Help:Contents

From Connwiki

Contents

Intro to the Help Section

What is a wiki?
A wiki, in short, is a community-editable piece of information. It has been popularized by Wikipedia.org, a ginormous, free, editable, online encyclopedia. Here, we are just focusing on Connecticut College.
Why do I need help?
Wiki technology is basically a giant, dynamic database of information. Thus, it is important to be able to navigate the database, and make it so that your edits are just as intelligent and easy to navigate.
I'm convinced it's cool, so what do I need to know?
In short you need to know the "wiki language". This language is comprised of methods to display your information and make it able to link to other articles on this site, or to create whole new articles. Everything you need to know to edit this site, the basics at least, are listed below. You have been given a great power, use it responsibly. It can be taken away.
Please note that some help links will bring you to the Wikipedia help section. You can browse that for more Wiki-ing tips.
Also, please catagorize items. The help section on that is at the very bottom.

-The ConnWiki Team

Editing Basics

Start editing
To start editing a ConnWiki page, click on the "Edit this page" (or just "edit") link at one of its edges. This will bring you to the edit page: a page with a text box containing the wikitext, the editable source code from which the server produces the webpage.
Summarize your changes
You should 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 legend.
Preview before saving
When you have finished, press 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" and your changes will be immediately applied to the article.

Wikitext markup -- making your page look the way you want it

  • If you want to try out things without danger of doing any harm, you can do so in the Sandbox.

Organizing your writing -- sections, paragraphs, lists and lines

What it looks like What you type
Sections and subsections

Start sections with header lines

Note: Single equal signs give the highest level heading, like the page title; usually projects have the convention not to use them.


New section

Subsection

Sub-subsection


== New section ==

=== Subsection ===

==== Sub-subsection ====
Newline

A single newline has no effect on the layout.

But an empty line starts a new paragraph, or ends a list or indented part. (<p> disables this paragraphing until </p> or the end of the section)

(in Cologne Blue two newlines and a div tag give just one newline; in the order newline, div tag, newline, the result is two newlines)

You can make the wikitext more readable by putting in newlines.


A single
newline
has no
effect on the
layout.

But an empty line
starts a new paragraph.
You can break lines
without starting a new paragraph.

(The HTML tag <br> is sufficient. The system produces the XHTML code <br />.)

You can break lines<br>
without starting a new paragraph.
  • Unordered Lists are easy to do:
    • start every line with a star
      • more stars means deeper levels
  • A newline
  • in a list

marks the end of the list.

  • Of course
  • you can
  • start again.
* Unordered Lists are easy to do:
** start every line with a star
*** more stars means deeper levels
*A newline
*in a list  
marks the end of the list.
*Of course
*you can
*start again.

  1. Numbered lists are also good
    1. very organized
    2. easy to follow
  2. A newline
  3. in a list

marks the end of the list.

  1. New numbering starts
  2. with 1.
# Numbered lists are also good
## very organized
## easy to follow
#A newline
#in a list  
marks the end of the list.
#New numbering starts
#with 1.
  • You can even do mixed lists
    1. and nest them
      • or break lines
        in lists
* You can even do mixed lists
*# and nest them
*#* or break lines<br>in lists

Definition list

word 
definition of the word
longer phrase
phrase defined
; word : definition of the word
; longer phrase 
: phrase defined
indenting
A colon indents a line or paragraph.

A manual newline starts a new paragraph.

  • This is often used for discussion on Talk pages.
: A colon indents a line or paragraph.
A manual newline starts a new paragraph.
Centered text.
<center>Centered text.</center>
A horizontal dividing line: above

and below.

If you don't use a section header, you don't get a TOC entry.

A horizontal dividing line: above
----
and below. 

Links, URLs

More information at Help:Link

Internal links

General notes:

  • Enclose the target name in double square brackets -- "[[" and "]]"
  • First letter of target name is automatically capitalized
  • Spaces are represented as underscores (but don't do underscores yourself)
  • Links to nonexistant pages are shown in red.
  • When the mouse cursor "hovers" over the link, you see a "hover box" containing...
What it looks like What you type
Basic

Sue is reading the official position (or Official positions).

Sue is reading the 
[[official position]]
(or [[Official position]]s).
Interwiki linking

A link to the page on another wiki (e.g. the same subject in another language)

*For more info see [[m:Help:Interwiki linking]].
Section of page

If the section doesn't exist, the link goes to the top of the page

*[[List of cities by country#Morocco]].
*[[List of cities by country#Sealand]].
piped link

Use a pipe "|" to create a link label:

*[[Help:Links|About Links]]
*[[List of cities by country#Morocco|
Cities in Morocco]]

"blank" pipes hide stuff:

After you save, the server automatically fills in the link label.

*In parentheses: [[kingdom (biology)|]]. 
*Namespace: [[Wikipedia:Village pump|]].
Links to nonexistant pages

The weather in London is a page that doesn't exist yet.

  • You can create it by clicking on the link.
  • Have a look at how to start a page guide and the naming conventions page for your project.
[[The weather in London]] is a page
that doesn't exist yet.
Link to yourself

You should "sign" your comments on talk pages:

Your user name: Froodiantherapy
Or your user name plus date/time: Froodiantherapy 08:10 Oct 5, 2002 (UTC)

The server will fill in the link after you save.

You should "sign" your comments on talk pages:
: Your user name: ~~~
: Or your user name plus date/time: ~~~~
Redirect

one article title to another with this special link.

#REDIRECT [[United States]]
"Magic" links
ISBN 0123456789X
RFC 123
Media links

To include links to non-image uploads such as sounds, use a "media" link.
Sound


[[media:Sg_mrob.ogg|Sound]]
Dates

Use links for dates, so everyone can set their own display order. Use Special:Preferences to change your own date display setting.

[[July 20]], [[1969]] , [[20 July]] [[1969]]
and [[1969]]-[[07-20]]
will all appear as 20 July-1969 if you set your date display preference to 1 January 2001.
Special pages

"What links here" and "Related changes" can be linked as:
Special:Whatlinkshere/Help:Contents and Special:Recentchangeslinked/Help:Contents

[[Special:Whatlinkshere/
Help:Editing]] and
[[Special:Recentchangeslinked/
Help:Editing]]

External links

Nupedia, [1]
[http://www.nupedia.com Nupedia],
[http://www.nupedia.com]
Or just give the URL: http://www.nupedia.com.
  • In the URL all symbols must be among: A-Z a-z 0-9 ._\/~%- &#?!=()@ \x80-\xFF. If a URL contains a different character it should be converted; for example, ^ has to be written ^ (to be looked up in ASCII). A blank space can also be converted into an underscore.
Or just give the URL:
http://www.nupedia.com.

Images, video, and sounds

See also: Help:Image, Images_and_other_uploaded_files

What it looks like What you type
In-line picture
Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia
  • For many projects, only images that have been uploaded to the same project or the Commons can be used. To upload images, use the upload page. You can find the uploaded image on the image list
A picture: [[Wikipedia:Image:Wiki.png]]

or, with alternative text (strongly encouraged)

[[Wikipedia:Image:Wiki.png|
Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia]] 

Web browsers render alternative text when not displaying an image -- for example, when the image isn't loaded, or in a text-only browser, or when spoken aloud. See Alternative text for images for help on choosing alternative text. See Extended image syntax for more options. There is more information on resizing and other formatting tricks.

Other ways of linking to pictures
[[:Image:Wiki.png]]
[[media:Wiki.png|Wikipedia]]
Other Media Links -- Video and Sounds

Use a "media" link: Sound
There is More information on other media types.

[[Wikipedia:media:Sg_mrob.ogg|Sound]]

Text formatting -- controlling how it looks

What it looks like What you type

Emphasize, strongly, very strongly. (These are double and triple apostrophes, not double quotes.)

''Emphasize'', '''strongly''',
'''''very strongly'''''.

You can also write italic and bold. This is useful in mathematical formulas where you need specific font styles rather than emphasis.

F = ma

(The difference between these two methods is not very important for graphical browsers, so most people ignore it).

You can also write <i>italic</i> and <b>bold</b>.
This is useful in mathematical formulas where you 
need specific font styles rather than emphasis.
:<b>F</b> = <i>m</i><b>a</b>
A typewriter font, sometimes used for technical terms.
A typewriter font, sometimes used for 
<tt>technical terms</tt>.
You can use small text for captions.
You can use <small>small text</small> 
for captions.
You can strike out deleted material

and underline new material.

You can <strike>strike out deleted material</strike>
and <u>underline new material</u>.
Subscript: x2

Superscript: x2 or x²

Most browser have an easier time formatting lines with &sup2; than with <sup>2</sup>

ε0 = 8.85 × 10−12 C² / J m.

1 hectare = 1 E4 m²

Subscript: x<sub>2</sub>
Superscript: x<sup>2</sup> or x&sup2;
&epsilon;<sub>0</sub> =
8.85 &times; 10<sup>&minus;12</sup>
C&sup2; / J m.

1 [[hectare]] = [[1 E4 m&sup2;]]

Spacing things out -- spaces and tables

Using non-breaking spaces

x2    ≥    0 true.

<i>x</i><sup>2</sup>&nbsp;
&nbsp;&ge;
&nbsp;&nbsp;0 true.
Using Wikitext piped tables
x2 ≥0 true.
a b

See templates Wikipedia:Template:hs1, Wikipedia:Template:hs, and Wikipedia:Template:vs for more examples

{||-
|<i>x</i><sup>2</sup> 
| width=20px | || width=20px | ≥0 || true.
|-
| a || || b
|}

See Help:Table for more information

Just show what I typed

<nowiki> and <pre> tags can tell the server and the browser to display things as you typed them.

Example

arrow →

italics link

arrow      &rarr;

''italics''
[[link]]
<nowiki>
  • interpret special characters
  • don't interpret special wiki markup
  • reformat text (removing newlines and multiple spaces)

arrow → ''italics'' [[link]]

<nowiki>
arrow      &rarr;

''italics''
[[link]]
</nowiki>
<pre>
  • interpret special characters
  • don't interpret special wiki markup
  • don't reformat text
arrow      →

''italics''
[[link]]
<pre>arrow      &rarr;

''italics''
[[link]]</pre>
leading space
  • interpret special characters
  • interpret special wiki markup
  • don't reformat text
arrow      →

italics
link
 arrow      &rarr;

 ''italics''
 [[link]]
preformatted text
IF a line of plain text starts with a space
 it will be formatted exactly
   as typed
 in a fixed-width font
 lines won't wrap
ENDIF
this is useful for:
 * pasting preformatted text;
 * algorithm descriptions;
 * program source code
 * ASCII art;
 * chemical structures;

WARNING If you make it wide, you force the whole page to be wide and hence less readable. Never start ordinary lines with spaces.

(see also below)
 IF a line of plain text starts with a space
  it will be formatted exactly
    as typed
  in a fixed-width font
  lines won't wrap
 ENDIF
 this is useful for:
  * pasting preformatted text;
  * algorithm descriptions;
  * program source code
  * ASCII art;
  * chemical structures;
typewriter font

arrow →

italics link

<tt>arrow      &rarr;</tt>

<tt>''italics''</tt>
<tt>[[link]]</tt>
Show special character codes

&rarr;

&amp;rarr;
Comments

The text between here and herewon't be displayed

The text between '''here'''
<!-- comment here -->
'''and here'''won't be displayed

Complicated mathematical formulae

  <math>\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{x^n}{n!}</math>

<math>\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{x^n}{n!}</math>

Special characters

Umlauts and accents: (See MediaWiki User's Guide: Creating special characters)
è é ê ë Ã¬ í

À Á Â Ã Ä Å
Æ Ç È É Ê Ë
Ì Í Î Ï Ñ Ò
Ó Ô Õ Ö Ø Ù
Ú Û Ü ß à á
â ã ä å æ ç
è é ê ë ì í
î ï ñ ò ó ô
œ õ ö ø ù ú
û ü ÿ


è é ê ë ì í

&Agrave; &Aacute; &Acirc; &Atilde; &Auml; &Aring;
&AElig; &Ccedil; &Egrave; &Eacute; &Ecirc; &Euml;
&Igrave; &Iacute; &Icirc; &Iuml; &Ntilde; &Ograve;
&Oacute; &Ocirc; &Otilde; &Ouml; &Oslash; &Ugrave;
&Uacute; &Ucirc; &Uuml; &szlig; &agrave; &aacute;
&acirc; &atilde; &auml; &aring; &aelig; &ccedil;
&egrave; &eacute; &ecirc; &euml; &igrave; &iacute;
&icirc; &iuml; &ntilde; &ograve; &oacute; &ocirc;
&oelig; &otilde; &ouml; &oslash; &ugrave; &uacute;
&ucirc; &uuml; &yuml;

Punctuation:
¿ ¡ « » § ¶
† ‡ • - – —

&iquest; &iexcl; &laquo; &raquo; &sect; &para;
&dagger; &Dagger; &bull; - &ndash; &mdash;

Commercial symbols:
™ © ® ¢ € ¥

£ ¤
&trade; &copy; &reg; &cent; &euro; &yen;
&pound; &curren;
Greek characters:

α β γ δ ε ζ
η θ ι κ λ μ ν
ξ ο π ρ σ ς
τ υ φ χ ψ ω
Γ Δ Θ Λ Ξ Π
Σ Φ Ψ Ω

&alpha; &beta; &gamma; &delta; &epsilon; &zeta;
&eta; &theta; &iota; &kappa; &lambda; &mu; &nu;
&xi; &omicron; &pi; &rho;  &sigma; &sigmaf;
&tau; &upsilon; &phi; &chi; &psi; &omega;
&Gamma; &Delta; &Theta; &Lambda; &Xi; &Pi;
&Sigma; &Phi; &Psi; &Omega;

Math characters:
∫ ∑ ∏ √ − ± ∞
≈ ∝ ≡ ≠ ≤ ≥
× · ÷ ∂ ′ ″
∇ ‰ ° ∴ ℵ ø
∈ ∉ ∩ ∪ ⊂ ⊃ ⊆ ⊇
¬ ∧ ∨ ∃ ∀ ⇒ ⇔
→ ↔ ↑

&int; &sum; &prod; &radic; &minus; &plusmn; &infin;
&asymp; &prop; &equiv; &ne; &le; &ge; 
&times; &middot; &divide; &part; &prime; &Prime;
&nabla; &permil; &deg; &there4; &alefsym; &oslash;
&isin; &notin; &cap; &cup; &sub; &sup; &sube; &supe;
&not; &and; &or; &exist; &forall; &rArr; &hArr;
&rarr; &harr; &uarr;

Including another page -- transclusion and templates

Changing a transcluded file will change every file that transcludes it.

transclusion
Including the contents of another page into the current page.

Hey all. This is a demo article for the help section.

Links that arrive here include:

  • Transclusion Demo
  • Link
  • 1969
  • 20 July
  • Template:Title

If you want to make real links out of any of these, feel free to do so. But My guess is it'd be best to keep "Broken Links" broken, so that people can see what broken links look like. But all these are fair game. If you feel like it. I don't know that there's a point.

Back to the Help page.
{{:Transclusion Demo}}
template

A special kind of page designed for transclusion. These pages are found in the Template: namespace Templates can even take parameters. When you edit a page, all the templates used on the page are listed below the edit box.

Hey all. This is a demo article for the help section.

Links that arrive here include:

  • Transclusion Demo
  • Link
  • 1969
  • 20 July
  • Template:Title

If you want to make real links out of any of these, feel free to do so. But My guess is it'd be best to keep "Broken Links" broken, so that people can see what broken links look like. But all these are fair game. If you feel like it. I don't know that there's a point.

Back to the Help page.
{{Title|hovertext|This is underlined}}