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Wikipedia:Userboxes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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This page documents an English Wikipedia guideline. It is a generally accepted standard that editors should follow, though it should be treated with common sense and the occasional exception. When editing this page, please ensure that your revision reflects consensus. When in doubt, discuss your idea on the talk page.Shortcuts:

WP:UBX

WP:USERBOXThe following guidelines apply equally to all user templates (including any userbox or userbox-like markup), regardless of where the code resides; and regardless of whether they have been transcluded, substituted, or written from scratch. Such templates which fail to meet these guidelines may be subject to deletion.For the WikiProject collaboration on userboxes, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes. For an alternative to userboxes, see also WikiProject Keep It Simple. For userbox-like recognitions given by users to other users, see Wikipedia:Awards

A userbox (commonly abbreviated as UBX) is a small colored box (see examples to the right) designed to appear only on a Wikipedian's user page as a communicative notice about the user, in order to directly (or even indirectly) help Wikipedians collaborate more effectively on articles.

The first userboxes were introduced to support the Babel inter-language effort, to indicate users' skills in other languages.

Contents

[ edit]Using existing userboxes

Userboxes are for the use of users on their own user pages. It may be considered uncivil to place userboxes on other users' pages without their permission. However, userboxes may be placed on non- mainspace talk/discussion pages by anyone. (See also Wikipedia:Talk page.)

[ edit]Syntax

The standard syntax for adding a userbox to your user page (also known as transclusion) is: {{user name_of_box}}.

[ edit]Optional substitution

You may decide to substitute the template code onto your user page using the syntax {{subst:user name_of_box}}. The use of "subst:" will ensure that the template is always displayed in its form when you add it to your user page, i.e. it will not reflect subsequent edits to the template. This method will lead to large amounts of code on your user page.

[ edit]Creating a new userbox

For help with these instructions, ask a question at Wikipedia:Requested templates.If you wish to offer an idea for a userbox, do so on the ideas page.

If you have designed a userbox that you would like to make available to others, you may wish to first display it on the New Userboxes talk page for community comment.

[ edit]Which namespace?

Userboxes may only be created or displayed in the User, Project, or Template namespaces.

So should your userbox be prefixed with User:, Wikipedia:, or Template:?

As content in User: space is traditionally given more leeway than in other namespaces, userboxes in User: space may not be as directly collaborative in nature as those in Template: or Wikipedia: namespaces, which are expected to adhere more tightly with policies and guidelines, such as neutral point of view and what Wikipedia is. (This should also be considered before moving a userbox from userspace to any other namespace.)

If in doubt, consider presenting the userbox at New Userboxes talk page for community comment.

User:To host a userbox in the user namespace, simply create a subpage of your own user page or User:UBX.Wikipedia:Userboxes in the project namespace are generally for WikiProject or task force usage. Simply create it as a subpage of the WikiProject. (e.g. Wikipedia:VG/DAH!/userbox)Template:In the template namespace, userbox names must begin with " User " (e.g. Template:User Brazil or Template:User en)

[ edit]Caution about image use

The Wikimedia Commons has a large range of icons for use within boxes. However, if you select an image from somewhere else, make certain the image license is free. Templates (which includes userboxes) or user pages may not contain any copyrighted content not under free license; so, for example, " fair use" images are explicitly forbidden. This is interpreted strictly and without exception. See Wikipedia's fair use policy guidelines for more details.

[ edit]Caution about user categories

[ edit]Content restrictions

  • All userboxes are governed by the civility policy.

Simply: If content is not appropriate on a user page, it is not appropriate within userboxes.

[ edit]Content examples

The following section is not to be considered all-inclusive. As such, other word combinations (both appropriate and inappropriate) are obviously possible.

Typical userbox content:

Typical verbs:

  • verbs of action: contributes (to), drives, eats, edits, plays, uses, watches
  • verbs of comprehension: reads, speaks, understands
  • verbs of preference: enjoys, likes, loves

Additional examples, using the linking verb is:

  • This user is
  • This user is a fan of
  • This user is a member of
  • This user is interested in

Potentially divisive words

Avoid verbs (often followed by the word " that") which may be used to suggest negative comparison and would thus be potentially divisive, such as:

  • believes, considers, finds, knows, prefers, thinks, wishes.

Avoid negative verb phrases which can be potentially divisive, such as:

  • dislikes, despises, hates, loathes

Also avoid compound sentences which are positive and negative, such as:

  • This user likes , but does not like .

Essentially: Express what you do like, rather than what you don't like. Express what you comprehend, rather than what you don't comprehend. Express what you do, rather than what you don't. Express who you are, rather than who you aren't.

[ edit]Constructing a userbox

[ edit]How to construct the box

There are a number of box types to select from when deciding to make a userbox. The most commonly used design is the " Standard box". It has one square shaped area on the left (" id") and a rectangular area on the right (" info").

For ease of use, userboxes are typically made using maker-templates that have a number of parameters.

Template ParametersMeaningValue typeborder-cThe border color of the userbox.CSS color value ( #hex or color name)border-sThe border size of the userbox.Width in pixelsid-cThe background color of the id box.CSS color valueid-sThe font size of the id box.Size in PostScript pointsid-fcThe font color of the id box text.CSS color valueid-pThe distance between border and content of id box.CSS padding width value. px, ptid-lhThe distance between text lines of id box.CSS relative line height/length value. eminfo-cThe background color of info box.CSS color valueinfo-sThe font size of info box.Size in PostScript pointsinfo-fcThe font color of info box.CSS color valueinfo-pThe distance between border and content of info box.CSS padding width value. px, ptinfo-lhThe distance between text lines of info box.CSS relative line height/length value. emidThis is the content of the id box.Free-forminfoThis is the content of info box.Free-form

The id and info boxes can include text, links, and images using the usual Wikipedia syntax. Generally, the id box will contain a few letters or a 43px image, while the info box will contain a sentence with a link or two.

[ edit]Userbox types

CodeAppearanceStandard box{{Userbox |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id-c=#fff |id-s=12 |id-fc=#000 |info-c=#039 |info-s=8 |info-fc=#fff |id=ID |info=Content}}

or {{Userbox |side-box colour |main box colour |side-box content |main box content}}

IDContent

Reverse box{{Userbox-r |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id-c=#fff |id-s=12 |id-fc=#000 |info-c=#039 |info-s=8 |info-fc=#fff |id=ID |info=Content}}

or {{Userbox-r |side-box colour |main box colour |side-box content |main box content}}

ContentID

Double box{{Userbox-2 |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id1-c=#fff |id1-s=12 |id1-fc=#000 |id2-c=#000 |id2-s=12 |id2-fc=#fff |info-c=#039 |info-s=8 |info-fc=#fff |id1=ID 1 |id2=ID 2 |info=Content}}

or {{Userbox-2 |side-box 1 colour |main box colour |side-box 1 content |message |side-box 2 content |border colour |side-box 2 colour |main box font-colour |box border thickness}}

Note: If omitted, border colour and side-box 2 colour default to the same colour as side-box 1, and font colour is black. Default border thickness is 1.

ID 1ContentID 2

Mini box{{Userbox-m |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id-c=#fff |id-s=12 |id-fc=#000 |id=ID}}

or {{Userbox-m |box colour |box content}}

ID

[ edit]Userbox sampling templates

To make it easier to quote the generation code for a userbox in a uniform format, a template {{ Userbox sample compact}} has been made available, which produces a picture of the userbox along with the code necessary to create it. To use it, just give it exactly the same parameters you would give the {{ Userbox}} template. You must use subst:, or the template will not work properly. An example is shown below:

{{subst:Userbox sample compact|id=UBX|id-c=red|info=This is a '''[[WP:UBX|Userbox]]'''.}}

Produces:

{{Userbox | border-c = #999 | border-s = 1 | id-c = red | id-s = 14 | id-fc = black | info-c = #EEE | info-s = 8 | info-fc = black | id = UBX | info = This is a '''[[WP:UBX|Userbox]]'''. | float = left }}

There are not yet any similar templates available for userboxes created by the templates Userbox-r, Userbox-2 and Userbox-m.

[ edit]Grouping userboxes

[ edit]Using the Userboxtop template

Example 1

****This user wants to be your friend.

As with the Babel box, there is a box to group userboxes together. Just make a list of userboxes with {{ Userboxtop |box-name}} at the top, followed by your list of userboxes, and {{ Userboxbottom}} at the bottom. For example, the box to the right is created using the following list:

{{Userboxtop |Example 1}}

{{Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes/Userbox}}

{{User:UBX/Rome}}

{{User:Nihiltres/Userboxes/Friendly}}

{{Userboxbottom}}

[ edit]Using the boxboxtop template

If you wish an expandable list of userboxes you may try using the {{ boxboxtop}} template:

{{boxboxtop|Example2}}
<div class="NavFrame" style="padding:0;border-style:none;">
<div class="NavFrame" style="border-style:none;padding:0;">
<div class="NavHead" style="background:#EDF1F1;text-align:left;text-style:normal">
Caption
</div>
<div class="NavContent" style="display:none;">
Place your userboxes here...
</div></div></div>
{{boxboxbottom}}

(Of course you can put more than one such section inside a userbox, see Example 2 at right.)

Example2

You may also change the alignment by using 'right' or 'left' as the second parameter, or explicitly using parameter align. Thus, it is possible to create the same box on the right, but positioned on the left side of the page, by changing the first line from {{Userboxtop |Example 1}} to {{Userboxtop |Example 1|left}}.

[ edit]Using the Babel grouping system

Similar results can be achieved with either of the following:

{{Babel-X |header=Example 1 |footer= |align=left |Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes/Userbox |Rome |:Nihiltres/Userboxes/Friendly}}

{{UBX-X |header=Example 1 |Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes/Userbox |Rome |:Nihiltres/Userboxes/Friendly}}

The older Babel grouping system can also be used, e.g. {{Babel-3|sv|no-4|rome}}. However, it only works for user boxes with the "User" prefix, which must then be dropped for the arguments. Also, boxes that need arguments of their own (such as {{ User:UBX/Monty Python}}) cannot be used with Babel.

[ edit]Using tables

A fourth alternative would be to table your userboxes. For example:

{| style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"``| {{User:AusTerrapin/Box:Jazz Fusion}} {{User_USAFo5}}``|-``| {{user helper}} {{User:The Raven's Apprentice/Userboxes/User Warm}}``|}

would produce the following:

To center one userbox use this coding:

{| style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"``| {{User:Saoshyant/Userboxes/User oops}}``|}

which produces:

****This user tries to do the right thing. If they make a mistake, please let them know.

[ edit]Combining tables and the boxboxtop template

A fifth method of grouping boxes is done by combining Examples 2 and 4 together. Example 2 breaks DHTML interoperability. It works as intended on Internet Explorer; however, it does not work well with Firefox and Opera when additional hide/show sections are added. This solution provides proper rendering on all three web browsers and scales much better when it comes to the number of groups you want to have. The table property can be adjusted by adding width="100%" (adjusting its percentage or by using a pixel width multiple of the userbox) to add more than one column. Another property align="right" can be changed to place the userboxes left, right, or center of the page.

`{|align="right" width="160px" style="background-color: transparent;" |- |

{{boxboxtop| }}

Caption
{{boxboxbottom}} ` _Place additional userbox groups here..._ `
|}`

[ edit]Gallery

[ edit]Languages

[ edit]Interests and tastes

[ edit]Life, status, and situation

[ edit]Wikipedia-related

[ edit]Others/Misc.

[ edit]See also

[ edit]External links

v• d• e

WikiProject UserboxesLanguage

Languages · Non-ISO languages and dialects · Writing systems · Programming languages( Markup) · Grammar

Interests

WikiProjects · Animals · Aviation · Cars · Colors · Comedy · Computing · Food · Games( Tabletop Roleplaying · Video games) · History · Mass transit · Mathematics · Music · Philosophy · Plants · Science · Software · Sports · Miscellaneous

Media

Books · Film · Television( shows) · Theatre · Radio · Newsprint · Comics · Anime and manga · Sci-fi

Life

Education · Health · Humor · Life · Military · Politics · Profession · Religion

Location

Africa( Egypt) · Americas( Argentina · Brazil · Canada · Chile · Mexico · USA) · Asia( Iran · Japan) · Europe( EU) · Oceania

Time

Seasonal · Time zones · Zodiac

Wikipedia

Position · Foreign · Organizations · Vandalism · Views · Stats and tools · Miscellaneous

Other

Emoticons · Userboxes

See also Userbox migration · Userbox guideline · New userboxes · Make userboxes