Editing User talk:Derik

=Archive=
My complete user talk history (including archived years) is viewable at: [[User talk:Derik/Archive]]. 
=[[User_Talk:Derik/2006|2006]] (Archived)=
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* Walky: "Storylinks shouldn't float!"
* Continuity range box (proposal)
* Explicit continuity drilldown (proposal)
* Passive-aggressive edit memos are not good communication
* [[User:Monzo|Monzo]] own the the G2 annual, but hasn't scanned it.
* Derik confirms he's [http://www.grnrngr.com/essay1.html this guy].
}}

=[[User_Talk:Derik/2007|2007]] (Archived)=
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* [[User:Rotty]] demands I be banned because i voted for a different wikia in a poll for a weekly feature.
* Don't post spoielrs from novels
*[[User:Crockalley]] calls my userpic 'the cutest catboy he's ever seen.'
* Screed at people in a series of edit memos is impolite.
*[http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Image:EDC_Zodiac.jpg Autotrooper divisions]
* Derik should remember that is it not other users jobs to fix his opinionated edits.
* Descriptive filenames are better.
}}
=[[User_Talk:Derik/2008|2008]] (Archived)=
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*Don't put templates in categories
*Mosaics are not canon
*Undermining the Wikia adblock.
*''Archive is incomplete due to the [[Project:Bookworm Crash|Bookworm Crash]].''
}}

=2009=

==Post restoration Wikia link clean up==
I recall you telling us last year about something you did that would remove all 250,000-odd links that wikia inserted into every page and every revision of every page. Would you be able to do the same again after we've restored our articles? --[[User:FFN|FFN]] 07:00, 18 March 2009 (EDT)
:I made alterations to the ''import'' script, so they never even ''got'' to our database.  They're ''in'' now, they need to be edited out one by one.
:...I'll look at maybe setting up an edit script.  27,000+ individual edits in history.  JOY.  :p
::Oh, for God's Sake :(  So it needs to be done manually? --[[User:FFN|FFN]] 07:30, 18 March 2009 (EDT)
:::After I saw this (there's really no way to get them out the history?), I looked to see if [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:AutoWikiBrowser|AutoWikiBrowser]] could be used to start zapping the Wikia links - no dice, apparently http://tfwiki.net/w2/api.php is out-of-line with http://en.wikipedia.org/w/api.php and [[wikipedia:Wikipedia_talk:AutoWikiBrowser/User_manual|it needs to be the same]]. - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] 10:59, 18 March 2009 (EDT)

Uhhh... I don't have a webcomic. And my name's not Tim.

:Don't think too hard about it.  I've been calling one of our admins Doug for a year and he never bothered to correct me.  (His name is Alan... I think.) -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 14:42, 23 March 2009 (EDT)

== The Franchise Navigation Templates ==

I figure that as long as I'm going through everything, I might as well update all the templates to the new look, right?

Question, though: Did I assume right that the plain links above the navigation templates are supposed to be links to the continuity families? (Like, it says "Generation 1" above the Generation 1 template, and "Live action film series" above the 2K7 and ROTF ones.) That stumped me a little when I got to the Headmasters template. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 04:34, 24 March 2009 (EDT)
:They are inconsistent.
:The nav above the 2007 movie (pre-crash) should be "ready," in terms of HTML.  IIRC The CSS for the new design was recovered. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 06:01, 24 March 2009 (EDT)
::Well, I already updated the 2K7, ROTF, and G1 navs based on the cache files that used those templates. I just figured that I might as well update the other franchise headers to use the same format while I was at it (I hate pink, what can I say?) but was stumped over how to translate that one bit of the new template. That line in the G1 and movie templates ends up being readable as a continuity family link, so I was wondering if you meant it that way, so I know how to adapt it to other franchises. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 06:43, 24 March 2009 (EDT)

== A FYI ==

http://www.emopanda.com/cleanupbot/ - linked from [[:Category:Cleanup by month]] - needs to be updated to fix ''our'' cleanup count, rather than The Other Place's. [Plus, I suspect it may overwrite the category on the page, so please make sure it leaves it in [[:Category:Wiki cleanup]]. Although I half more than half a mind to just move the subcats from C:CbM to C:WC and save a redundant layer...] - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] 15:58, 27 March 2009 (EDT)
:I don't think it actually updates their account either, it hadn't worked since the Monaco upgrade.
:Hrm... you did just give me an idea though!

And a question: Is it safe to put <nowiki>{{speedy}}</nowiki> on the twelve month templates at the start of [[:Category:Real-world_events_by_day]]? They don't APPEAR to be used, but I'd like to double-check that [[Template:Cal-date]] doesn't use them in any way first. - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] 16:55, 27 March 2009 (EDT)
:Nope!  They're used for navigation!  Clicking on a month in the date nav brings you to the 12-month calendar, because [[July]] redirect to [[Calendar]].  But clicking the "NEXT-MONTH" button takes you to [[Template:August]], which is ''just'' the month of August, unlike [[August]], which is the full 366 day calendar.
:The idea being... if you click next-month, you're looking for a near-ish date.  And if you click on the month itself, you're looking to navigate within the full year.  Separating the two display options out with templates actually does (or at least ''should'') make quickly navigating dates much easier, more "natural" to how people are likely to search dates. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 17:42, 27 March 2009 (EDT)
::Well, could you do something to stop them appearing on [[Special:Unusedtemplates]], if they're actually necessary, then?
::It seems a hellava bodge to be using a template as, in effect, a page - can't you just change the links from (e.g.) <nowiki>[[July]] to [[Calendar|July]]</nowiki> and put the "Templates" in the namespace where they belong? - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] 19:10, 27 March 2009 (EDT)
:::I'll look into it. Part of the reason it's set up like this is simply-- this is the way ti was set up before the crash.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 19:16, 27 March 2009 (EDT)
::::Admittedly I was thinking before the crash that if the Month links on the day pages are getting redirected to the calendar, they should, well, just actually link directly to the calendar. And the months should be actual pages, yes.
::::In fact, is it possible to have noinclude on a regular page? Because then we could have each of the months be a proper regular page with all of the day pages transcluded into it in noinclude tags, then have that page be transcluded where it needs to be in order to show just the calendar part.
::::(Um. When we have time to actually work on this sort of thing, I mean.) --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 20:32, 27 March 2009 (EDT)
:::::This thing you describe is possible...  I will think about it, it'd require some re-jiggering, and at least 320 edits.  (Every day's page would have to have its code changed.)
:::::Tell you what though-- I ''do'' know a way to get the month templates off the Unused templates page! -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 14:01, 28 March 2009 (EDT)

== Hey ==

Since you worked pretty hard on figuring out [[Staff Sergeant Tracy]]'s name , [[Talk:United States Air Force|help me with this]] :) --[[User:FFN|FFN]] 15:33, 7 April 2009 (EDT)

== Bot request ==

I have a Deceptitran request. Could links to "Revelation (comic issue)" please move to "Revelation (War and Peace)" and "Revelation (Dreamwave issue)" to "Revelation (The Dark Ages)"? Thanks! - [[User:Starfield|Starfield]] 21:23, 13 April 2009 (EDT)

{{deceptitran
|from=<nowiki>Revelation (comic issue)</nowiki>
|to=Revelation (War and Peace)
|name= - Starfield 21:23, 13 April 2009 (EDT)
|comment=I have a Deceptitran request. Could links to "Revelation (comic issue)" please move to "Revelation (War and Peace)" and "Revelation (Dreamwave issue)" to "Revelation (The Dark Ages)"? Thanks! - Starfield 21:23, 13 April 2009 (EDT)
}}
{{deceptitran
|from=<nowiki>Revelation (Dreamwave issue)</nowiki>
|to=Revelation (The Dark Ages)
|name= - Starfield 21:23, 13 April 2009 (EDT)
|comment=I have a Deceptitran request. Could links to "Revelation (comic issue)" please move to "Revelation (War and Peace)" and "Revelation (Dreamwave issue)" to "Revelation (The Dark Ages)"? Thanks! - Starfield 21:23, 13 April 2009 (EDT)
}}

== The LongArm of the bot... ==

http://tfwiki.net/w2/index.php?title=Cybertron_Elite_Guard&diff=271888&oldid=267284

Huh? Even besides the fact that it [[Talk:Shockwave (Animated)#Capital A|seems to have been decided]] that the TransWarped credit was an aberration and the page has been reverted to small-a mode... wouldn't it have made more sense to change the link to [[Shockwave (Animated)]] in the first place? - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] 23:11, 15 April 2009 (EDT)
:The bot is automated to detect moves and change links accordingly. Since somebody moved [[Longarm Prime|Longarm Prime]] to [[Longarm Prime|LongArm Prime]] (despite the fact that it was a redirect), the bot acted accordingly. [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 23:43, 15 April 2009 (EDT)
::No, I add them manually.  (I have it scrap the move log for recent moves and choose which ones to add to the queue.)
::I just assumed someone knew what they were doign when they moved LongArm.  Not correct?  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 23:56, 15 April 2009 (EDT)

== In search of a less stupid cleanup tag. ==

A quandary. I'd ''like'' to make the cleanup tag template automatically datestamp if you neglect to specify one, via currentmonthname and currentyear variables, so it ends up in the proper category. However... if I subst those in the template itself, it will be forever April 2009. If I leave them variables, the date the tag was applied will not be preserved. Thoughts?--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 19:05, 21 April 2009 (EDT)
:This thing you say... I do not believe it is possible.  The problem is that {{currentday}} will always be updated when the page re-caches.  You need the page editor to either enter <nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki> or a <nowiki>subst:</nowiki> command for this sort of "expansion" to happen.
:The only solution I've ever thought of would be to have an off-site 'bot monitor pages in a category "Pages with undated..." and make edits to those pages, adding the dates to the templates.  The results wouldn't be perfect, but they'd be more-or-less right.
:But that seems like a LOT of work for the result. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 01:56, 22 April 2009 (EDT)
::I think I may have found the trick:
:::''A less versatile method for multilevel substitution is with a pair of includeonly tags: they can be used to prevent substitution on the page itself, while not having any effect when transcluding the page. Substitution is prevented by having the template call inside these tags. Substitution is also prevented by having one or both tags anywhere in the template call except inside a parameter definition. Thus the tag(s) can be before, inside, or after "subst:", or inside or after the template name. The positions of the two tags only influence the rendering of the template page itself. If the closing tag is put immediately after the opening tag the full wikitext is rendered, e.g.
::::<nowiki>{{<includeonly></includeonly>subst:tc}}</nowiki> is shown as {{<includeonly></includeonly>subst:tc}}''
:::[[wikipedia:Help:Substitution#Includeonly]]
::Plausible?--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 02:21, 22 April 2009 (EDT)
:::I've read this documentation before, and it makes my head hurt.
:::How does that help us? -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 02:27, 22 April 2009 (EDT)
::::On further examination, it doesn't unless the template containing those includeonly tags is ''also'' substituted. Which leaves us no closer. Drat. I shall delve deeper into the nature of transclusion and substitution and pray I don't inadvertently become a cultist of Azathoth.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 02:30, 22 April 2009 (EDT)
:::::The problem is you want to substitute on the page itself-- you want a 'flattened' date.  So that means the editor needs to put in the "subst:."  (Or more simply, a <nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki>,) it can't be optionally assigned by the template if non-present, because that would require the template reaching 'up' into the page it's included on to make changes to the base text. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 02:39, 22 April 2009 (EDT)
We could, I suppose, create something to the effect of <nowiki>{{lazycleanuptag}}</nowiki> which forces substitution and only outputs <nowiki>{{cleanup|{{subst:currentmonthname}} {{subst:currentyear}}|}}</nowiki> ...but that seems like going 'round Robin Hood's barn to get there.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 02:35, 22 April 2009 (EDT)
:And of course misses the point entirely of plunking a date tag in when people forget to do so, the original point of this exercise. It is for the most part ''admitting defeat''.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 02:36, 22 April 2009 (EDT)
::See, I didn't think that was how that worked.  See if you can make that work, with exactly that substitution.  If it does we at least have a starting point. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 02:43, 22 April 2009 (EDT)
:::It does work. In that if I use the includeonly trick on the subst bits in that, and ''also'' subst the shell template itself, said template would then leave in the article text <nowiki>{{cleanup|April 2009}}</nowiki>, being a multi-level substitution as described in the mediawiki help. But, as I said above, it ''only'' works if the template using the includeonly trick is also substituted. The date variables get rendered flat, and the lazy cleanup template also gets reduced to standard wiki text, but any templates it calls aren't substituted, and thus still render as genuine transclusions.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 02:50, 22 April 2009 (EDT)
::::The problem with that approach being that [[wikipedia:Help:Substitution#Forced_substitution|forced substitution]] is pretty much nonexistent, beyond a simple nag message.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 02:56, 22 April 2009 (EDT)

==Bot request for image tagging==
I've noticed that all of the images that haven't had their descriptions restored have the text "Importing image file" instead.  Can we have Deceptitran replace all instances of that phrase in the image namespace with <nowiki>"{{bookworm|5}}"</nowiki>?  I think that'll make that part of the recovery process go much quicker. - [[User:Jackpot|Jackpot]] 18:09, 24 April 2009 (EDT)
:Link me an example file! -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 20:00, 24 April 2009 (EDT)
::[[:Image:Stargatebattles_starscream_and_his_ghost.jpg|Perfect example]].  Oh, and I was thinking about it, and it's probably best to replace the phrase with <nowiki>"{{bookworm|5|Description and copyright info}}"</nowiki> just to make sure it's clear. - [[User:Jackpot|Jackpot]] 20:25, 24 April 2009 (EDT)


==BW Neo Models ==
So, I'm looking for future projects, and BW II / BW Neo seem like likely candidates.  A while back, while we were debating, you posted scans of Deadend http://www.emopanda.com/tmp/deadend_model.jpg that showed several angles.  Do you still have access to that book, and would you be willing/able to make some high quality scans? Also, does the book cover the secondary characters like Survive, Bazooka, Bump, Hydra, Sharp Edge. Randy and Sharp Edge?  --[[User:Jimsorenson|Jimsorenson]] 01:05, 2 May 2009 (EDT)

*[[Beast Wars II Encyclopedia|Beast Wars II Guidebook]]
**Big Convoy (full++)
**Longstickupass (full)
**Break (full)
**Stampy (full)
**Chorada (full)
**Heinrad (full)
**Mach Kick (full)
**Lockbuster (full)
**Randy (full-ish)
**Bump (full)
**Sharpedge (full)
**Survive (full)
**True One (fron + transformation)
**High Council (single shot)
**Magmatron ('''front and magamasaur only''', toy control art for other modes)
**Guildart (full)
**Saberback (full)
**Dead End (full)
**Sling (full)
**Archadis (robot front/back only, toy control art for beast mode)
**Hydra (single shot of robot mode only)
**Hardheaded old fart (full)
**Crazybolt (single shot of robot mode only)
**Bazooka ('''control art for all modes, no character models''')
**Vector Sigma (concept sketch)
**Yukikaze (3 views)
**Fuzzy seal things from episode 3 (front on both characters)
**Yukikaze Shuttle (multiple angles)
**Concept art of CR-chambers
**Hideos Spider Monster from episode 9 (partial model set)
**Star Upper (robot + beast, same model seen on his article now-- I colored it for that.)
**NAVI unit (3 angles + claw detail)
**Killerpunch (illo of his arm shooting only-- no proper models)
*[[Beast Wars Theatrical Special Film Book|Beast Wars II Movie Guidebook]]
**Lio Convoy (full)
**Apache (full)
**Tasmania Kid (full)
**Bighorn (full)
**Scuba/Ikard (full)
**Diver (full)
**Insectrons (Full set, but partially obscured.  I have their colroed character models in another book to recover detail from...)
**Tripledacus (front only + head detail)
**Jointrons ('''low''' resolution, front and beast only)
**Artemis (several angles)
**Moon (rabbit only)
**Galbatron (full+)
**Megastrom (full)
**Starscream (full)
**BBB (full)
**Dirge (full)
**Thrust (full)
**Autorollers x4 (front, back, + 1 isometric vehicle view)
*[[Beast Wars Neo Big Encyclopaedia]] (despite the name, it is small-format)
**Majin Zarak (monster/aircraft)
**Lio Convoy (full)
**Apache (full)
**Tasmania Kid (full)
**Bighorn (full)
**Diver (full)
**Scuba/Ikard (full)
**Taco Tank (full-- with that name you'd think it belonged to the Jointrons...)
**LioJr.Skywarp/Santon/Magnaboss (full)
**Galbatron (full)
**Gigastrom (full)
**Hellscream (full)
**MaxB (full)
**Dirgegun (full)
**Thrustol (full)
**Optimus Primal (full)
**Majin Zarak (full)

That's what I have for BW-era character models...

'''Major stuff missing:''' Killerpunch, all the Seacons (I have the colored models though-- you can see them on their pages on the wiki.)  Some 'sets' are less-than-complete, but might be filled out if you were able to pull lineart back out of the color models.  (I have several guidebooks that include colored models-- usually partially obscured by text but potentially useful.)

I am looking for:
* BWII Manga v 2
* Car Robots encyclopedia (whatever its name is-- there was a mini-guidebook published for car that included a bunch of character models.  I didn't buy it when I had the chance, which I've eternally regretted.)

...that's probably a more complete answer than you expected.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 03:40, 2 May 2009 (EDT)

The [[Beast Wars II Super Encyclopedia]] has ''colored'' models for all the pre-angolmois guys, including the missing Seacons.  (front angles in both modes only)

The Beast Wars Neo Guidebook of Fuckwin has colored models of ''everyone''.  Front angles only again.

Both of these would require some work-- even assuming it's possible to extract lineart from them, they're partially obscured by text and boxes. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 03:56, 2 May 2009 (EDT)

:... aaaaand that is why you kick SO much ass!  It looks like between the art I've already got and these guide books, there is VERY little that's missing.  Thankfully, I've got Killerpunch (one of the few ancillary characters from Neo I do have).  It looks like, assuming you're willing to make some scans / bring some books to Botcon for me to scan, you fill in pretty much all the gaps that I've got.  Generally, I CAN extract lineart from color models when necessary, but it isn't my first choice.  Looks like I'd be interested in: 
::Lockbuster (full)
::Randy (full-ish)
::Bump (full)
::Sharpedge (full)
::Survive (full)
::Hydra (single shot of robot mode only)
::True One (fron + transformation)
::Vector Sigma (concept sketch)
::Fuzzy seal things from episode 3 (front on both characters)
::Concept art of CR-chambers
::Hideos Spider Monster from episode 9 (partial model set)
::Star Upper (robot + beast, same model seen on his article now-- I colored it for that.)
::Gigastrom (full)
::Optimus Primal (full)
::Majin Zarak (full)
:Plus, from [[Beast Wars II Super Encyclopedia]], colored Seacons.  From Beast Wars Neo Guidebook of Fuckwin, colored Hydra and Bazooka.  That would give full model sets for nearly everyone.  Poor Hydra (he's so lonely) and Bazooka may be the only ones who wind up with just fronts.  Ironic, since they'll be more work than the others.

:Do you have my email address?  Cheers!  --[[User:Jimsorenson|Jimsorenson]] 10:38, 2 May 2009 (EDT)
::Actually, I could use better shots of Guiledart's dinosaur mode too. --[[User:Jimsorenson|Jimsorenson]] 11:24, 3 May 2009 (EDT)
:::Ads tot he list.
:::Do you need these toot-sweet, or can it take a few days?  (Just determines how much cleanup work I do.) -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 15:24, 3 May 2009 (EDT)
::::Ideally I'd get it before Botcon.  Thanks for the help.  --[[User:Jimsorenson|Jimsorenson]] 17:21, 3 May 2009 (EDT)

== The New Merge Template ==

...*dies laughing* Is all. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 22:20, 11 May 2009 (EDT)

== Template:Source ==

Trying to get it to match our new copyright tags, and have been mostly successful. Two problems. Trying to flatten out the if statements has met with less than perfect results, and the H2 tag there has forced me to use a bit of a kludge to prevent the TOC from being rendered IN the template. Hoping to get it in the same nice canary yellow and orange color scheme the original box you made for original sources used. Could you have a gander at it?--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 17:28, 12 May 2009 (EDT)

== Revenge of the Fallen books. ==

I can't say as I really think [[Talk:I Am Optimus Prime (Robot Heroes)|this]] is one.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 02:40, 19 May 2009 (EDT)

== mfghrthr54tjtyj6t7kj67k5 ==

Seriously, stop bunging a Merge with Spotlight: Sixshot template on random pages, along with the other drunken stuff you've been doing tonight like the "Quatuar" page. - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] 22:24, 27 May 2009 (EDT)
:I'm practicing for my drunken rampage during Botcon. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 22:36, 27 May 2009 (EDT)

== Earthforce/US timeline ==

:''Note: this is not speculation, the UK Letters page confirm the US timeline is a result o the Timestorm.''
Which issue? - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] 20:18, 28 May 2009 (EDT)
:I lost my notes on the UK Letters Page when my laptop was stolen-- ask Jim Sorrenson, he's researched the letters pages more recently than I.  They say it at least twice.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 20:40, 28 May 2009 (EDT)

== Bot work ==
Task: Scour the Wiki for all the myriard variant spellings of "Toys"R"Us", change them all to Toys"R"Us (no reversed "R", no spaces, standard quotation marks), make the first mention a Wiki link. Leave the [[Toys"R"Us]] page itself alone, especially the introductory paragraph.--[[User:Nevermore|Nevermore]] 16:41, 10 June 2009 (EDT)

Can your bot handle creating links as well as changing them? I was thinking it'd be nice to go through and link up all dates that aren't linked already. Would promote the date pages and make it easier to catch everything that belongs on each date page. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 17:54, 12 June 2009 (EDT)
:There is a concern that blindly linking to anything that looks like a date will cause more trouble than it solves.  What if the text is part of a text link?  For example, in disambigs, it's quite common to say ''in <nowiki>[[Transformers (2007)|the 2007 movie]]</nowiki> portion of the...''
:There is no simple way to prevent it from making a mess of those.  :(  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 22:58, 13 June 2009 (EDT)
::Not the years, the months and days. Like "January 1", "May 15", "August 8", etc. I guess those could show up in links too, but I think it'd be a much rarer occurrance. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 23:08, 13 June 2009 (EDT)
::...potentially.  I'll look into it if Scout ever fixes the pagelisting utility I use to generate a master list. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 01:06, 14 June 2009 (EDT)

==Bot Request ==
I was trying to manually swap out [[Beast (planet)|Beest]] with [[Beast (planet) | Beast]] but the wiki delays have got me down.  Any chance you can bot it? --[[User:Jimsorenson|Jimsorenson]] 14:10, 7 July 2009 (EDT)
:Sure.  When did the spelling change though?  I thought Dreamwave's spelling ruled.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 17:13, 7 July 2009 (EDT)
::Actually, we may well have gotten them all.  Spelling change was by (small) consensus, based on Metrodome and The Ark using the traditional spelling.--[[User:Jimsorenson|Jimsorenson]] 17:23, 7 July 2009 (EDT)
:::Yeah, I'm not really sure why we moved it either. We have a name that doesn't require a parenthetical, which was used in English-language media. It can rightly be considered the English name of the planet. I don't know what moving it to a name that needs a parenthetical gains us.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 17:24, 7 July 2009 (EDT)
::::Avoiding a disambiguation parenthetical shouldn't be a reason for deciding the name of an article-- it leads to stupidity like "All Spark."
::::But yeah... I get Jim's point of "two English-language sources for Beast," but they're both out-fiction sources that're just aping the Japanese name.  (Quality of sources vs. quantity, I guess.)  I prefer Dreamwave's spelling both because it has primacy and because it's less dumb (I'm not fond of Japan's dead-literal names) without really being a 'renaming.'  The fact it removes the need for disambiguation is a plus, but not an active factor.
::::<small>And it's worth pointing out that "Beast (G1)" isn't a very good parenthetical for the Dinobot combiner when Beest has appeared in Dreamwave's Transformers Generation 1 comics.</small>
::::I don't actually care enough to ''contribute'' to that debate, but feel cree to carbon-copy my comments if they seem helpful.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 20:16, 7 July 2009 (EDT)

==The Void==
Seriously, how do you undo that transparency? - [[User:Jackpot|Jackpot]] 01:42, 19 July 2009 (EDT)
:<tt>Opacity:.5;</tt> -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 16:49, 19 July 2009 (EDT)
::I have no idea where that setting is or how you're changing it without it registering in the History, but I do appreciate that you've changed it back.  Thank you.  (As the one who came up with the gag of the page in the first place, I'm a little defensive of it.) - [[User:Jackpot|Jackpot]] 22:12, 21 July 2009 (EDT)
:::It's not on the page-- it's in the sitewide CSS.  I have a [http://emopanda.com/tmp/tfwiki_tmp_global.css rapid-development CSS file] loaded off ''my'' web-space as an include in TFWiki's <tt>common.css</tt> file.  The ideas is that since only admins can edit <tt>common.css</tt> and since I do a fair amount of our template work... I have a file that can be easily edited, so you can make 50-60 changes while testing/developing template code.
:::In ''theory'' you could do this by yourself and then tell people to edit their personal .css file so they could see the changes... but in ''practice'' the result is that only 5 people would ever bother, even for major proposed changes-- and twice that number would look at a proposed template and say "it looks messed up" because they were lacking the .css for 'em.
:::(When Rosh and Jessye were developing styles for Monacobook and the main page, we just threw their code into the temp file so everyone could see it and respond easily.)
:::If something's ''really'' wild and out there, it can be tested using [[User:Derik/kired_tools|Kired Tools]], and is only visible to users who've installed the tools... but KT came later-- and anyway for 90% of stuff the rapid-development file is better-suited.
:::The idea is that ''eventually'' CSS changes, once they're completely solid, will migrate to the central common.css file.  In practice... some of this code has been there for more than a year-- but I don't think I've gone more than 3 days ''without'' making some sort of edit to the file-- either for a new template or to accommodate a minor template tweak someone else wanted.  The "button" code for example (used for the previous/next buttons) has been tweaked slightly with every new template that uses it.  (Eventually I'll probably gut it and we'll get a generalized version made which can migrate to <tt>common.css</tt>.)
:::Oh-- and to answer your question re: the void specifically... you can set styles for ''specific pages''.  The Void was an extreme example.  A much simpler one: our main page doesn't display the redundant "Main Page" title which was competing with the acctual ''site title'' (TFWiki.net) in the visual hierarchy.
:::So yeah... that's basically it.  If you require quick CSS changes or a test you can bug me.  I, in turn, have to be careful and play nice with the <small>demi</small>-godlike power entrusted in me, or I have it taken away.  (I've been warned a couple times about the limits of what I should and shouldn't do.)  Net-net, everyone benefits and TFWiki.net has some of the nicer-looking templates out there.
:::...this is long.  I hope it answers your questions.  The seedy underbelly of TFWiki.net developers, with off-site archives and changes that don't show up in history!  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 13:20, 22 July 2009 (EDT)

::::Oh and before I forgety-- I suggest installing [http://getfirebug.com/ Firebug].  It's awesome-- and it woudl have todl you right away 'where' the code that was baffling you on the void page was coming from.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 13:28, 22 July 2009 (EDT)

== Bot Oddities ==

I've noticed during the SG switch that sometimes, while fixing one link, the bot will at the same time revert a previously changed link ''back'' for some reason. Check out [http://tfwiki.net/w2/index.php?title=Talk%3AMain_Page&diff=345155&oldid=345142 this diff], for instance. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 22:32, 6 August 2009 (EDT)
:The two edits were made to the same page 4 seconds apart.  Probably one was made by the 1-a-minute crontab script and the other was made by the speed-editor (which runs in-browser) and they tripped over one another's feet.  (I'll turn off the 1-a-minute editor.  The in-browser speed editor should force all the edits to execute in sequence instead of parallel.)
:You say 'sometimes,' have you seen it anywhere else?  Normally that would only happen once in a blue moon.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 22:45, 6 August 2009 (EDT)
::Well, sometimes right now, at least, due to the huge volume of link changes we're running. If you go to the Recent Changes page and show the bot edits, and skim down through it, you can see various instances on a number of pages where the size difference is (0) instead of a negative multiple of 13, meaning it fixed one link but reverted another. (Or there's 2 edits, but the size diff is only -13, etc.)
::Here's just [http://tfwiki.net/w2/index.php?title=Shattered_Glass_%28issue%29&action=history one page as an example], you can see the instances where the size doesn't change, and they seem to match up to the quirky reverts. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 22:56, 6 August 2009 (EDT)
:::...great, I'm running up against caching lag then. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 23:28, 6 August 2009 (EDT)

:::::I think when I'm done I'll just re-up all the moved pages "Move all the links again."  Only this time instead of 1,400 links, it'll find maybe 30 loose ones.
:::::Ultimately if I re-architectured the 'bot to do ''all'' the pending relinks on a given page instead of making multiple edits the problem would go away.  I looked at making such a change this afternoon, but the code changes involved were too complicated.  :p  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 23:31, 6 August 2009 (EDT)

==Faction Icons==
Derik, per [[Template_talk:Factions]], trying to swap out the Armada Unicron symbol for the Blendtron Unicron symbol ... how would I do that? --[[User:Jimsorenson|Jimsorenson]] 11:43, 11 August 2009 (EDT)
:That's done on [[template:factions/icons]].--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 11:46, 11 August 2009 (EDT)
::I can't figure out how, just from that link. --[[User:Jimsorenson|Jimsorenson]] 12:26, 11 August 2009 (EDT)
:::Mazenoise got it. Once the cache refreshes, the pages should reflect this.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 12:28, 11 August 2009 (EDT)
::::Thanks.  (Sorry for your real estate, Derik.) --[[User:Jimsorenson|Jimsorenson]] 13:54, 11 August 2009 (EDT)
:::::Eh, no problem.  I point out that [[User:Derik/kired tools|Kired Tools]] adds as 'purge' button @ the top of an article after the 'watch' button, which enables you to force a page to re-cache with a single click.  (''Quite'' useful when making changes to templates... you don't have to wait for them to re-cache to see how the result looks.) -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 16:05, 11 August 2009 (EDT)

== Template numeracy ==

Just curious, is there a simple way to perform operations on a numeric template variable?

That is, if the template has a variable ''x'', can the template be made to spit out x+1 and x-1? And, taking it a stage further, can it be made to spit these out as a fixed number of digits (that is, if x=5, can it be made to spit out x+1 as 06 and x-1 as 04 without any further intervention?) - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] 17:29, 6 September 2009 (EDT)

 <nowiki>{{#pad: {{#expr: 1 + 2}} |4|0}}</nowiki> ''&lt;!-- Pad to 4 characters using "0" the result of the expression
* [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Extension:ParserFunctions Relevant link with more info.]  (This and other useful links can be found in the last section of my userpage.  You want anything called "functions." )-[[User:Derik|Derik]] 17:44, 6 September 2009 (EDT)

::Thanks, I managed to figure out the rest from that :) [It was just to have autogenerated back/forward links on the Marvel cover templates, given that I didn't want to edit 97 pages by hand again and I hadn't been able to figure it out originally. There's still a slight question of styling, but meh, it'll do now] - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] 22:13, 6 September 2009 (EDT)

==Sun Raid==
I posted the audio of Sun Raid on my Yahoo Video page. It was among the requests. Credit to Retro Robot Radio and positive feedback would be appreciated. [http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5920762/15412501] [[Special:Contributions/69.14.142.90|69.14.142.90]] 17:32, 7 September 2009 (EDT

:What a piece of work are you,<br/>
:how noble in reason,<br/>
:how infinite in faculties,<br/>
:in form and moving how express and admirable,<br/>
:in action how like an angel,<br/>
:in apprehension how like a god! -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 18:07, 8 September 2009 (EDT)
::Thanks, I just meant give it 5 stars in the Yahoo Video ratings and maybe say "thanks for posting this" in the user comments on that page. I'd been searching for Sun Raid for ages. I think I just need the audio for Decepticon Hostage now. [[Special:Contributions/207.181.17.24|207.181.17.24]] 16:58, 9 September 2009 (EDT)

==I guess this is a job for the bot==
Transfans.net relocated to transfans.co.uk lately, there's a thread about it here: http://transfans.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=112756 - we have a bunch of links to their scans of the UK comic letters pages, so we'll need to sort them before the redirects go away. Cheers, [[User:Emvee|Emvee]] 14:07, 15 September 2009 (EDT)

== Navmenu Work in Progress ==
[[User:Jeysie/Navmenu]]

Sorry I'm taking so long on it, but I can only wrestle with IE for so long before I want to start kicking things, and my cat doesn't deserve that.

(And yeah, I know the design is ugly... that's not my strong point. I figure once the functionality's done, the design can be tweaked.)

(...wait, why did I name this "navmenu"? It's not a freaking navmenu. Oh well, whatev.) --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 19:09, 25 September 2009 (EDT)

:Uh, why include {{tl|HMcover}}, {{tl|MarvelUScover}} and {{tl|MarvelG2cover}}? They're all done - there's only 4, 80 and 13 (respectively) of each and they're all uploaded in the right places (unlike the Marvel UK covers, where 91 covers need moved for naming errors [[:Image:Desert island risks.jpg|large]] and [[:Image:MarvelUK-319.JPG|small]]. Also, someone needs to figure out the UK copyright situation on them enough to write {{tl|MarvelUKcover}} and {{tl|MarvelUKinterior}}.). Even if you wanted to upload a new version, you wouldn't need to insert those templates all over again.
:[And I can't tell, since I don't have the JS plugins/etc - does the code just spurt out stuff like <font face="monospace"><nowiki>{{MarvelUSinterior}}</nowiki></font>, or does it include the variables? And if this is for file ''uploading'', why {{tl|badimage}} and the replacedimage template?) - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] 19:34, 25 September 2009 (EDT)
::Because I just grabbed every single template in the Image Templates category. I don't actually know if all of those templates are useful or not, I was just interested in the core functionality of the thing. Since the HTML code is just a simple list, those folks who do know what is and isn't useful can easily remove (or add) stuff as needed.
::And, right now all it does is insert the basic template code itself sans variables, using the same wiki code that the Edit Tools bit uses. Derik will have to add back in the JS, as I don't know jack about JS. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 19:43, 25 September 2009 (EDT)
It spurts out the same code test that is displayed.  If we convert the template to javascript (which, to be fair, can be done AFTER the design) we can re-rig it so that it spits out the template WITH all the variables listed and ready to be filled in to make it easier to use.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 19:23, 26 September 2009 (EDT)
:Re: your Internet Explorer questions... do they perhaps relate to IE not properly registering mouseover events on objects other than A's? -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 19:48, 26 September 2009 (EDT)
::No, IE7 can handle that (at least, it can in the test case... I'm hoping that the wiki's DOCTYPE and whatnot won't screw with it somehow), and there's a relatively easy tweak known as "behaviors" that can duplicate the functionality in IE6. It's more just IE being irritating in how it handles general display compared to FF and Opera, especially when you're fooling around with <tt>position:absolute</tt>. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 19:52, 26 September 2009 (EDT)
:::<nowiki>*shrug*</nowiki>  IE's stupidity has mostly gone unconscious for me-- I've spent a decade dealing with it.  Most of the time I code on Firefox now, and go back and fix any display issues... but that only works because I automatically avoid the types of conflicts that cause IE's worst problems, so no fundamental re-coding it needed, just tweaks. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 19:56, 26 September 2009 (EDT)
::::Yeah, I usually try to avoid the more problematic stuff too, but there's no getting around using position when doing CSS menus. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 20:00, 26 September 2009 (EDT)

== Note to self... ==

As of {{now|15:34, 20 October 2009 (EDT)}} there are 34,321 pages and 3,229 reirects on the wiki. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 15:34, 20 October 2009 (EDT)

==Another bot request==

Is it somehow possible to have Deceptitran add [[:Category:Images by Nelson Yomtov]] to every Marvel US image? -[[User:Mazenoise|Mazenoise]] 06:38, 27 October 2009 (EDT)
:Hmmm... do they all share a common category?  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 07:22, 27 October 2009 (EDT)
::Well, there's [[:Category:Marvel US interior images]], which would make this a lot simpler than I thought. The only thing remaining after that would be to hunt down all those images that don't have the {{tl|MarvelUSinterior}} template on them.. -[[User:Mazenoise|Mazenoise]] 07:30, 27 October 2009 (EDT)
::::Working on it. - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] 11:21, 27 October 2009 (EDT)
:::er- you realize that we have 2,283 images on the wiki with NO description other than "Importing Image File"?  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 08:25, 27 October 2009 (EDT)
::::Could you ''post'' that list somewhere, by any chance? - [[User:SanityOrMadness|SanityOrMadness]] 11:21, 27 October 2009 (EDT)
:::::I'm running some DB queries on my own server now related to it.  (I also want to catch all the images whose description is ""; a totally blank page.)
:::::Once ''that's'' in place, ''then'' I'm going to re-code the 'bot (it's currently broken) into something more robust which can better handle our needs (Deceptitran 1.0 would stubbornly refuse to fix some links, wouldn't fix the in-template pagelinks we use, etc.) and use it to flag all the problem images.
:::::You know-- in between doing 6 ''other'' things, like working out a proposal for a total re-think on infobox layout, and a template for ad-hoc category tagging articles related to maintenance projects, writing a generic content-syndication script... -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 12:13, 27 October 2009 (EDT)
::::Would it be easy enough to make the bot just go through changing "Importing Image File" (and the blank pages) to {{tl|Bookworm}} for now? - [[User:Magnus Maximus|Magnus Maximus]] 15:23, 27 October 2009 (EDT)
:::::That's essentially what I've got planned, yes.

== Trolls ==

I read your essay on trolls a while back, and I thought it was one of the most concise and clear explanations of troll behavior in a wiki setting that I've seen. If it's okay with you, I'd like to present it as an unofficial essay on the wiki's I work on (obviously crediting you). So
#Is that fine with you?
#Could you provide a link to the original essay, both for crediting and because I'm stupid and can't find it.

Thanks![[User:KrytenKoro|KrytenKoro]] 14:17, 7 November 2009 (EST)
:Sure, is it the "agree to disagree is not collaborate understanding" rant around Soundwave's profile you're looking for?  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 06:21, 11 November 2009 (EST)
::Oh man, I just realized I never replied to this. I apologize for my rudeness; yes, it was the one about Soundwave's profile.[[Special:Contributions/68.58.56.172|68.58.56.172]] 01:11, 9 December 2010 (EST)

== Year subpages ==

As I've been filling out the year pages, I've noticed that very few of the "subpages" for the year pages have been filled out. And those that have been filled out, don't seem to contain any information that isn't already found on the main year pages. What was the intent of those pages? As is, they seem redundant. --[[User:Tigerpaw28|Tigerpaw28]] 16:16, 15 November 2009 (EST)
:Trash 'em!  We've struggled to figure out what to do with the "year" pages.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 06:00, 21 November 2009 (EST)
::Ok. You're only saying to trash the subpages, I hope? I think the year pages are still valuable as lists of what was released that year. And by the by, have you seen what I did with [[1985]] or [[1986]] yet? --[[User:Tigerpaw28|Tigerpaw28]] 12:59, 21 November 2009 (EST)
:::Yeah, there was this sort of vague idea that the year pages ought to be highly structured... but it just hasn't worked out in practice (no one does the work) to the year pages have languished.  If they're finally turning ''into'' something then by all means feel free to trash those early experiments and impose the '''working''' structure. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 15:55, 21 November 2009 (EST)

== Suite template ==

I made a minor tweak to the suite template, which I've currently got at [[User:Abates/suitetest]].  The reason for it is because the suite template as it's currently engineered seems to generate bogus entries in the WantedPages list for "Optimus Prime (G1)/Merchandise/suite" and so on.  As you're the resident template guru, I thought I'd better check with you before storming ahead and implementing it, in case there was some drawback I hadn't thought of with regards to the way I've done it.  The only problem I can think of offhand is if it's used on an article with a / in it, for instance if we had "Transformers/G.I. Joe/Gallery". --[[User:Abates|abates]] 19:57, 9 December 2009 (EST)

==Bot request - redirects cat==
;Disregard.
<s>Now that you've got D'tran back up and working, could you possibly ask him to add any and all redirect pages into Category:Redirects to stop them clogging up [[Special:Uncategorizedpages]], please? - [[User:Magnus Maximus|Magnus Maximus]] 04:05, 11 December 2009 (EST)</s>
:I'm confused - I don't see any redirects in the Uncategorized Pages list! --[[User:Abates|abates]] 04:31, 11 December 2009 (EST)
::You know what? You're right. I must be thinking of something else, but I can't think what it is. Ignore me. - [[User:Magnus Maximus|Magnus Maximus]] 04:43, 11 December 2009 (EST)
:::I probably SHOULD do that with all the recursive redirect templates though... -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 13:18, 29 December 2009 (EST)

== Rounded corners stuff ==
Thought I'd mention the little thing that the next version of Opera will support the <tt>border-radius</tt> property (since IIRC we just have FF & Safari's proprietary rounded border properties). IE still sucks, of course. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 09:13, 22 December 2009 (EST)
:Ayep, Opera 10.5 definitely has rounded border support. I added tweaks of all of the border-radius things I could find to [[User:Jeysie/monacobook.css|my personal CSS]]. --[[User:Jeysie|Jeysie]] 15:15, 8 March 2010 (EST)

=2010=

==PSX Transmetals==
Hey, Derik. The Playstation version of the Transmetals fighting game won't emulate on my machine. Would you be able to get shots of the player 2 color schemes for the various characters in it, like you did Windrazor? (Is there really only one secondary color scheme per character in the PS version? The N64 game went crazy with 'em. I still need to finish screenshotting those...) -- [[User:Monzo|Monzo]] 08:47, 26 January 2010 (EST)

:[http://emopanda.com/tmp/transmetals/ This] is a page I was working on in 2003 documenting the Tranemetals game which I never got finished.  You can download [http://emopanda.com/tmp/transmetals/transmetals.rar a rar of the whole directory here], which includes full-res TGA's of my master screenshots (well, most of 'em.  It's kinda a mish-mash.)
:Have at thee!  You're free to use anything there!  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 11:23, 26 January 2010 (EST)

== Question ==

I don't suppose you know if there's a way to reskin a particular page, and only that page? I'm trying to do that on another wiki. --[[User:-Blackout-|-Blackout-]] 08:58, 15 February 2010 (EST)
:Every page on a wiki has a unique class associated witht he base &lt;BODY&gt; element based on its name.  For the main page, this class is "page-Main_Page"
:So to hide the page title on the main page (which would otherwise supurfulously read "Main Page," and our analytics indicated were causing users to think they were not truly at the siteroot) we use the following css:
<pre>.page-Main_Page .firstHeading {
     display:none;
}</pre>

I hope that's helpful!  You cna find the class-identifier from a page by viewing the source or (easier IMO) using the Firebug extension.  (But if you're not a developer, the Firebug extension may be confusing.)  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 22:56, 15 February 2010 (EST)

:Sorry, but that makes no sense. You see, I'm trying to do something similar to what you were trying to do with [[Shattered Glass (franchise)]] at one point. --[[User:-Blackout-|-Blackout-]] 03:48, 16 February 2010 (EST)
:: <tt>.page-Shattered_Glass_franchise</tt>.
::It's a css class that is assigned to the document root dynamically by the mediawiki software which reflects the name of the page.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 03:52, 16 February 2010 (EST)
:::Right.
:::Sorry, but I'm kinda stuck with the Monaco skin right now, and this stubbornly refuses to work. The closest I ever got was accidentally turning all the text on the target page white. --[[User:-Blackout-|-Blackout-]] 04:37, 16 February 2010 (EST)
::::Have you tried hitting it?  Try hitting it. -- [[User:Semysane|Semysane]] 04:51, 16 February 2010 (EST)
:::::Assuming you're working with your personal styles page...
:::::Many default mediawiki styles are flagged with the "do not override" debug-code.  This is terrible practice, but they did it, not us.  Many others are id-prefixed (which gives them precedence.)  This is '''good''' practice.  Both are annoying.
:::::Try something like <tt>.page-Shattered_Glass_franchise #content h1.firstHeading</tt> (where .firstHeading is whatever class you're trying to affect.  More specific rules has precedence, so adding the tag to the class may help too.)  If it's still un-cooperative you can use the debug code in the rule.  <tt>background-color:pink !important;</tt>.
:::::This, incidentally, is why I use Firebug; it shows you what rules are overriding what. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 10:43, 16 February 2010 (EST)
::::::Actually, I'm working with the main .css file (One of the perks of being an <s>almighty god</s> admin.) --[[User:-Blackout-|-Blackout-]] 12:58, 16 February 2010 (EST)
:::::::By "main" I assume you mean common.css, not the skin base file.  (IIRC the skin file requires FTP access to change.)
:::::::What are you trying to do?  Maybe I can help.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 16:10, 16 February 2010 (EST)
::::::::I'm actually stuck with Wikia, so I'm working with MediaWiki:monaco.css.
::::::::Anyway, I'm (pretty much) running a wiki about a text-based RPG on a forum you have most likely never heard of before, and we just introduced a mirrorverse. 
::::::::I'm trying to change the skin's colours (which are maroon-ish and grey, if that helps), to light blue and slightly darker gray, thus giving an "inverted colours" appearance" on that page and that page only. If it's possible to reverse the link colours too (blue links are red, red links are blue), that would be nice. --[[User:-Blackout-|-Blackout-]] 04:57, 17 February 2010 (EST)
:::::::::shift-refresh to clear your cache if you're not seeing the colors.
<pre>.page-User_talk_Derik #content{
	background-color:#cccccc !important;
}


.page-User_talk_Derik #content a.new{
	color:#5A3696 !important;
}

.page-User_talk_Derik #content a{
	color:#CC2200 !important;
}</pre>

:::::::::The basic principle involved should be clear enough.  Let me know when you've seen this so I can remove it from TT1's master CSS file.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 23:28, 18 February 2010 (EST)
::::::::::I have it. --[[User:-Blackout-|-Blackout-]] 03:02, 19 February 2010 (EST)
:::::::::::And, quite annoyingly, it is still not working. --[[User:-Blackout-|-Blackout-]] 07:25, 19 February 2010 (EST)
::::::::::::Install the [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1843 firebug plugin].  Use it to highlight the affected element.  It will show you which CSS rules apply to that element, and which are overriding each other.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 20:27, 20 February 2010 (EST)

==GoBot Wiki spam==
FYI: Your user page and a couple of others on [http://gbwiki.covertutopia.com/wiki/Main_Page GoBots wiki] has been spammed. - [[User:Starfield|Starfield]] 12:38, 15 February 2010 (EST)

== Your userpage ==

When did this wiki get horribly fused with the wiki where I actually ''am'' an admin and have access to the site css? :)

(No, really. Fix that when you get around to it.) --[[User:-Blackout-|-Blackout-]] 11:30, 20 February 2010 (EST)

== Bot Request ==

:We need to nuke all the sub-categories in Category:Functions named "foo specialist". --[[User:FortMax|FortMax]] 12:46, 11 March 2010 (EST)

== common_tmp.css versus the css on emopanda ==

Hey! [[User:Derik/Common tmp.css]] and tfwiki_tmp_global.css on emopanda are both included in common.css at the moment.  I would have simply removed one as mostly they're duplicates of each other, but it looks like you'd added stuff (e.g. the feed icons) to your emopanda copy which isn't in common_tmp.css.  Should I move the new styling into common_tmp.css and remove the emopanda file from common.css? --[[User:Abates|abates]] 17:00, 11 March 2010 (EST)

== emopanda malware warning. ==

I'm getting a malware warning off emopanda when I load the site in chrome (I had to remove the call to the css file on there from common.css). The warning I got linked to [http://safebrowsing.clients.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site=http://emopanda.com/&client=googlechrome&hl=en-US this page] so you can check it out. --[[User:Abates|abates]] 04:38, 29 August 2010 (EDT)
:...odd.  I wonder if my host got infected?  I haven't touched a thing on the site.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 18:28, 7 September 2010 (EDT)

== Request for info ==

Hey there, I'm Dr Ishmael, an admin at GuildWiki.  We are currently in the planning stages of leaving Wikia, and you were mentioned as a good resource to contact for advice on the technical details of this process.

Specifically, it was mentioned that when TFwiki moved, you initially had a form of cross-site authentication in place so that Wikia users could re-register their usernames here with the same password.  I was wondering if you could give me any specifics on how that was implemented (I've written similar code before in Perl, so I'm familiar with the idea), or even if you still had the code lying around that you could send me.

If you have any additional advice about this or any other aspect of moving a wiki, we would certainly appreciate the help.  Feel free to [[Special:Emailuser/Dr ishmael|email me]] directly or [[Wikia:c:guildwars:User:Dr ishmael|contact me at GuildWiki]].  Thanks!  [[User:Dr ishmael|Dr ishmael]] 13:35, 1 October 2010 (EDT)

: A friendly anon posted at GuildWiki to direct me to your LJ posts about the move.  I think they cover everything I had questions about so far.  However, Wikia is now using a fancy AJAX-based login page (Special:Signup) and I don't know if Special:UserLogin still functions or not (going to the URL just redirects to Special:Signup, but it might still accept POST requests).  If I run into any problems adapting the code for the new login page, I may be back with more questions.  [[User:Dr ishmael|Dr ishmael]] 15:28, 1 October 2010 (EDT)
::Good luck!  It's kinda cool to see other people telling Wikia where they can shove it. -- [[User:Semysane|Semysane]] 16:03, 1 October 2010 (EDT)

:::I'm a bureaucrat at the Might and Magic Wiki which is also in the process of telling Wikia where "it" belongs and moving elsewhere. Love the new interface here and its strong resemblance to Monaco: I wanted to ask whether it would be considered a violation of any laws/goodwill if we shamelessly copy it as a template (and if so, whether we could inquire about related technical help around here during the transfer)? Thanks! --[[User:Dubiel|Dubiel]] 18:15, 23 October 2010 (EDT)

=2011=

== Monaco-book skin ==

Hi! I am User:KrytenKoro at kingdomhearts.wikia.com, and we recently moved to khwiki.net . We are trying to install monaco, but our host said that wikia's version is too buggy to use, so we wanted to use tfwiki's monaco-book as an alternative. From what I can tell, you worked on that skin some, and I was hoping that you could help our host ([http://khwiki.net/User_talk:porplemontage here]) get that installed. If there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask, and if I'm bugging the wrong person, I apologize. Thanks! [http://kingdomhearts.wikia.com/wiki/User_talk:KrytenKoro KrytenKoro]14:23, 9 February 2011 (EST)
:You want to ask [[User:Rosicrucian]] about that.
:(I imagine we're fine with it-- we internally refer to our skin as "Monacobook" because it's a deliberate hybrid.)  But Ros is the guy who did all the heavy lifting putting the skin together, so you'd want to ask him for guidance. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 18:47, 10 February 2011 (EST)
::Our skin took kind of a weird path to get here. The stuff that went into it ''started'' as me futzing around with reskinning Monaco, then when it became obvious that too much of Monaco was tied into weird Wikia specific stuff, I shifted to reskinning Monobook. The thing to realize about coming up with mediawiki skins is that really all it takes is some basic knowledge of CSS and enough spare time to throw up a working file in your userspace and bang away at it until you get something you like. Really, I haven't ''radically'' changed anything in Monobook, and CSS files are pretty human-readable on purpose. I mean seriously, I think maybe the most "different" thing we did was applying patterns to the various header bars and finding a way to substitute graphics in the place of the sidebar header text. If you mean just straight-up "how to install skins in MediaWiki" there is actually [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Skins/From_Meta a very good tutorial] on that already in the MediaWiki documentation. As I don't think I did anything too special with our skin, I personally don't have much qualms if you appropriate the basic structure and make it your own. Just familiarize yourself with what a CSS file looks like, and bear in mind the stuff I did is going to point rather obviously to assets on this server, so your own reskinned version will of course have to substitute new graphics and their respective paths in.--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 23:00, 10 February 2011 (EST)
:::Thanks![[Special:Contributions/12.53.10.226|12.53.10.226]] 18:49, 17 February 2011 (EST)
::::I feel kind of stupid for asking this, but where is your actual monacobook code?[[User:KrytenKoro|KrytenKoro]] 15:10, 22 February 2011 (EST)
:::::[http://tfwiki.net//w2/skins/monacobook/tt1.css Here].--[[User:Rosicrucian|Rosicrucian]][[User Talk:Rosicrucian|<sup>Talk</sup>]] 23:03, 26 February 2011 (EST)

== Template:Disbox? ==

Hey, Derik, is Template:Disbox actually in use for anything?  I'm trying to clean up Uncategorized Templates.  [[User:JW|JW]] 09:55, 13 February 2011 (EST)
:It's a legacy of a proposed change to how the disambig pages were done.
:Feel free to trash it. -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 20:28, 13 February 2011 (EST)

==Camera==
Love you Derik. [[User:Antimatter|Antimatter]] 19:37, 19 July 2011 (EDT)

== Robot Masters online comic ==

Would you happen to have the last three chapters of it? [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 14:01, 27 July 2011 (EDT)
:I don't know how the chapters break... I have 26 pages, does that help?
:[http://www.megaupload.com/?d=R05AMS85 Here's everything I have from Robotmasters.]
:(I think I'm gonna limit myself to talk pages for awhile.) -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 15:32, 27 July 2011 (EDT)
::26 should be the right number (two pages per chapter). Thank you! [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 16:04, 27 July 2011 (EDT)
:::Glad I could be helpful!  Does this mean there is going to be coverage for the RM comics?
:::Please let me know if the red thing Victory Leo emerges from is the Bloody Zone, will you?
:::Also, it occurs to me that even if we're holding off on the unsubbed BWII/Neo episodes for accuracy, we could probably manage 1-sentence summaries on top and cast lists.  Make the articles less spare and at least slightly useful.
:::(Uh, I'm not suggesting you to do that, I'm just thinking aloud.) -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 16:25, 27 July 2011 (EDT)
::::Well, I've increased the amount of information on [[Robot Masters (online manga)|the individual pages]], but they still lack synopses because I'm uneasy about making them when I have little clue what the characters're saying (not to mention the accompanying [[User:Lonegamer78/Sandbox#Robot_Masters_online_comic_text_portions|prose]]).
::::The panel you're talking about is artistic license to show Victory Leo having an internal dialogue; it's not literal, as is also indicated by the giant floating head. That's common to Japanese media. (He's also, uh, already there.) The only visual example of the Blastizone I've found is [[:Image:Robot Masters comic Blastizone.jpg|this]]. [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 16:46, 27 July 2011 (EDT)
:::::What's the onomatopoeia?  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 03:59, 28 July 2011 (EDT)
::::::There doesn't appear to be any mention of the Blasty Zone by name anywhere in the comics. (mind you, I mostly skimmed through looking for the proper katakana) The onomatopoeia used for Primal's appearance appears to be "Buon". --[[User:Detour|Detour]] 04:08, 28 July 2011 (EDT)
:::::::I mention because ''other'' than the Bleed (which seems to share certain attributes with Bloody Zone) I always thought the Blasty Zone sounded like a Boom Tube.  Among a Boom Tube's other attributes... it ''changes the size''' of anything that travels through it to fit the local environments.  (Giants come through human-sized and vice-versa.)
:::::::I'm not even ''beginning'' to suggest any connection there-- I just think it's funny.  :)  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 04:34, 28 July 2011 (EDT)

===Maybe useful website?===
Just so you don't have to strain your eyes when looking at blurry kanji, [http://xeel.aikotoba.jp/storage/index.html this site] has a [http://xeel.aikotoba.jp/storage/bwn/glossary.html glossary of BWN stuff]. It's... pretty much the only site I've found that goes in any depth about BWII and BWN. [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 04:40, 4 August 2011 (EDT)
:Kersweet!  Matching kanji when it doesn't OCR will be ''much'' easier than trying to figure out the radical combinations.  Thanks !?''!'' -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 04:44, 4 August 2011 (EDT)

== Bot test ==

I wonder how this handles:
* [[トランスフォーマー カーロボッ|multibyte link]]
* [[Petro-Rabbit|トランスフォーマー カーロボッ]] - multibyte visible
* [[トランスフォーマー カーロボッ|トランスフォーマー カーロボッ]] - multibyte both
* [[トランスフォーマー カーロボッ]] simple multibyte link
* {{storylink|Petro-Rabbit|トランスフォーマー カーロボッ}} - multibyte storylink
* {{storylink|トランスフォーマー カーロボッ|トランスフォーマー カーロボッ}} - multibyte both
* {{storylink|トランスフォーマー カーロボッ}} simple multibyte storylink
-[[User:Derik|Derik]] 20:46, 20 October 2011 (EDT)

==Redirect fix list for bot==
:Matrix Quest (Marvel) - Matrix Quest
:Dark Designs (episode) - Dark Designs
:Showdown (episode) - Showdown
:Dark Star (issue) - Dark Star
:All Fall Down (issue) - All Fall Down
:Primal Scream (issue) - Primal Scream
:Fallen Angel (issue) - Fallen Angel
:Time Wars (issue) - Time Wars
:Way of the Warrior (issue) - Way of the Warrior
:The Best of Simon Furman - The Transformers: The Best of Simon Furman
:Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron - The Transformers: Greatest Battles of Optimus Prime and Megatron
:Best of Optimus Prime - The Transformers: Best of Optimus Prime
:All Hail Megatron - The Transformers: All Hail Megatron
:The Arrival - Transformers Animated: The Arrival
:The Ascending - Transformers: Beast Wars: The Ascending
:Beast Wars Sourcebook - Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook
:Defiance - Transformers: Defiance
:Destiny - Transformers: Destiny
:Escalation (IDW) - The Transformers: Escalation
:Evolutions - The Transformers: Evolutions
:The Gathering - Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering
:Foundation - Transformers: Foundation
:Infiltration - The Transformers: Infiltration
:Last Stand of the Wreckers - The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers
:Maximum Dinobots - The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots
:Megatron Origin - The Transformers: Megatron Origin
:Movie Adaptation - Transformers: Movie Adaptation
:Movie Prequel - Transformers: Movie Prequel
:Nefarious - Transformers: Nefarious
:The Reign of Starscream - Transformers: The Reign of Starscream
:Balancing Act (issue) - Balancing Act
:Revenge of the Fallen (comic series) - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation
:Rising Storm - Transformers: Rising Storm
:Saga of the Allspark - Transformers: Saga of the Allspark
:Spotlight (comics) - The Transformers: Spotlight
:Stormbringer (comics) - The Transformers: Stormbringer
:Target 2006 (IDW) - The Transformers: Target: 2006
:Tales of the Fallen - Transformers: Tales of the Fallen
:Devastation (IDW) - The Transformers: Devastation
:Claster - Claster Television
:Headmasters (comic) - The Transformers: Headmasters
:Generation One (Dreamwave comic) - Transformers: Generation 1 (Dreamwave) 
:The War Within - Transformers: The War Within
:War Within: The Dark Ages - Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages
:War Within: The Age of Wrath - Transformers: War Within: The Age of Wrath
:Makoto (Stargate Battles) - Makoto (Star Gate)
:The Cool - Transformers Animated: The Cool
:The Stargate Battles (issue) - The Battle of the Star Gate

Not all of them, but sizable enough to take a while. Additions are forthcoming. [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 05:29, 28 October 2011 (EDT)
:<tt>BOT: replacing (1) links to "The Gathering" with "Transformers: Beast Wars: The Gathering"</tt> — should be  [[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering]] with a comma, not a colon. --[[User:Abates|abates]] 06:59, 4 November 2011 (EDT)
::But that looks silly! -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 21:50, 4 November 2011 (EDT)
:::The comma only applies to The Gathering, not The Ascending. (Blame the indicia.) [[User:Interrobang|—Interrobang]] 22:39, 4 November 2011 (EDT)
::::I remember when indicia was something we used to make formal titles ''better'', not worse.  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 01:59, 5 November 2011 (EDT)

:I think Deceptitran might need some tweaking when it comes to storylinks [http://tfwiki.net/w2/index.php?title=Herald_of_Unicron&diff=658987&oldid=636642] It's turning <nowiki>{{storylink|Y}}</nowiki> into <nowiki>{{storylink|X|Y|}}X|</nowiki> in some places. --[[User:Abates|abates]] 03:57, 7 November 2011 (EST)
::...fucking hell.  IT'S the  SAME DAMN CODE it's had for 3 years!  Why would it...?
::Has it been doing it all over?  I am very confused by this.
::''*sigh*''  Anyway, it's not running now.  I'm going to be gone for a day or two, I'll look at it then.  I'm sorry man.  :(  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 04:05, 7 November 2011 (EST)
:::Hey, it could have been worse - there's no data loss after all! (though with the amount of backups we have, even that wouldn't have been a problem) --[[User:Abates|abates]] 05:17, 7 November 2011 (EST)
::::Was it just that BW link it was doing it on?  -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 10:48, 7 November 2011 (EST)
:::::Unfortunately no. Looks like it was anywhere a title was in a storylink. I fixed a bunch of War Within storylinks last night. --[[User:Abates|abates]] 13:53, 7 November 2011 (EST)
::::::$%^&*(  How long has it been doing that for?!  I know it wasn't last week.
::::::''*sigh*'' This is probably a result of changes to make it work on links within templates.  But they shouldn't affect storylinks!
::::::I'll probably just roll the entire 'bot back to a previous version.  (Assuming I can find where I ''put'' the previous version.) -[[User:Derik|Derik]] 19:48, 7 November 2011 (EST)