is helpful to save in between.
Most frequent wiki markup explained
Here are the most frequently used types of wiki markup. If you need more help see Wikitext examples.
| 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 embolden the text. 5 apostrophes will embolden and italicize the text. (4 apostrophes don't do anything special -- there's just 'one left over'.) |
You can ''italicize text'' by putting 2 apostrophes on each side. 3 apostrophes will embolden '''the text'''. 5 apostrophes will embolden and italicize '''''the text'''''. (4 apostrophes don't do anything special -- there's just ''''one left over''''.) |
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You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: |
You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: * Three tildes give your user name: ~~~ * Four tildes give your user name plus date/time: ~~~~ * Five tildes give the date/time alone: ~~~~~ |
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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 new line * in a list marks the end of the list. * Of course you can start again. |
A new line marks the end of the list.
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# ''Numbered lists'' are: ## Very organized ## Easy to follow #: Previous item continues A new line marks the end of the list. # New numbering starts with 1. |
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.
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Here's a link to the Main page. But be careful - capitalization counts! |
Here's a link to the [[Main page]]. |
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Intentionally permanent red link is a page that doesn't exist yet. You could create it by clicking on the link. |
[[Intentionally permanent red link]] is a page that doesn't exist yet. You could create it by clicking on the link. |
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You can link to a page section by placing a "#" before 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: * [[Help:Contents#For editors]]. If multiple sections have the same title, add a number. [[#Example section 3]] goes to the third section named "Example section". |
Restrictions
Some pages cannot be edited by everyone. A special function known as protection can be applied to a page by administrators, making the said page uneditable to certain classes of users. There are several degrees of protection:
- If a page is semiprotected, it can be edited by everyone except IPs and accounts that have not yet been confirmed.
- If a page is fully protected, only other admins can make edits to the page.
- A page can also be protected so that it cannot be moved.
- In some cases, an admin might see fit to protect a page from being created.
- For very rare pages, such as the Main Page, "cascading" protection is applied, wherein every page that is transcluded onto a page is protected too.
There are various reasons why a page might be protected. Vandalism and spam can lead to semiprotection, while content wars and other severe cases can lead to full protection. There are other times where Office actions come into play. For the most part, protection is temporary and editing privileges are then restored. In any case, everyone can view the source of any page, irrespective of its level of protection.
Further reading
Editing help
Wiki markups and codes
- Help:Wikitext examples
- Help:Reference card: a one-page summary of important commands, to be printed out and used next to the computer
- Help:HTML in wikitext
- Help:Comment tags
- HTML elements: introduction to HTML
- Help:Redirect - Setting up a Redirect Page within Wiki
