Help:DiscussionTools

This will be the help page for Wikipedia editors and other end users who are using .

Replying
Links are added after each comment for posting quick replies to existing discussions.

Getting started

 * 1) At the end of each signed message, there will be a [ #| ] link.  Click that link to reply to the message.
 * 2) A box will open.  Your message will be placed where the box is located.
 * 3) Type your reply in the box.  Your signature and the date will be added to your reply automatically.
 * 4) When you are ready to post your reply, click the    button.

Features

 * You can switch between visual and wikitext source editing modes.
 * In the wikitext source mode, a live preview shows what your message will look like while you are typing it.
 * In the visual mode, you can use 1>Special:MyLanguage/VisualEditor/Portal/Keyboard shortcuts|keyboard shortcuts to make links, to @-mention the person you're replying to, and to add character formatting.

Limitations
To get help with a specific question you have about replying, please post it here: Talk:Talk pages project.
 * As of 2021, this tool does not work with multi-line templates or wikitext codes that must be placed at the start of a line (e.g., 1>Special:MyLanguage/Help:Tables|wikitext table syntax). You will not be able to switch to visual mode if you comment contains this syntax.  See 1>Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools/Reply tool visual mode limitations|Reply tool visual mode limitations.
 * The tool will only show on:
 * Pages in talk namespaces
 * Pages in namespaces which have been configured to show the 'add signature' tool ( ). For most Wikimedia wikis this is the project and help namespaces.
 * Pages which have manually added the  button using  </>
 * The Reply tool is visible when it detects a link to a user account and a timestamp on the same line. Some custom signatures will not be detected.  See 1>Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools/Why can't I reply to this comment?</>|Why can't I reply to this comment?.

Starting a new discussion

 * 1) At the top of the page, click the "<tvar|1></>" tab.
 * 2) A box will open at the end of the page.  Your message will be placed where the box is located.
 * 3) Type a subject heading in the box, where it says "<tvar|1></>".  A subject heading is required.
 * 4) Type your message in the big box.  Your signature and the date will be added to the end of your message automatically.
 * 5) When you are ready to post your message, click the <tvar|1>  </> button.

Features and limitations
The features and limitations are very similar to the features and limitations of the Reply tool. Complex formatting, such as tables, is allowed.

To get help with a specific question you have about starting new discussions, please post it here: Talk:Talk pages project.
 * You can switch between visual and wikitext source editing modes.
 * In the wikitext source mode, a live preview shows what your message will look like while you are typing it.
 * In the visual mode, you can use 1>Special:MyLanguage/VisualEditor/Portal/Keyboard shortcuts</>|keyboard shortcuts to make links, to @-mention other people, and to add character formatting.

Topic subscriptions


The topic subscriptions feature adds a link to [ ] at the end of the discussion section headings. Click the [ ] link to receive notifications via Echo if and when new comments are added to that section in the future.

After you have subscribed to this section, there will be an [ ] link. Click that to stop receiving notifications about new comments in that section.