Project:Forum

Proposal: better notices
I humbly ask to improve some system messages. First, simple check in the big and annoying MediaWiki:Copyrightwarning could decrease it's size in half: ∴ AlexSm 16:48, 31 December 2007 (UTC)
 * for «Help» namespace it would say "… Help: namespace … public domain … check Project:Copyrights",
 * for other namespaces it would say " … GFDL … check Project:Copyrights"

Since we have an established system of subpages for translations (Project:Language policy), at least for «Help» namespace, MediaWiki:Newarticletext should check (with #titleparts) whether it a subpage, and then display something like "This translation is not available yet, please see English help page at …". Otherwise, when I translate something, I have to avoid red links to other future translations, and simply use links to English versions for now ∴ AlexSm 16:48, 31 December 2007 (UTC)

Another note: any user who switched interface language will not see some important warnings (for example, will see standart GFDL notice) even on PD Help pages. These warnings need to be translated to appropriate interface subpages MediaWiki:Copyrightwarning/fr, MediaWiki:Copyrightwarning/de, etc. ∴ AlexSm 16:48, 31 December 2007 (UTC)


 * Nobody against? Then i replaced english msg to following version... --Kaganer 10:33, 12 May 2008 (UTC)

Hmm, valid points. I guess it would be best to make a list of important messages that really need translation (such as the hints about PD status), and then to ask on Meta for help (there are some fairly active translation coordinators). -- :bdk: 23:00, 29 August 2008 (UTC)

Requested articles?
Both Wikipedia and (English) Wiktionary have places where anybody can request an article to be added. Does MediaWiki.org have such a place?

At Wiktionary we're setting up a dev wiki to work on extensions etc and learning how to set up and use MediaWiki as we go. We just noticed that  doesn't have an article here - so I'd like to request one please. &mdash; Hippietrail 13:56, 12 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Hmm, are you looking for Extension requests? -- :bdk: 23:00, 29 August 2008 (UTC)

User JS
Does this site enable user js? I'd like to write a script so that when I click on a link such as "Help:Navigation/vi", it will bring me to title=Help:Navigation/vi&action=edit&preload=Help:Navigation so that I can translate quicker. --Cumeo89 19:34, 18 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Yes, same as on Wikipedia, you just have to create User:Cumeo89/monobook.js, /modern.js or so. -- :bdk: 16:25, 29 September 2008 (UTC)

Local use with EasyPHP?
Hi all. Is there a way to install and use MediaWiki on my computer with EasyPHP?... Klow 17:51, 30 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Please ask such questions on the Support desk (see notes at the top of this page) -- :bdk: 23:00, 29 August 2008 (UTC)

Babel equivalents?
Hi guys, does mw: have any equivalents of the Babel templates used in other sites (e.g. Wikipedia:en:Wikipedia:Babel) to put on your userpage? Thanks! It Is Me Here 13:02, 16 August 2008 (UTC)
 * No. But you can always add a simple note about language or programming abilities to your user page, of course :-) -- :bdk: 23:00, 29 August 2008 (UTC)
 * Alright, thanks. If there isn't a need within the community for people to know the languages you speak, then I won't include information about them. It Is Me Here 18:30, 8 September 2008 (UTC)

How to add dynamic tag to my mediawiki?
moved to Project:Support desk/Sections/Unsorted (see the notes at the top of this page) -- :bdk: 13:56, 4 September 2008 (UTC)

MedaWiki namespace edit request
I’d like to ask a sysop to change MediaWiki:Common.js, so that the Main Page title hiding works in Czech (see [ the current version]):

Change var isViewingMainPage = (/^MediaWiki(\/.+ - MediaWiki)?$/.test(document.title)); to var isViewingMainPage = (/^MediaWiki(\/.+)?$/.test(wgPageName));

(And, possibly, add  before the semicolon.)

Thanks.

P.S. Isn’t there some equivalent of editprotected? (Or, how does one get sysop rights here?) --Mormegil 15:30, 12 September 2008 (UTC)
 * ✅ i Alex  15:43, 12 September 2008 (UTC)

Much better, thanks. --Mormegil 15:49, 12 September 2008 (UTC)

The number of junk pages
This site accumulates more junk pages that even Meta, which is much larger. It seems we have a constant flow of junk pages being created and deleted; see on Recentchanges for yourself. Is the message that is shown at the top of the page when someone clicks "create new page" not clear enough? Should we consider something more drastic to prevent this huge flow? This seems to be a chronic problem that occupies a great amount of admin time, and I think we should look at ways to deal with it. &mdash; Anonymous Dissident  Talk 08:12, 17 September 2008 (UTC)

ExtensionDistributor
It seems we have lost the ExtensionDistributor extension here on mediawiki.org – see missing Special:ExtensionDistributor. --Mormegil 09:43, 23 September 2008 (UTC)
 * The server that hosts the copy of the subversion repo used to generate the archives crashed yesterday, see https://wikitech.leuksman.com/view/Server_admin_log#September_22. i Alex  10:38, 23 September 2008 (UTC)
 * works again now \o/ -- :bdk: 19:08, 24 September 2008 (UTC)

Captcha when user modify a article
Hello, how to put a captcha verification when the user modify a article???

Thanks --IP 5 October 2008
 * Please ask such "questions for help" on the Support desk (see notes at the top of this page) . -- :bdk: 19:46, 12 December 2008 (UTC)

Proposal: Deki Wiki to MediaWiki Converter
I was wondering if anyone knows how to create a Deki Wiki to MediaWiki Converter. Deki Wiki for me has been very complicated, unreliable and unstable but I have close to 2000 articles I need to move over if I want to use Mediawiki --IP 9 October 2008
 * Please ask such "questions for help" on the Support desk (see notes at the top of this page) . -- :bdk: 19:46, 12 December 2008 (UTC)

DPL for Extension Matrix (again!)
I would like to propose that DynamicPageList (DPL for short) be installed on this wiki in order to keep the Extension Matrix updated. This topic has been broached at least twice before, both times in 2007; once was on the forum here, once was on Extension Matrix's talk page. It sounds like the idea may have been dismissed due to server load concerns. It then became moot when DuesenBot started keeping the matrix updated nightly.

DuesenBot has apparently been AWOL for months now, having last updated the Extension Matrix on 11 June 2008. However, DPL now has a parameter allowcachedresults that can help to reduce server strain (and page load time) by allowing the wiki to cache the DPL query's results. Thus, DPL might now be more feasible in terms of server resources, especially in light of the fact that the Extension Matrix is no longer receiving the bot-driven updates that it once benefited from. -- Zawersh 03:56, 16 October 2008 (UTC)

Why I get sometimes ? --144.122.251.18 17:16, 21 October 2008 (UTC)
 * Generally please give more information when you report such issues … where did this happen (which site, which page?), and when did it happen (what exactly did you do before getting this)? -- :bdk: 19:46, 12 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Got the same error on debian etch using standard packages: php5: 5.2.0-8+etch13,...


 * Additionally pages are corrupted after saving. Hope anyone can help.

Installation and setup
Is there anymore out there that can install and setup Mediawiki for me on my server? --KrimsonInc 23 October 2008
 * Please ask such "questions for help" on the Support desk (see notes at the top of this page), or join IRC. -- :bdk: 19:46, 12 December 2008 (UTC)

MediaWiki.de
Hello

I think, we should not wait any longer to outsource the german pages. The german Wikipedia ist the 2nd big Wikipedia. Also MediaWiki.de has this potential.

O.K.?

Bruno Rotondi, Switzerland --BRotondi 09:43, 30 October 2008 (UTC)

Italian version to be amended
Sorry for being so picky, but the Italian version of the fundraising banner quotes Wikipedia as a "no-profit" organization i.o. a "NON-profit" organization". Thanks, Guido 6 November 2008
 * Thanks, this was already noted on Meta and has been fixed in the meantime. Generally please report such issues directly on Meta-Wiki, see Fundraising 2008/core messages. -- :bdk: 19:46, 12 December 2008 (UTC)

Printing a complete article
I need to write a documentation and i suggested it to be written in wikipedia but my colleagues came up with the point that a wiki is not printable fully. (Of course you can print each site, but this would not be so convenient) So is there a possibility to install a plugin or something like this to print a wikipedia by the hierarchy structure? --Patman 7 November 2008
 * Please ask such questions on the Support desk (see notes at the top of this page) . -- :bdk: 19:46, 12 December 2008 (UTC)

Special:RecentChanges - time to first position
How about moving time info in each row at Special:RecentChanges to first position? TechControl 04:02, 9 November 2008 (UTC)
 * the list groups entries by date, so the next logical thing is time
 * time has constant lenght, having constant length values before variable length values makes the list more hamonious/ easier to read (more like a table)


 * Not sure what you mean. In my RC list, the time is at the start of each row. --Swift 14:21, 9 November 2008 (UTC)

Site problem
Is there a problem with the site today (14 Nov)? My two posts from today, are not showing at the bottom of the appropriate the talk page. --84.9.191.165 20:33, 14 November 2008 (UTC)
 * Odd, now the posts have miraculously appeared. Perhaps there was a cache issue. --84.9.191.165 21:06, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

mediawiki.org has no page title
The mediawiki.org home page has no page name, so the title appears as the just "mediawiki" rather than "Main page - Mediawiki" (or some other variation). What technique does it use to achieve this? --84.9.191.165 10:37, 19 November 2008 (UTC)
 * This is MediaWiki:Pagetitle-view-mainpage, introduced in r38730 (MediaWiki 1.14). i Alex  11:09, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

References a la Wikipedia
So...I haven't made changes to my wiki in a while, and I decided to add an article submitted by a user. When I tried to use citations/reference in the same manner that Wikipedia has them, they did not work (I have version 1.11.1). What can I use for my version that will give me footnotes? --Tsar 24 November 2008
 * Please ask such questions on the Support desk (see notes at the top of this page) -- :bdk: 19:46, 12 December 2008 (UTC)

how to allow "spam" links
hello, my wiki links to a relevant myspace blog, however it is not allowed because wikimedia defaults to setting this as "spam". i'm the admin of the website, so i'm spamming my own website? :S how do i allow these links? --66.158.232.100 01:57, 30 November 2008 (UTC)


 * You can either switch the spam blocking functionality off, or (probably better idea, if the wiki is open to the public) add the specific external link onto the whitelist. See Extension:SpamBlacklist.
 * P.S. This should have gone to Project:Support desk, not here.
 * --Mormegil 14:41, 11 December 2008 (UTC)

How do I block users from registering?
Hello,

How can I block users from registering on my wiki? It's for information not editing.

Please could someone tell me how to block it.

Thanks --IP 12 December 2008


 * 1) Please ask such questions on the Support desk (see notes at the top of this page).
 * 2) I guess you are looking for something like Manual:Preventing access. -- :bdk: 19:46, 12 December 2008 (UTC)

Removing "Contents"-box
Hello,

I searched at mediawiki.org and google, but I can't find out how to remove the "Contents"-box. I love the idea of this box, but I dont need it in every page. Please help me out!

Thanks --dvL 09:19, 18 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Please ask such questions on the Support desk (see notes at the top of this page) --Brian 08:25, 19 December 2008 (UTC)

Adjusting sidebar
Thoughts the following changes? Happy ‑ melon 16:14, 22 December 2008 (UTC)
 * Moving the search bar to the top
 * Removing the external link icons
 * Moving the "recent changes" link to the toolbox
 * Swapping "download" and "support" sections
 * Removing one out of the "view code changes" and "code comments" links
 * Removing one out of the "get MediaWiki" and "download from SVN" links, possibly merging the two target pages


 * No
 * No: not when they really are off-wiki
 * No: edits come in slowly enough that RC is still very useful
 * Maybe
 * Ask a developer (probably Aaron, since he put the second link there)
 * Not unless we want to present SVN as a standard means for getting MediaWiki, rather than a tool for developers and advanced users; SVN simplifies the upgrade procedure enough that this might not be a bad idea, but we should give it more thought —Emufarmers(T 00:32, 23 December 2008 (UTC)
 * Hmn. My point on moving RC is not that it's not useful, but that it's not a reader-facing page: it's designed for editors here. All the other such links on the sidebar are in the toolbox, as expected. I can guess why you don't want to move the search box to the top (although it would be nice if you would explain :D); how about moving it above the toolbox to separate it from the reader-facing links? Happy ‑ melon 13:00, 23 December 2008 (UTC)
 * Strike the sidebar, I only just realised that I'm moving it to the bottom with my monobook :D Happy ‑ melon 15:14, 23 December 2008 (UTC)


 * I'm not sure that the "site" section is necessarily designed to be reader-facing; the community portal link seems more for the benefit of editors. —Emufarmers(T 08:14, 24 December 2008 (UTC)

Extension help
Where should we put help content that relates to extensions? In the Help: namespace, or perhaps in another custom namespace "Extension help:"?? Happy ‑ melon 17:41, 22 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Manual: is fine. —Emufarmers(T 00:33, 23 December 2008 (UTC)
 * That doesn't strike me as very sensible: extension help content should still be licensed to PD, which won't be the case in Manual: namespace. Manual: isn't even where technical data on extensions is kept, that's Extension:... I can't think of any reason to put content like meta:Help:ParserFunctions at Manual:ParserFunctions or somesuch. Happy ‑ melon 15:29, 23 December 2008 (UTC)
 * How about subpages in the "Extension:" namespace? (e.g. Extension:ParserFunction/Installation) – rotemliss – Talk 19:41, 23 December 2008 (UTC)


 * It helps when you explain what "help content that relates to extensions" actually means. :) (Manual: holds documentation on developing extensions.)
 * Documenting lengthy usage instructions using subpages is common practice; is there a compelling reason why we would want to do it another way in this case? ParserFunctions is installed on lots and lots of wikis, to the point where it might seem like core help material, but it's still an extension.  We could document the functions from the extension in Help:Variables and mark them as "functions that may not be available depending on the wiki setup," but I think we're aiming to keep the PD help pages describing an out-of-the-box setup, to the extent that we can. —Emufarmers(T 08:06, 24 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Indeed, which is why I was hesitant to just recreate Help:ParserFunctions. The issue is, as ever, the license; wouldn't we want the extension help pages like meta:Help:ParserFunctions, en:Help:EasyTimeline syntax to be PD so they can be distributed more easily? I'm concerned that if we drop content like this into the Extension: namespace then A) it is likely to get muddled with the 'developer-level' information and be hard to find, B) be difficult to locate and extract from the set of pages in that namespace, and C) be hard to cleanly and easily port of this site. Not everyone will want to link their help documentation here. So my thoughts are that this kind of help content (that is aimed at editors of www.randomwiki.org) needs to be both PD and contained in its own little set such that admins there can come over here, export the whole of our 'standard help', plus the help pages for whichever extensions they've got installed. My immediate reaction is that it would be quickest and cleanest to create another PD namespace, say "Extension help:" so we could have Extension help:ParserFunctions, Extension help:ImageMap, Extension help:Cite, etc.  Another possible solution, either an interim measure or a permanent decision, would be what I've done by creating Help:Extension:ParserFunctions.  Upsides, no need for another namespace, downside slightly confusing page name.  As I say, however, my overriding impression is that this content needs to be public domain. Happy ‑ melon 12:20, 24 December 2008 (UTC)