Help:Editing

This page is copied directly from the English Wikipedia. Some examples may seem out of place, but the wikitext formatting remains the same. For the full document, see Wikipedia's editing help page.

Basic text formatting

What it looks like	What you type
You can emphasize text by putting two apostrophes on each side. Three apostrophes will emphasize it strongly. Five apostrophes is even stronger.	You can ''emphasize text'' by putting two apostrophes on each side. Three apostrophes will emphasize it '''strongly'''. Five apostrophes is '''''even stronger'''''.
A single newline has no effect on the layout. But an empty line starts a new paragraph.	A single newline has no effect on the layout. But an empty line starts a new paragraph.
You can break lines without starting a new paragraph. Please use this sparingly.	You can break lines<br> without starting a new paragraph.<br> Please use this sparingly.
You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: Three tildes gives your user name: Detour Four tildes give your user name plus date/time: Detour 11:42, 9 September 2009 (EDT) Five tildes gives the date/time alone: 11:42, 9 September 2009 (EDT)	You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: : Three tildes gives your user name: ~~~ : Four tildes give your user name plus date/time: ~~~~ : Five tildes gives the date/time alone: ~~~~~
You can use HTML tags, too, if you want. Some useful ways to use HTML: Put text in a typewriter font. The same font is generally used for computer code. Strike out or underline text, or write it in small caps. Superscripts and subscripts: x2, x2 Invisible comments that only appear while editing the page. Comments should usually go on the talk page, though.	You can use <b>HTML tags</b>, too, if you want. Some useful ways to use HTML: Put text in a <tt>typewriter font</tt>. The same font is generally used for <code>computer code</code>. <strike>Strike out</strike> or <u>underline</u> text, or write it <span style="font-variant:small-caps"> in small caps</span>. Superscripts and subscripts: x<sup>2</sup>, x<sub>2</sub> Invisible comments that only appear while editing the page. <!-- Note to editors: blah blah blah. --> Comments should usually go on the talk page, though.

You should avoid HTML in favor of Wiki markup whenever possible.

Organizing your writing

What it looks like	What you type
Section headings Headings organize your writing into sections. The Wiki software can automatically generate a table of contents from them. Subsection Using more equals signs creates a subsection. A smaller subsection Don't skip levels, like from two to four equals signs. Start with two equals signs; don't use single equals signs.	== Section headings == Headings organize your writing into sections. The Wiki software can automatically generate a table of contents from them. === Subsection === Using more equals signs creates a subsection. ==== A smaller subsection ==== Don't skip levels, like from two to four equals signs. Start with two equals signs; don't use single equals signs.
Unordered lists are easy to do: Start every line with a star. More stars indicate a deeper level. A newline in a list marks the end of the list. Of course you can start again.	* ''Unordered lists'' are easy to do: ** Start every line with a star. *** More stars indicate a deeper level. *A newline *in a list marks the end of the list. *Of course you can start again.
Numbered lists are also good: Very organized Easy to follow A newline marks the end of the list. New numbering starts with 1.	# Numbered lists are also good: ## Very organized ## Easy to follow A newline marks the end of the list. #New numbering starts with 1.
You can even do mixed lists and nest them or break lines in lists.	* You can even do mixed lists *# and nest them *#* or break lines<br>in lists.
Another kind of list is a definition list: word definition of the word longer phrase phrase defined	Another kind of list is a '''definition list''': ; word : definition of the word ; longer phrase : phrase defined
A colon indents a line or paragraph. A newline after that starts a new paragraph. This is often used for discussion on Talk pages.	:A colon indents a line or paragraph. A newline after that starts a new paragraph. ::This is often used for discussion on talk pages.
You can make horizontal dividing lines to separate text. But you should usually use sections instead, so that they go in the table of contents.	You can make horizontal dividing lines to separate text. ---- But you should usually use sections instead, so that they go in the table of contents.

Links

You will often want to make clickable links to other pages.

What it looks like	What you type
Here's a link to a page named Transform-up. You can even say Transform-ups and the link will show up correctly.	Here's a link to a page named [[Transform-up]]. You can even say [[Transform-up]]s and the link will show up correctly.
You can put formatting around a link. Example: The weather in London.	You can put formatting around a link. Example: ''[[The weather in London]]''.
The first letter of articles is automatically capitalized, so combiner goes to the same place as Combiner. Capitalization matters after the first letter.	The ''first letter'' of articles is automatically capitalized, so [[combiner]] goes to the same place as [[Combiner]]. Capitalization matters after the first letter.
The weather in France is a page that doesn't exist yet. You could create it by clicking on the link.	[[The weather in France]] is a page that doesn't exist yet. You could create it by clicking on the link.
You can link to a page section by its title: List of female Transformers#Beast Era If multiple sections have the same title, add a number. #Autobots 3 goes to the third section named "Autobots".	You can link to a page section by its title: *[[List of female Transformers#Beast Era]] If multiple sections have the same title, add a number. [[#Autobots 3]] goes to the third section named "Autobots".
You can make a link point to a different place with a piped link. Put the link target first, then the pipe character "|", then the link text. About Links Beast Era fembots	You can make a link point to a different place with a [[Help:Piped link|piped link]]. Put the link target first, then the pipe character "|", then the link text. *[[Help:Link|About Links]] *[[List of female Transformers#Beast Era| Beast Era fembots]]
You can also use the "pipe trick" to quickly hide the ugly parts of a wikilink. Usually you won't want an article's disambiguation tag (which appears in parentheses) to appear in the text of an article. For example: "Bonecrusher (Universe Ultra)" is kind of cumbersome to read. You can use a pipe to write in new link text, but it's a pain to rewrite the whole name of the page, especially if you're making a lot of links. So instead, simply write a pipe and then close the link, and the software will clean it up for you: Bonecrusher. You can also hide an article's namespace (which appears before a colon in some articles, like this one) this way. Then a link to the page Help:Style guide appears as just Style guide. Make sure you don't put a space after the pipe, or the link text will disappear totally!	You can also use the "pipe trick" to quickly hide the ugly parts of a wikilink. Usually you won't want an article's disambiguation tag (which appears in parentheses) to appear in the text of an article. For example: "[[Bonecrusher (Universe Ultra)]]" is kind of cumbersome to read. You can use a pipe to write in new link text, but it's a pain to rewrite the whole name of the page, especially if you're making a lot of links. So instead, simply write a pipe and then close the link, and the software will clean it up for you: [[Bonecrusher (Universe Ultra)|]]. You can also hide an article's namespace (which appears before a colon in some articles, like this one) this way. Then a link to the page [[Help:Style guide]] appears as just [[Help:Style guide|]]. Make sure you don't put a space after the pipe, or the link text will disappear [[Help:Style guide| ]] totally!
You can make a link to Wikipedia, like this: Transformers. Use this sparingly and always link to a TFWiki.net article unless the topic is decidedly non-Transformers related. You can also use piping like on other links to change the link text.	You can make a link to Wikipedia, like this: {{w|Transformers}}. Use this sparingly and always link to a {{SITENAME SHORT}} article unless the topic is decidedly non-Transformers related. You can also use piping like on other links to {{w|Optimus Prime|change the link text}}.
You can make an external link just by typing a URL: http://www.allspark.com/ You can give it a title: Allspark.com Or leave the title blank: [1]	You can make an external link just by typing a URL: http://www.allspark.com/ You can give it a title: [http://www.allspark.com/ Allspark.com] Or leave the title blank: [http://www.allspark.com]
You can redirect the user to another page.	#REDIRECT [[Official position]]
Category links don't show up, but add the page to a category. Add an extra colon to actually link to the category: Category:Help	[[Help:Category|Category links]] don't show up, but add the page to a category. [[Category:Help]] Add an extra colon to actually link to the category: [[:Category:Help]]
The Wiki reformats linked dates to match the reader's date preferences. These three dates will show up the same if you choose a format in your Preferences: July 20, 1984 20 July 1984 1984-07-20	The Wiki reformats linked dates to match the reader's date preferences. These three dates will show up the same if you choose a format in your [[Special:Preferences|]]: * [[July 20]], [[1984]] * [[20 July]] [[1984]] * [[1984]]-[[07-20]]

Just show what I typed

A few different kinds of formatting will tell the Wiki to display things as you typed them.

	What it looks like	What you type
<nowiki> tags	The nowiki tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It reformats text by removing newlines and multiple spaces. It still interprets special characters: →	<nowiki> The nowiki tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It reformats text by removing newlines and multiple spaces. It still interprets special characters: &rarr; </nowiki>
<pre> tags	The pre tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It also doesn't reformat text. It still interprets special characters: →	<nowiki><pre> The pre tag ignores [[Wiki]] ''markup''. It also doesn't reformat text. It still interprets special characters: &rarr; </nowiki>
Leading spaces	Leading spaces are another way to preserve formatting. Putting a space at the beginning of each line stops the text from being reformatted. It still interprets Wiki markup and special characters: →	Leading spaces are another way to preserve formatting. Putting a space at the beginning of each line stops the text from being reformatted. It still interprets Wiki ''markup'' and special characters: &rarr;

Images, tables, video, and sounds

What it looks like	What you type
A picture, including alternate text: You can put the image in a frame with a caption: The logo for this Wiki	A picture, including alternate text: [[File:Wiki.png|The logo for this Wiki]] You can put the image in a frame with a caption: [[File:Wiki.png|frame|left|The logo for this Wiki]]
A link to TFWiki.net's page for the image: File:Wiki.png Or a link directly to the image itself: Media:Wiki.png	A link to {{SITENAME_SHORT}}'s page for the image: [[:File:Wiki.png]] Or a link directly to the image itself: [[Media:Wiki.png]]
This is a table	<center> {| border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | This | is |- | a | '''table''' |} </center>