Project:Support desk/Sections/Formatting

__NEWSECTIONLINK__ = Formatting Support =

Need help on adjusting the portlets to the top on monobook template

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.2
 * PHP version: 5.2.5
 * MySQL version: 5.0.51
 * URL: on localhost so no url

Im using the monobook template and i want to customize it a little. What ive done in first place is to change the logo. My new logo is only 60px in height. Ive changed the logo img entry and the logo href entry in the main.css and adjusted the height there from 155px (default) to 60px. I expected that the portlets will come up a bit then, nearer to the top of the page. But nothing happens. The portlets are not moving to the top. Ive searched the css then for a option that may be necessary to change, but ive found nothing.

So my question: What should i do if i want the first portlet in my list to begin e.g. 20 px below the logo image?

Thanks in advance,

Martin —217.5.181.251 15:15, 5 December 2008 (UTC)

Templates, Where are files located and what do contents look like, e.g. language used?

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.1
 * PHP version: 5.2.5 (cgi)
 * MySQL version: 5.0.45
 * URL: http://www.jefferson-wiki.com/wiki/

I am trying to customize an installation of MediaWiki and have run into problems. I can not find where I should place template files and what the contents of template files are to create custom pages. Essentially, I want to create a scaffold to help avoid the problems that can happen when there are blank pages. I want to give users a format for the material I want them to enter. For example, I want them to enter their topic, a brief summary of the topic, have a large edit box for them to enter their article text, have the ability to enter a list of examples, enter a list of related topics and finally to enter references or links to further reading. How can I create a template to do this and where does it go in the directory structure? What language do I use for the template text? Any examples would be very helpful!

Thank you, Steve —Duffsb 15:44, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

How Do I change the link on successful login to another page other than main?

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.1
 * PHP version: 5.2.6 (apache2handler)
 * MySQL version: 5.0.67-community-nt
 * URL: private wiki on a usb key

I've installed the Mowes mediawiki package to test/learn and play with it.

What I want to be able to do is have a main page and after successful login instead of the link pointing back to the main page have it point to another page. I understand that Special pages are not editable like the rest.

Thanks Alan —Dragos 21:28, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

Can I force every user to use the same template when creating a new page?
Can I force every user to use the same template when "creating a new page"? The Template I want is very simple, with no parameters involved. I hope this template can be applied automatically without manually typing –  by users. Thank you!
 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.2
 * PHP version: 5.2.6
 * MySQL version: 5.0.67
 * URL: N/A

—Coulomb 23:29, 27 December 2008 (UTC)Coulomb


 * I guess you are looking for something like the mechanism we use on this page, cf. this URL, which adds an "editintro" and preloads one template. Well, there are some neat extensions at Category:Page creation extensions, namely Extension:InputBox. I don't know about any really forcing solution offhand, though (users are still able to create pages through "normal" …&action=edit URLs, or by manually removing template code from edit pages before saving). -- :bdk: 02:38, 28 December 2008 (UTC)


 * I think the mechanism used in this page is what I want! Could you tell me how to achieve this effect? Thank you!
 * —Coulomb 10:35, 29 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Well, on this support desk page we only use preloaded text for adding new sections to an already existing page; but we have an extra manual page for page creations, and that is what you want, I guess: Manual:Creating pages with preloaded text; it's linked from Extension:InputBox :-)
 * I hope this helps. -- :bdk: 14:02, 29 December 2008 (UTC)
 * I tried a extension called NewArticleTemplate. It works just like you mentioned about preload page. My problem now is that the format I created in preload page is totally lost, because I use FCKeditor, a WYSIWYG one, as a default editor. For example, the double equal sign "== text ==" in wikitext is considered "normal equal sign" in FCKEditor. Do you have experience in this sort of stuff? —Coulomb 11:46, 30 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Sorry for the late reply. Hmm, I don't know Extension:NewArticleTemplates in detail. Your question sounds as if you have to find your way through the "template jungle" first ;-) Do you still have problems with getting started? If yes, it would be best to describe how your preloaded template should look like (is it an infobox or such?). -- :bdk: 16:13, 9 January 2009 (UTC)

Creating optional parameters in templates?

 * MediaWiki version: 1.14alpha (r44990)
 * PHP version: 5.1.6 (cgi-fcgi)
 * MySQL version: 5.0.22-log
 * URL: http://www.twcenter.net/wiki/Main_Page

I am trying to make an infobox template for a local wiki about PC game modifications, where people can enter several parameters such as Screenshot and Leader, but if they don't, then those fields should not appear in the infobox at all. My code at the moment is:

However, at present, the infobox still shows empty parameters; I want it to skip those altogether. The template is at http://www.twcenter.net/wiki/Template:Mod. Any help would be greatly appreciated. It Is Me Here  t / c 14:54, 31 December 2008 (UTC)

Existing pages with table code doesn't work in mediawiki 1.13.2

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.2
 * PHP version: 5.2.6
 * MySQL version: 5.0.51a
 * URL: localhost

I have upgraded mediawiki version 1.10.0 with 1.13.2. I have executed update.php and refreshLinks.php. But the pages which have table code has broken. The data is in text table. All the pages are working good with 1.10.0 version. But doesn't work with 1.13.2.

So, I have edited the page which was not working on 1.13.2 and copied the data from other system where it is working with 1.10.0 and saved the changes. but the page is not saving properly and it is removing the '|' and also placing some extra characters to the data.

Even the table format is good also the page is not getting displayed in tabular form.

It works good when i create a new page with table format.

Please help me that what's wrong with version 1.13.2 that doesn't support existing page table code?


 * I really need your help in finding this problem. Actually, it looks like there is some encoding problem some where with mediawiki version 1.13.2. This is corrupting the page display. If you are already aware of the problem then please let me know what could be the solution?

Mediawiki FCKEditor overwrites my headers with
header== wiki markup ==

MediaWiki 1.13.2 PHP 5.2.6 (apache2handler) MySQL 5.0.51b-log I am using the FCKEditor extension.


 * URL: Intranet only so not shareable

I have pages that have table headers with HTML \<\h\2\> markup, for example:

Welcome to WIKI

When I edit this page, the FCKEditor shows up, allowing me to edit in WYSIWYG mode or swict to Wikitext mode.

If I switch the page to Wikitext mode, all my \<\h\2\> headers like the above get REPLACED with wiki table header markup (the equals signs), so the above header becomes the following:

== Welcome to WIKI ==

This is really messing up my pages. Please can you advise if I can keep my \<\h\2\> and prevent this automagical overwriting with "==" wiki markup as soon as I switch to wikitext mode?

Many thanks

—195.167.195.200 10:14, 2 January 2009 (UTC)

Defining a custom edit section
Is there any way (possibly with an extension) to define custom edit sections in an article? I mean, getting the same functionality you get automatically when you place a header; an edit link that lets you edit a specific section of the wiki text, without showing the rest. In particular, I'm interested in getting an edit link for a a single table row (where the edit link would be in the final cell of the row. Is something like this possible? Thanks. 82.215.27.77 09:06, 7 January 2009 (UTC)

—161.12.7.4 10:02, 7 January 2009 (UTC)


 * I don't know of a way to force an edit link without using a header. However, on our wiki, we had a similar need for row-by-row edit links and were able to use the exisitng header functionality to do so (see the example below).  Keep in mind however, that since these are actual headers, we usucually used the  since the table of contents would include the content of the first sell of each table row.  Hope that helps.  63.192.83.15 00:05, 5 February 2009 (UTC)

{| border=1

row1 header
row1col1 row1col2

row1 header
row2col1 row2col2
 * }

Thanks for the suggestion. That does solve the problem, but by now, we've switched to a different solution. I doubt I can get people to start using tables again. 82.215.27.77 08:50, 18 February 2009 (UTC)

External File Links

 * MediaWiki version: 1.11.0
 * PHP version: WampServer 2.0c
 * MySQL version: 5.0.51a
 * URL: Internal

I am adding links to our internal media wiki site. The links are to documents stored on non local SAN storage accessed via a shared area. These files i do not want to upload to the Media Wiki site our old HTML site we would just use  WhereAbouts We have many files that use this form. The problem is i can not get mediawiki to display them nicely. I van only get it to show the whole link. I would like it to just show say WhereAbouts.XLS as a blue link which ou click and it then opens the file into excel or IE/excel.

—161.12.7.4 10:07, 7 January 2009 (UTC)

couple of problems

 * MediaWiki version: 1.11.2
 * PHP version: 5.1.6
 * MySQL version:  5.0.26-standard-log
 * URL: Internal

Hello,

I am actually having a couple of problems. The first problem is when I compare our mediawiki to another, for templates, when building a new page, I am not able to select the template button and then click manual for a list of templates.

The second problem is style sheets are getting messed up by the FCK Editor... whenever I go from the Wiki Editor to just plain text mode, the style tags dissapear. The only work around is to put in the style tag and save directly without previewing, but if somebody goes to edit, they dissapear again.

The FCK editor is version FCKeditor extension (version fckeditor/mw-extension $Rev$ 2007) by Meta

The other wiki I compare it with has more hooks then ours but most notably they are using version FCKeditor (version fckeditor/mw-extension $Rev$ 2008) by Wikia... is that the reason for both of our problems by chance?

—64.86.141.133 15:33, 13 January 2009 (UTC)

(RESOLVED) Pages do not show up at category page

 * MediaWiki version: 1.9.3
 * PHP version: 5.2.1 (apache2handler)
 * MySQL version: 5.0.37-community-nt
 * URL: / (internal wiki)

Hello,

I have a problem with pages which do not show up on category page as expected.

I have created a template "Hinweis/Überarbeitung notwendig" (transl. Notice/Rework needed) which belongs to the category "Überarbeitung notwendig" (transl. Rework needed). This template is included in some pages which DO need rework. Now, I expect these pages to show up on the category page.

But only a few do.

The template looks like this: Hinweis: Diese Seite benötigt vermutlich eine Überarbeitung. Die Diskussion dazu sollten auf der Diskussions-Seite geführt werden. Ist die Überarbeitung erfolgt bzw. als unnötigt erachtet worden, sollte dieser Hinweis entfernt werden.

This works on page '/Maritime Transportlogistik':

But do not work on '/XYZ-Integration' and '/SimCorp':

Did I something wrong or do templates & categories not work this way?

Thank you very much and best regards

TG —82.83.156.25 20:36, 19 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Sounds like a cache issue. Did you try purging the pages in question? -- :bdk: 09:20, 22 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Thank you for this advise but it doesn't work. I have purged the page, the template and the category with no success. Strangly the page shows up on the category page after adding the category tag directly to the page and deleting it again. TG -- 87.193.172.106 16:57, 23 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Hello again, as I have said in my last post, it works after a tempory insert of the category. Also it works for new pages. So I think this was a parsing/caching problem. Maybe I have added the category to the template AFTER I have inserted the template into the pages. So I will mark this thread as RESOLVED. Thank you very much. TG, 87.193.172.106 14:58, 27 January 2009 (UTC)

Changing the default skin without access to PHP files
I'm using MediaWiki on a wikifarm, EditThis.Info. I would like to change the default skin to something other than MonoBook, but I haven't got access to the PHP files and the administrator informs me that he can't edit the PHP files because all the wikis on the site use the same base files. Is there a way to change every user's default skin without access to the PHP files? I don't think there is.
 * MediaWiki: 1.5.5
 * PHP: 5.2.6 (cgi-fcgi)
 * MySQL: 5.0.45-log
 * URL: http://editthis.info/ctss/


 * What about the CSS? -- Dr DBW |  talk  05:41, 22 January 2009 (UTC)

Can someone help me figure out how to replicate the Classic skin or something like it in just CSS, so that I can add it to my Header file? Thanks. —72.171.0.147 21:22, 19 January 2009 (UTC)


 * You could try playing around with your MediaWiki:Monobook.css and with current MediaWiki's wikistandard.css. Dunno how effectively you could imitate Classic on a MW 1.5 wiki this way, though. -- :bdk: 09:29, 22 January 2009 (UTC)

Extra quote marks appearing
Using MediaWiki for our intranet everything was absolutely fine but after a recent Windows update and reboot any page containing quote marks has gone wrong. There are literally tens of quote marks where there should just be single ones so viewing pages look terrible. We have made no changes to any configuration files, php or Apache and approximately 500 pages are affected. Is there a quick way to remedy this so that the quotes are handled correctly?
 * MediaWiki version: 1.12.0
 * PHP version: 5.2.5 (apache2handler)
 * MySQL version: 5.0.51b-community-nt
 * URL:

—212.140.240.2 12:59, 20 January 2009 (UTC)Trev Warner

formatting PHP/CSS code

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13
 * PHP version: latest
 * MySQL version: latest
 * URL: http://wwwbandwiki.net/

I want to edit my wiki's code so that I can place a banner down the right side of the page. I am not PHP proficient, and can't seem to figure out which mediawiki document to edit.

What I image in either I need to place a table with a fixed with (allowing for the size of the banner to its right) on the page, or modifying the div's so that the content of each page would only have a width of x00px.

Also wondering, if there would be anyway for me to use our main sites (ASP/SQL) banner rotation script to run within the mediawiki page. This probably can be down using inline-frames; right?

—64.91.123.139 15:34, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

nowiki tags appear

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.3
 * PHP version: 5.5
 * MySQL version: 5
 * URL:

Hi all,

I have a certain issue which makes  appear on the results of an mssql query below are the source



Fixed Issues
The table below lists all issues fixed since the last release.

Open Issues
The table below lists all issues still needing to be fixed.

Every item in the table has the nowiki tags without the space. I believe it should be invisible.

—121.97.80.194 03:44, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

Delete all templates or undo import

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.3
 * PHP version: 5.2.8 (cgi)
 * MySQL version: 5.0.67-community
 * URL: http://adbandonados.info

Hi. I've tried to import a lot (a lot!) of templates of wikipedia.org. The thins went wrong (php timeout, etc) and I've imported serval times same templates. Now everything is a complete mess. Templates with loops all over arround. There is anyway to delete all templates at once, to start creating/importing it like it should be?

Thank you in adavance

—Luminoso 18:56, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

Changing default skin for all members
I try to change the default skin as written at Skin_configuration, but it won't work... Maybe I do something wrong. Can someone help me and describe step by step how to change the default skin for all users? Is there maybe an other way to do it? Thanks in advance

—84.27.51.65 03:50, 22 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Did you mean Manual:Skin configuration? Which ways have you tried? -- Dr DBW |  talk  05:39, 22 January 2009 (UTC)


 * "...like to change a large number of existing user's skin settings, they can use the script in the maintenance folder called userOptions.php. The syntax to use would be: $ php userOptions.php skin --old --new ". But I think I did it wrong, I don't understand it. -84.27.51.65 14:23, 22 January 2009 (UTC)


 * You really need to be more specific. You did what?  Where did you do it?  What was the exact command line?  What output did you get, including error messages?  What don't you understand?  Remember, we have no idea what you have done, you level of knowledge etc. -- Dr DBW  |  talk  23:19, 22 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Well... I don't even know how to do that, do I have to put that line somewhere in the file named useroptions.php? And where do I add that line into that file? Do I have to open that file on line after saving? What do I have to do? Thanks... :-$ -77.165.129.87 02:23, 25 January 2009 (UTC)


 * As it says on the page reference above, you have to run the script on the command line. Therefore, you have to be logged onto the server, using something like ssh, then enter the command and execute it.  If you don't have that access, your provider may be able to do it for you, you will just have to ask.  By the sound of it though, doing this is a bit above your skill level on this sort of thing. -- Dr DBW  |  talk  01:59, 30 January 2009 (UTC)

include a path and transfer a excel table

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.2
 * PHP version: 5.2.0-8+etch13 (cgi-fcgi)
 * MySQL version: 5.0.32-Debian_7etch8-log
 * URL:

Hello I'm trying to include the path on the top of a site (example wiki>help>diskussions>). Are there a command? I'm looking for a tool to transfer excel tabel in a wiki table? Thanks for help

Intra-wiki link anchors don't work in tables

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.3
 * PHP version: 5.2.6
 * MySQL version: 4.1.22
 * URL: http://aiblog.nl/index.php?title=Competences

Intra-wiki links using an #-anchor will normally link you to the indicated site AND to the specific location within the site where the #-anchor is located. However, if I make such intra-wiki #-anchor links within TABLES, the link only leads to the appropriate page, BUT NOT to the #-anchor location.

For example: in the table on I want every cell to refer to its correlating cell in the table on  (and vice versa). However, I always end up at the TOP OF THE PAGE, and not at the specific anchor-location.

It would be nice if you could fix this, since it would make Mediawiki even more usable than it already is!

Best regards, —Wouter Beek, me@wouterbeek.com


 * Tables do not automatically generate anchors the way headers do. Use divs:   —Emufarmers(T 00:14, 28 January 2009 (UTC)

where is manual re subheadings navigation box
I'm trying to find the template or php code that automatically generates those handy navigation boxes from subheadings. It has to be somewhere, right? :-) I found the sidebar code, but I simply can't figure out how to search for this item.  All help will be much appreciated! —Quixote7 21:50, 27 January 2009 (UTC)
 * MediaWiki version: 1.9.3
 * PHP version: 5.2.8
 * MySQL version: 5.0.67
 * URL: molvray.com/govwiki


 * Are you looking for the   magic word? —Emufarmers(T 00:20, 28 January 2009 (UTC)

I think so! That looks like the right general idea, which is more than I can say for anything I found earlier. Thanks! Quixote7 02:29, 30 January 2009 (UTC)

How do I move the "table of contents" box to the RIGHT

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.3
 * PHP version: 5.2.8
 * MySQL version: 5.0
 * URL:

How do I move the "table of contents" box to the RIGHT side, as seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents/Editing_Wikipedia, when it is normally on the left as here: http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Tables
 * I am looking for how this is done by default.. I know I can embed this into one particular page with

—Jwelcher 06:10, 28 January 2009 (UTC)

Creating a Custom Infobox

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.3
 * PHP version: 5.2.5
 * MySQL version: 5.0.51a
 * URL: http://naruto.wikipedia.com/wiki/

I am trying to create my own Infoboxes, I have been searching for the past few days but it seems like it's more of a clerical thing on another's end than my end. Any information would be great. I don't want to use already created Infoboxes, I want to make my own CUSTOM infobox.

—Moselekm 08:20, 30 January 2009 (UTC)


 * So, what is your question then? Infoboxes are simply templates, you can set them up how ever you want. -- Dr DBW  |  talk  02:32, 4 February 2009 (UTC)

I can see my editing only when i'm logged in

 * MediaWiki: 1.6.10
 * PHP: 4.3.9 (apache2handler)
 * MySQL: 4.1.22

Since last week, i can only see my editing when i'm logged in. When i'm signing out of my wiki site, trying to see the changes i made - The old page appear, without the changes i made. I tried to check in different computers, but the problem persists. More strangely that there are few pages that does work - I can edit them and see the changes i made, even when i'm logged out. I tried to find any differences between those pages - didn't find any...

Energidi 20:24, 31 January 2009 (UTC)

How can I change all fonts to Tahoma?

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.3
 * PHP version: 5.2.6 (cgi-fcgi)
 * MySQL version: 5.0.67-community-log
 * URL: http://wiki.navaa.ir/

I have installed MediaWiki on my website, and chosen Farsi language. The default font is not looking nice for Farsi, and I'd like to change all fonts to Tahoma (as do all Farsi sites). On my local server, in my computer, I tried to change all font names in front of all "font-family:" lines in all .css files to Tahoma, but nothing changed. What should I do to change the default used font?

—84.241.1.37 08:07, 1 February 2009 (UTC) Mani Pashaei Rad

Main Page Edit

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.3
 * PHP version: 5.2.42-servage8
 * MySQL version: 5.0
 * URL: http://wiki.tdltinc.com

How can I remove the "Main Page" header at my Main Page? Like you did to your Main Page, there's no "Main Page" header on it. The "Welcome to MediaWiki.org" comes first. How can I customize my site? Please help... And how you did those like tables blocks?

Thanks for an advance reply. Please e-mail the answer to "tdltinc@yahoo.com".

—125.60.209.72 03:09, 6 February 2009 (UTC)

Sections

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.3
 * PHP version: 5.0
 * MySQL version:
 * URL:

Hi I am trying to find information for creating sections within articles that are constant throughout all articles (but not the homepage) and appear when someone is creating a new article.

For example if you look at http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Restaurant-Manager you will see sections such as 'Steps' and 'tips'. The same sections will appear if you try and create new page. All of these sections are also editable on their own. I am dying to find out how you create them, where you need to put code and what code...

Please help!!

Thanks Warren

—81.171.227.211 14:58, 6 February 2009 (UTC)

Getting external links (URL's) to open in another window
Is there a way of formatting a link (URL mainly, but could also be useful for internal links as well) to open in a new window? For example in the case of a URL, the html code would be something like this (written so MediaWiki will show it properly): .
 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.3
 * PHP version: 5.2.4-2ubuntu5.4 (apache2handler)
 * MySQL version: 5.0.51a-3ubuntu5.4
 * URL:

Thank you,

Marco van Beek

—83.136.69.10 16:44, 6 February 2009 (UTC)

Subsection edit

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.1
 * PHP version: 5.2.0-8+etch11 (apache2handler)
 * MySQL version: 5.0.32-Debian_7etch6-log
 * URL:

Hi, i wanna create two subsections side by side, is this possible ? and if yes how can i manage this ??

For example == H2 == defined space length == H2 ==

thanks for ur Help

—84.179.142.87 10:39, 8 February 2009 (UTC)

Linking to social network sites

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.0
 * PHP version: 5.2.5 (apache)
 * MySQL version: MySQL 	5.0.45-log
 * URL:

I am thinking of linking to some social networks sites like Digg.com (but some Swedish alternatives instead).

I am making a link like "Digg" this"

I want to know, how I trhough PHP can replace "CURRENT URL OF MY PAGE" with the current page of the site and also the same with the title. I suppose it would be something like  or something.

Could anyone please help me out?

—Kristofer2 21:01, 8 February 2009 (UTC)


 * Create a tag extension or parser function. —Emufarmers(T 06:31, 9 February 2009 (UTC)

Questions about hide/show functions for Navboxes at bottom of articles

 * MediaWiki version: 1.15alpha
 * PHP version: 5.2.4-2ubuntu5wm1 (apache2handler)
 * MySQL version: 4.0.40-wikimedia-log
 * URL:

Hi there. I have a question about the hide/show and collapse/expand functions in the navboxes that are generally located at the bottom of articles. I am the admin on the Manx wikipedia and we there have been trying for a long time now to enable those functions, but so far to no avail (although we have had help from colleagues on other language projects). I was wondering if someone, if they have some time, would be able to have a look at the .css and .js on our site and see if there is something wrong that is stopping us from having those functions.

We would be very grateful for any assistance that could be given on this.

--MacTire02 14:31, 11 February 2009 (UTC)

How to enable the Wiki to display XML

 * MediaWiki version: 1.13.0
 * PHP version: 5.2.5
 * MySQL version: 5.0.51a
 * URL: http://www.afrigis.co.za/wiki

How to enable the Wiki to display XML. we type our xml code but we think there is something we need to enable to diplay our code.

—196.213.41.186 08:33, 17 February 2009 (UTC)


 * MediaWiki version:
 * PHP version:
 * MySQL version:
 * URL:

Mediawiki has been placed on our intranet site. It is the most current version available. I am not sure about the PHP or MySQL version. We are having issues with the edit function. We have many clients interested in having the edit option appear in a table. At the moment this does not occur. Are there any extensions or templates that would force an edit (opposite of ) to occur? please e-mail at royalcub@hotmail.com --207.236.147.118 21:24, 17 February 2009 (UTC)

—207.236.147.118 21:24, 17 February 2009 (UTC)