Template:Main/doc

When a Wikipedia article is large, it is often written in summary style. This template is used after the heading of the summary, to link to the sub-article that has been summarized. For Category namespace, please use {{Cat main}} instead.

Use of this template should be restricted to the purposes described above. It is not to be used as a substitute for inline links or {{Further}} template. The latter is used when the section expounds a specific aspect of the topic instead of summarizing its article. For example, in phthalate, the template under the "Endocrine disruptor" section should not be {{Main|Endocrine disruptor}}, because the section specifically deals with phthalate as an endocrine disruptor and not endocrine disruptors in general.

Usage

Basic usage

{{main|page}}

All parameters

{{main | page1 | page2 | page3 | ... | l1 = label1 | l2 = label2 | l3 = label3 | ... | selfref = yes}}

Parameters

• 1, 2, 3, ... - the pages to link to. If no page names are specified, the current page name is used instead (without the namespace prefix). Categories and files are automatically escaped with the colon trick, and links to sections are automatically formatted as page § section, rather than the MediaWiki default of page#section.
• l1, l2, l3, ...; optional labels for each of the pages to link to (this is for articles where a piped link would be used). Note that the extra parameters use a lower case 'L', for example, l1, not 11.
• selfref - if set to "yes", "y", "true" or "1", adds the CSS class "selfref". This is used to denote self-references to Wikipedia. See Template:Selfref for more information. This is only necessary in articles and other content (e.g. templates) that will appear in articles, and need not be added for uses of this template on Wikipedia: namespace pages.

Examples

• {{main|Article}} → {{#invoke:main|main}}
• {{main|Article#Section}} → {{#invoke:main|main}}
• {{main|Article#Section|l1=Custom section label}} → {{#invoke:main|main}}
• {{main|Article1|Article2|Article3}} → {{#invoke:main|main}}
• {{main|Article1|l1=Custom label 1|Article2|l2=Custom label 2}} → {{#invoke:main|main}}
• {{main|(15760) 1992 QB1|l1={{mp|(15760) 1992 QB|1}}}} → {{#invoke:main|main}}

Hatnote templates

{{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}} Hatnotes must be at the very top of the page or section.

Generic hatnote

• {{Hatnote|CUSTOM TEXT}} → {{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}}

{{Hatnote|For other senses of this term, see [[etc…]]}} → {{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}}

More pages on the same topic ("Further information ...")

"Main article: …"

{{Main}} is used to make summary style explicit, when used in a summary section for which there is also a separate article on the subject:

• {{Main|Main Article}} → {{#invoke:main|main}}
• {{Main|Main Article|Article2}} → {{#invoke:main|main}}
• {{Main list|Article1}} → {{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}}

"For more details on …, see …"

{{Details}} can supplement {{Main}} in summary sections, or can indicate more details in nonsummary sections:

• {{Details|PAGE1}} → Template:Details
• {{Details|PAGE1|TOPIC}} → Template:Details

{{Details3}} allows changing the displayed name for links. Unlike {{Details}}, it requires bracketed link notation:

• {{Details3|[[NTSC#Color_encoding|NTSC Color encoding]]}} → Template:Details3
• {{Details3|[[article1|Article 1]], [[article2|Article 2]], and [[article3|Article 3]]|TOPIC}} → Template:Details3

"See also …"

• {{See also|TOPIC PAGE|OTHER TOPIC PAGE}} → Template:See also

Note: use only when OTHER TOPIC PAGE is related to current article and contains a self-explanatory parenthetical.

• {{See also2|[[OTHER TOPIC]]|[[OTHER TOPIC2]]|[[OTHER TOPIC3]] and other text}} → Template:See also2

"Further information: …"

• {{Further|PAGE}} → Template:Further
• {{Further|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} → Template:Further
• {{Further2|[[PAGE1]], [[PAGE2]], and [[PAGE#3|PAGE3]]}} → Template:Further2

Other uses of the same title ("For …, see …")

"This page is about … For other uses …"

{{About}} is the main template for noting other uses.

Note. When used in main namespace, the word "page" in the following hatnotes is replaced by "article".

• {{About|USE1}} → Template:About
• {{About|USE1||PAGE2}} (When the disambiguation page has a different name – Note the empty second parameter) → Template:About
• {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2}} (When there is only one other use) → Template:About
• {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|and|PAGE3}} (Two pages for USE2) → Template:About
• {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2#SUBSECTION{{!}}PAGE2TITLE}} (Using the {{!}} magic word to give the link a different title) → Template:About
• {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|USE4|PAGE4|USE5|PAGE5}} (When there are up to four other uses – You should generally create a disambiguation page at this point) → Template:About
• {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|other uses}} (When there are several standard other uses and also a disambiguation page with default name – Note that the last page name is not specified) → Template:About
• {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|other uses|PAGE4}} (When there are several standard other uses and also a disambiguation page with non-default name) →Template:About
• {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|other uses|PAGE4|and}} → Template:About
• {{About||USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|other uses}} (When you don't need to state the focus of this article/page – Note the empty first parameter) → Template:About
• {{About|||PAGE1|and|PAGE2}} → Template:About

Note: {{for||PAGE1|PAGE2}} produces the same result.

• {{About|USE1|section=yes}} → Template:About

Note: this hatnote says "section", instead of "article" or "page".

"This page is about … It is not to be confused with …"

{{About-distinguish}} is a template for noting other uses when there could be confusion with another topic.

• {{About-distinguish|USE1|PAGE1}} → Template:About-distinguish
• {{About-distinguish2|USE1|TEXT}} → Template:About-distinguish2
• {{About-distinguish-custom|USE1|TEXT}} → Template:About-distinguish-custom

"For …, see …"

{{For}} can be used instead of {{About}} so as not to display: This page is about USE1. but still specify a specific other use. This effect can also be achieved by using an empty first parameter in {{About}} as in:

For example: {{For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1}} is the same as {{About||OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1}} (note the empty first parameter).

However, it is somewhat clearer when using the {{For}} template, since the word "about" does not appear in the statement.

• {{For|OTHER TOPIC}} → {{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}}
• {{For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1}} → {{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}}
• {{For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2}} → {{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}}
• {{For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} → {{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}}
• {{For||PAGE1|PAGE2}} → {{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}}

Variations

As with {{Other uses}}, there is a whole family of "for" templates. {{For2}} allows custom text, such as quotation marks or a link from part of the "CUSTOM TEXT"

• {{For2|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT}} → Template:For2

It also supports up to three topics:

• {{For2|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT|OTHER TOPIC 2|CUSTOM TEXT 2}} → Template:For2
• {{For2|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT|OTHER TOPIC 2|CUSTOM TEXT 2|OTHER TOPIC 3|CUSTOM TEXT 3}} → Template:For2

"For other uses, see …"

When such a wordy hatnote as {{About}} is not needed, {{Other uses}} is often useful.

• {{Other uses}} → Template:Other uses
• {{Other uses|PAGE1}} → Template:Other uses
• {{Other uses|PAGE1|PAGE2}} → Template:Other uses

Variations

There are, historically, a whole family of "other uses" templates for specific cases. {{About}} is the standard hatnote for "other uses" and many of them can be specified using the {{About}} template. However, the individual templates may be easier to use in certain contexts.

Here are the variations and (when appropriate) the equivalents using the {{About}}, {{Other uses}} or {{For}} templates.

• {{Other uses2|PAGE1}} → Template:Other uses2

Note: adds "(disambiguation)" to whatever is input as the PAGE1.

Note: {{Other uses|PAGE1 (disambiguation)}} produces the same result.

• {{Two other uses|USE1|USE2|PAGE2}} → Template:Two other uses

Note: same as {{about}}, except it forces a second use to be noted if unspecified by parameters.

• {{Two other uses|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3}} → Template:Two other uses
• {{Two other uses||USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3}} → Template:Two other uses
• {{Three other uses|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3}} Template:Three other uses
• {{Three other uses||USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3}} → Template:Three other uses
• {{Three other uses|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|USE4|PAGE4}} → Template:Three other uses

"For other uses of …, see …"

• {{Other uses of}} → Template:Other uses of
• {{Other uses of|TOPIC}} → Template:Other uses of
• {{Other uses of|TOPIC|PAGE1}} → Template:Other uses of

"… redirects here. For other uses, see …"

{{safesubst:#invoke:anchor|main}}

• {{Redirect|REDIRECT}} → Template:Redirect
• {{Redirect|REDIRECT||PAGE1}} → Template:Redirect
• {{Redirect|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1}} → Template:Redirect
• {{Redirect|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2}} → Template:Redirect
• {{Redirect|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3}} → Template:Redirect
• {{Redirect|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1|and|PAGE2}} → Template:Redirect
• {{Redirect|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2|and|PAGE3}} → Template:Redirect
• {{Redirect6|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1}} → Template:Redirect6
• {{Redirect6|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1||PAGE2}} → Template:Redirect6

Variations

• For two sources:
  • {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2}} → Template:Redirect2
  • {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE}} → Template:Redirect2
  • {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2||PAGE1}} → Template:Redirect2
  • {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE|PAGE1}} → Template:Redirect2
  • {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2}} → Template:Redirect2
  • {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3}} → Template:Redirect2
  • {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|USE4|PAGE4}} → Template:Redirect2
  • {{Redirect4|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2}} → Template:Redirect4
  • {{Redirect4|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE|TEXT}} → Template:Redirect4
• For three sources:
  • {{Redirect7|"REDIRECT1", "REDIRECT2", and "REDIRECT3"|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2}} → Template:Redirect7
  • {{Redirect10|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|REDIRECT3}} → Template:Redirect10
  • {{Redirect10|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|REDIRECT3|USE|TEXT}} → Template:Redirect10
• To specify the text following "redirects here.":
  • {{Redirect3|REDIRECT|TEXT}} or {{Redirect text|REDIRECT|TEXT}} → {{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}}
  • {{Redirect-synonym|TERM|OTHER TOPIC}} → Template:Redirect-synonym

... Not to be confused with ...

• {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1}} → Template:Redirect-distinguish
• {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3|PAGE4}} → Template:Redirect-distinguish
• {{Redirect-distinguish2|REDIRECT|TEXT}} → Template:Redirect-distinguish2

Similar proper names ("For other people named ...")

Other people

• {{Other people}} → Template:Other people
• {{Other people|NAME}} → Template:Other people
• {{Other people|NAME|PAGE}} → Template:Other people
• {{Other people|NAME|PAGE|named=titled}} → Template:Other people
• {{Other people2|PAGE}} → Template:Other people2
• {{Other people3}} → Template:Other people3

Note: same as {{About}} except uses "other people" instead of "other uses" if only 1 parameter is used

• {{Other people3|PERSON1}} → Template:Other people3
• {{Other people3|PERSON1|PERSON2}} → Template:Other people3
• {{Other people3|PERSON1|PERSON2|PAGE2}} → Template:Other people3
• {{Other people3|PERSON1||PAGE2}} → Template:Other people3
• {{Other people5|NAME1|NAME2|NAME3|NAME4}} → Template:Other people5

Note: defaults to "named" as in {{Other people}}, exists for options like "nicknamed", "known as", etc.

Other places

• {{Other places}}, analogous to {{Other uses}} → Template:Other places
• {{Other places|PAGE}}, analogous to {{Other uses2}} → Template:Other places
• {{Other places3|PAGE}}, analogous to {{Other uses}} → Template:Other places3

Other ships

For articles on ships:

• {{Other ships|SHIP1}} → Template:Other ships

Distinguish

"Not to be confused with …"

• {{Distinguish|PAGE1}} → {{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}}
• {{Distinguish|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3|PAGE4}} → {{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}}
• {{Distinguish2|TEXT}} → Template:Distinguish2

"… redirects here. It is not to be confused with …"

• {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1}} → Template:Redirect-distinguish
• {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3|PAGE4}} → Template:Redirect-distinguish
• {{Redirect-distinguish2|REDIRECT|TEXT}} → Template:Redirect-distinguish2
  • Also may be used as {{Redirect-distinguish2|REDIRECT}} → Template:Redirect-distinguish2

"For technical reasons, … redirects here. For … , see … ."

• {{Technical reasons|REDIRECT}} → Template:Technical reasons
• {{Technical reasons|REDIRECT|PAGE}} → Template:Technical reasons
• {{Technical reasons|REDIRECT|DESCRIPTION|PAGE}} → Template:Technical reasons
• {{Technical reasons|REDIRECT|DESCRIPTION1|PAGE1|DESCRIPTION2|PAGE2}} → Template:Technical reasons
• {{Technical reasons|REDIRECT|DESCRIPTION1|PAGE1|DESCRIPTION2|PAGE2|DESCRIPTION3|PAGE3}} → Template:Technical reasons

Miscellaneous (hurricanes, Pope Stephen, Wiki selfref)

These hatnotes are topic-specific. They are documented at their template page.

• {{Key people}}
• {{Other hurricanes}}
• {{Pope Stephen ToP Dab}}
• {{Selfref}}

Categories

Category-specific templates:

• {{Category see also|THIS|THAT|THE OTHER}} → Template:Category see also

This is a template for linking categories horizontally. Horizontal linkage is often the right solution when vertical linkage (i.e., as sub-category and parent category) is not appropriate. In most cases, this template should be used on both categories to create reciprocal linkage between the two categories.

• {{Cat main|MAIN ARTICLE}} → Template:Cat main
• {{Category explanation|colourless green ideas}} → Template:Category explanation
• {{Category pair|TOPIC1|TOPIC2}} → Template:Category pair
• {{Preceding category|OTHER TOPIC}} → Template:Preceding category
• {{Succeeding category|OTHER TOPIC}} → Template:Succeeding category
• {{Contrast|OTHERCAT1|OTHERCAT2}} → Template:Contrast
• {{Contrast|OTHERCAT1|OTHERCAT2|plural=yes}} → Template:Contrast

User pages

• {{This user talk|TOPIC|PAGE1}} →
  

Notes

These templates are used in thousands of articles; therefore, changing the syntax could break thousands of articles. If you wish to create or edit a disambiguation or redirection template, first ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is there already a template that will do this job? Since many disambiguation and redirection templates have already been created, first check: Category:Disambiguation and redirection templates.
2. Do I really need a new template for this? Will it likely be used on any other articles or should I just use {{Hatnote}} instead? Before creating a new template, see the template namespace guideline.
3. If I change the parameters around on an existing template, do I know what the result will be? Will it break existing uses of the template and if so, can I fix all of the errors? Before making any changes, see Template sandbox and test cases.

This is the TemplateData documentation for this template used by VisualEditor and other tools.

Main/doc

<templatedata> { "description": "This template is used after the heading of a section, to link to a sub-article (or sub-articles) that is entirely about the topic of the section. The template will display, in italics, \"Main article: Article 1, Article 2 and Article 3\"", "params": { "1": { "label": "Page 1", "description": "The name of the first page that you want to link to. If this is not specified, the current page name (with no namespace prefix) is used instead. ", "type": "string/line", "required": false }, "2": { "label": "Page 2", "description": "The name of the second page that you want to link to.", "type": "string/line", "required": false }, "3": { "label": "Page 3", "description": "The name of the third page that you want to link to. More pages can be added using the parameters \"4\", \"5\", \"6\", etc.", "type": "string/line", "required": false }, "l1": { "type": "string/line", "label": "Label 1", "description": "What the first linked page is to be displayed as." }, "l2": { "label": "Label 2", "description": "What the second linked page is to be displayed as.", "type": "string/line" }, "l3": { "label": "Label 3", "description": "What the third linked page is to be displayed as. Other labels can be added by using increasing numbers (starting with \"l4\" for page 4) as parameter names.", "type": "string/line" }, "selfref": { "type": "string/line", "label": "Self reference", "description": "Set to \"yes\" if the template is a self-reference to Wikipedia that would not make sense on mirrors or forks of the Wikipedia site." } } } </templatedata> Template:Collapse bottom