Template:Wikipedia how to

Template documentation

This is the page banner template for Wikipedia how-to.

It can be placed on top of  administration pages (not-articles) when appropriate (see  WP:INFOPAGES for details). This usually means pages in the "Wikipedia:" and "Help:" namespaces, but sometimes how-to guides also exist as user subpages.

Categorization

If a page that uses this template is in the "Wikipedia:" or "Help:"  namespace, then this template adds Category:Wikipedia how-to to the page.

If the page is in the "User:" namespace, it will be put into Category:User essays. If your page is just a draft, please use the |nocat = parameter to prevent categorization, until it is finished.

If it is in some other namespace, it will not be auto-categorized, and it may be in the wrong place.

Usage

This template can be used as is, like this:

{{Wikipedia how to}}

But it can also take up to three  shortcuts as parameters. It then displays a small shortcut box inside it. Like this:

{{Wikipedia how to|WP:SHORT|WP:LONG}}

Then it looks like this:

If you want to feed more than one or two shortcuts then the shortcut box becomes too high, which doesn't look good. In such a case it is better to use a {{shortcut}} box directly below this template, like this:

{{Wikipedia how to}}
{{shortcut|WP:SHORT|WP:SHORT2|WP:SHORT3|WP:SHORT4}}

Optional parameters

• |1 = or |sc1 =, |shortcut1 =, |shortcut =, or first unnamed parameter – First  shortcut. Don't include [[...]] linking brackets in this or other shortcut parameters.
• |2 = or |sc2 =, |shortcut2 =, or first unnamed parameter – Second shortcut
• |3 = or |sc3 =, |shortcut3 =, or first unnamed parameter – Third shortcut (deprecated; please use separate Template:Shortcut for three or more)
• |interprets = or |page = or |pages = – Specify name of page (policy, process, etc.) that this essay provides advice about. For a single page, it is not necessary to include [[...]] linking brackets;. This will replace the wording "some aspect or aspects of Wikipedia's norms and practices". If more than one page and/or any notes are intended, links must be manually coded, e.g.: |interprets = [[Wikipedia:Verifiability]] policy and the [[Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources]] guideline
• |sort-by = – Specify a sort key for the category. For example, if the how-to page is Wikipedia:Producing maps with xplanet and you want it category-sorted to appear under "X", use |sort-by = Xplanet, Producing maps with. This has no effect on the user essays category.
• |category = – Specify a complete wikilink (i.e, do include the [[...]] linking brackets) to one or more categories to override the default Category:Wikipedia how-to. May include a category sort; example: [[Category:WikiProject Underwater Basketweaving|Article structure advice]] This parameter does not replace the Category:User essays categorization for pages in the "User:" namespace, but can be used to add them manually to Category:Wikipedia how-to, in addition to the automatic user category.
• |nocat = y or |demo = y – Bypass all categorization, when the template is used for demo purposes, e.g. in template documentation, on talk pages, etc.
• |style = – Pass arbitrary CSS to the Template:Ombox base template that this template uses.

TemplateData

TemplateData documentation used by  VisualEditor and other tools

Click here to see a monthly parameter usage report for this template based on this TemplateData. TemplateData for Wikipedia how to { "description": "", "params": { "page": {"type": "wiki-page-name","description": "Guideline or other page being interpreted"}, "shortcut1" : {"type": "wiki-page-name","description": "Shortcut to this page"}, "shortcut2" : {"type": "wiki-page-name","description": "Shortcut to this page"}, "shortcut3" : {"type": "wiki-page-name","description": "Shortcut to this page"}, "nocat" : {"type": "string","description": "Any value prevents addition of project category"} } }

See also

• {{How-to}} – the cleanup/dispute tag for articles written in a "how-to" style.
• {{Information page}} – the banner template for pages that are more just informational than directly instructional like WP:GOV.
• {{Essay|interprets=}} – the banner template for pages that are more opinionated then instructional or technical; there are several parameters and variations.
• {{Supplement|interprets=}} – to tag a well-established page that adds something to a policy or guideline, to make up for a deficiency, and when it is referenced in the guideline or policy like  WP:BRD.
• Wikipedia:Template messages/Project namespace – for other "Wikipedia:"-namespace banner templates.