Help:Editing

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Editing refers to the process by which a page is altered. Unless certain restrictions are in effect, 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.

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

To start editing a 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

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''''.)

You should "sign" your comments on talk pages:

  • Three tildes give your user name: Example (talk)
  • Four tildes give your user name plus date/time: Example (talk) 07:46, 27 November 2005 (UTC)
  • Five tildes give the date/time alone: 07:46, 27 November 2005 (UTC)
 
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: ~~~~~
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.
  • 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.
 
* ''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.
  1. Numbered lists are:
    1. Very organized
    2. Easy to follow

A new line marks the end of the list.

  1. New numbering starts with 1.
 
# ''Numbered lists'' are:
## Very organized
## Easy to follow
A new line marks the end of the list.
# New numbering starts with 1.
A colon (:) indents a line or paragraph.

A newline starts a new paragraph.
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.
 
: 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.


Here's a link to the Main page.

But be careful - capitalization counts! 

Here's a link to the [[Main page]].

The weather in London is a page that doesn't exist yet. You could create it by clicking on the link. 

[[The weather in London]] is 
a page that doesn't exist
yet. You could create it by 
clicking on the link.

You can link to a page section by 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:

* [[List of cities by country#Morocco]].

If multiple sections have the same title, add
a number. [[#Example section 3]] goes to the
third section named "Example section".

Further reading

Editing help

Wiki markups and codes

Page management

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