Difference between revisions of "Help:Getting Started"
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| + | ===Starting off=== | ||
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| + | Until a more comprehensive getting started section is up and running, the best way to learn how to start creating wiki articles is to click on the 'edit' button and look at the source of a page. Do this to look up how another author was able to achieve a certain effect that you'd like to duplicate. | ||
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| + | The following [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Filling_the_page wikimedia] help page is a wealth of wiki text formatting information. | ||
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| + | Also do as [[User:Bomb Bloke | Bomb Bloke]] says, use the preview button. It's a great way of learning how to format a page without doing any damage to existing articles. Still, no worries. The wiki keeps backups of previous edits that you can look up in case you deleted by mistake. | ||
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| + | '''HTML in wiki text''' | ||
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| + | Wiki text allows some HTML to be used. Not all of it, but enough of the basics. For example, you may want to use a lot of whitespace in your text, but wiki text may eats most of your whitespace. This happens a lot when creating a quick list of items. Without resorting to creating an un-numbered wiki list, you can use a few HTML line break <BR> to force a few carriage returns. | ||
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| + | If all else fails, rather than pressing enter once after each list item, press enter twice. | ||
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| + | '''Watch those leading spaces''' | ||
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| + | If you ever place a space at the start of a new line, the following happens: | ||
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| + | See this box? This is the result. It contains unformatted wiki text. | ||
| + | You '''can''' include formatting elements in it. | ||
| + | Nothing's terribly wrong With it except that if your screen is too small, it can go off the page if the line of text is too long. See what I mean? | ||
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| + | (You may need to scroll the page to right to see the rest of the last line) | ||
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| + | '''Links - watch those plurals!''' | ||
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| + | When creating a plural link, watch where your ''s'' goes. It can be a bit confusing and even frustrating at times and can potentially create needless duplication. | ||
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| + | Try not to put it inside the link. Instead, have it flush against the link, like so <nowiki>[[Laser Pistol]]s </nowiki>. The wiki knows to make the S part of the link. Or you can use a pipe, like so: <nowiki>[[Laser Pistol | Laser Pistols]] </nowiki> but that's a bit tiresome. | ||
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| + | Don't use <nowiki>[[Laser Pistols]]</nowiki> unless the actual title is indeed plural. | ||
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| + | '''Stub Pages''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Stub pages are basically pages that contain little to no information, but are created as a placeholder for a future article, or even as a redirect page. They can possibly hold a simple to-do list. | ||
| + | |||
| + | For existing authors, regarding stub pages: Try not to litter the wiki with lots of little stub pages that you'll probably abandon either through neglect or you've suddenly decided to go for a better document title. Only create stub pages when you know you'll be using them and try not to fill them with unhelpful comments like "The banana peel bomb. Uh, yeah. it's really powerful. Blast the aliens to bits tod days beyond tuesday." and leave it at that. It tends to annoy some of the other authors. Heh. | ||
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| + | '''Discussion''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | First of all, the wiki is not a discussion forum. But where needs arise, some discussion will have to take place on the wiki, as not all visitors will be members of the various forums the regular authors frequent. | ||
| + | |||
| + | There's a discussion link at the top of each page. If you have a comment or are unsure and want to ask a question, the discussion page is the best place to do it. If you find yourself having a frequent or a long discussion with another author, consider using the discussion page to iron out all the details and then edit the main page to reflect the discussion. It's a lot better than having deep involved discussions slipped in large blocks of informative text. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Remember to use the + button at the top of the discussion page to add comments rather than using the 'edit' button (unless it's the very first comment). Also remember to enter a brief discussion heading (there'll be a separate text box above the edit box for this) so that your new discussion topic stands out rather than ending up flush against the previous comment. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The discussion pages are like black boards. Remember to wipe them clean after you're done and all the changes are in effect. | ||
| + | |||
| + | - [[User:NKF|NKF]] 02:22, 30 Oct 2005 (PST) | ||
Revision as of 10:22, 30 October 2005
See that 'Show preview' button down the bottom of the 'edit' screen? Use it before posting. :)
Do as I say, not as I do...
- Bomb Bloke
Starting off
Until a more comprehensive getting started section is up and running, the best way to learn how to start creating wiki articles is to click on the 'edit' button and look at the source of a page. Do this to look up how another author was able to achieve a certain effect that you'd like to duplicate.
The following wikimedia help page is a wealth of wiki text formatting information.
Also do as Bomb Bloke says, use the preview button. It's a great way of learning how to format a page without doing any damage to existing articles. Still, no worries. The wiki keeps backups of previous edits that you can look up in case you deleted by mistake.
HTML in wiki text
Wiki text allows some HTML to be used. Not all of it, but enough of the basics. For example, you may want to use a lot of whitespace in your text, but wiki text may eats most of your whitespace. This happens a lot when creating a quick list of items. Without resorting to creating an un-numbered wiki list, you can use a few HTML line break <BR> to force a few carriage returns.
If all else fails, rather than pressing enter once after each list item, press enter twice.
Watch those leading spaces
If you ever place a space at the start of a new line, the following happens:
See this box? This is the result. It contains unformatted wiki text. You can include formatting elements in it. Nothing's terribly wrong With it except that if your screen is too small, it can go off the page if the line of text is too long. See what I mean? (You may need to scroll the page to right to see the rest of the last line)
Links - watch those plurals!
When creating a plural link, watch where your s goes. It can be a bit confusing and even frustrating at times and can potentially create needless duplication.
Try not to put it inside the link. Instead, have it flush against the link, like so [[Laser Pistol]]s . The wiki knows to make the S part of the link. Or you can use a pipe, like so: [[Laser Pistol | Laser Pistols]] but that's a bit tiresome.
Don't use [[Laser Pistols]] unless the actual title is indeed plural.
Stub Pages
Stub pages are basically pages that contain little to no information, but are created as a placeholder for a future article, or even as a redirect page. They can possibly hold a simple to-do list.
For existing authors, regarding stub pages: Try not to litter the wiki with lots of little stub pages that you'll probably abandon either through neglect or you've suddenly decided to go for a better document title. Only create stub pages when you know you'll be using them and try not to fill them with unhelpful comments like "The banana peel bomb. Uh, yeah. it's really powerful. Blast the aliens to bits tod days beyond tuesday." and leave it at that. It tends to annoy some of the other authors. Heh.
Discussion
First of all, the wiki is not a discussion forum. But where needs arise, some discussion will have to take place on the wiki, as not all visitors will be members of the various forums the regular authors frequent.
There's a discussion link at the top of each page. If you have a comment or are unsure and want to ask a question, the discussion page is the best place to do it. If you find yourself having a frequent or a long discussion with another author, consider using the discussion page to iron out all the details and then edit the main page to reflect the discussion. It's a lot better than having deep involved discussions slipped in large blocks of informative text.
Remember to use the + button at the top of the discussion page to add comments rather than using the 'edit' button (unless it's the very first comment). Also remember to enter a brief discussion heading (there'll be a separate text box above the edit box for this) so that your new discussion topic stands out rather than ending up flush against the previous comment.
The discussion pages are like black boards. Remember to wipe them clean after you're done and all the changes are in effect.
- NKF 02:22, 30 Oct 2005 (PST)