Help:Basic User Guide to MediaWiki markup language
This page provides a basic overview of the MediaWiki markup language used in this wiki. MediaWiki is the same markup language used on the Wikipedia website. The markup characters control how the text and images on a wiki page will be displayed in a web browser on your desktop computer, tablet or smartphone.
Note: For several of the markup options listed below, you can use the corresponding button in the Edit Tool Bar (just above the edit zone) to insert the appropriate wiki markup into the text that you are editing.
Text formatting markup options
You can format your text by using wiki markup. This consists of normal characters like asterisks, apostrophes or equal signs which have a special function in the wiki, sometimes depending on their position. For example, to format a word in italic, have it between two pairs of apostrophes like ''this''.
Here are some of the basic text formatting markup options available:
| Description | You type | You get |
|---|---|---|
| Character (inline) formatting – applies anywhere | ||
| Italic text | ''italic'' |
italic |
| Bold text | '''bold''' |
bold |
| Bold and italic | '''''bold & italic''''' |
bold & italic |
| Ignore wiki markup | <nowiki> no ''markup''</nowiki> |
no ''markup'' |
| Comment | <!-- This is a comment --> Comments are visible only in the edit zone. |
Comments are visible only in the edit zone. |
| Section formatting – only at the beginning of the line | ||
| Bullet list |
* Start each line * with an asterisk. ** More asterisks give deeper *** and deeper levels. |
|
| Numbered list |
# Start each line # with a number sign. ## More number signs give deeper ### and deeper ### levels. |
|
| Indentation | : Single indent :: Double indent ::::: Multiple indent |
|
Here is a link to a detailed listing of the text formatting options.
Section Headings (This is a Level 2 Heading)
== Section Headings (This is a Level 2 Heading) ==
This section is an example of how the different Section Levels show up indented in the Table of Contents at the top of this page. (Above you see the actual markup text used for the Level 2 Heading for this section).
- Section headings of different levels are used to break up your wiki page into separate (addressable) sections.
- Section headings will be automatically included in the Table of Contents that is generated for the page.
- Section headings are indicated by equal signs (=) before and after the Section heading text. The number of equal signs indicate the Section Level.
- Level 2 Headings are the primary Level used on a page, and automatically include a horizontal line across the page.
- Levels 3,4,etc are used as sub-sections as needed. Do not use Level 1, that is reserved for the Page name.
- Each Section Heading must be at the start of a line. Do not put any text on the same line after the ending equal signs.
Here are examples showing what Level 3 & 4 Section Headings look like, followed by the actual markup text used for that Heading:
(Level 3 Heading)
=== (Level 3 Heading) ===
(Another Level 3 Heading)
=== (Another Level 3 Heading) ===
(One More Level 3 Heading)
=== (One More Level 3 Heading) ===
(Level 4 Heading)
==== (Level 4 Heading) ====
Table of Contents options
By default, a Table of Contents (sometimes abbreviated to TOC) is automatically generated on a page when more than three section headings are used.
- Adding the TOC
- If you have three or fewer headings but want to have a TOC, write either the magic word __FORCETOC__ anywhere on the page to make it display at the default location, or __TOC__ at the preferred position.
- Positioning the TOC
- The default position of the TOC is directly above the first section heading. Any prior text is placed before the TOC. To place it elsewhere, use the magic word __TOC__ at the preferred position on the page.
- Hiding the TOC
- Place the magic word __NOTOC__ anywhere on the page to hide its TOC.
Here is a link to detailed help information on this topic.
Links
There are 2 basic types of Links in a wiki (with several variations as outlined in the Detailed help info on Links below):
- Internal link to a page in the same wiki
- An internal link to another page in the same wiki (also called a "wikilink") is enclosed in double square brackets, with a "vertical bar" or "pipe" character separating the page title and the text to be displayed. Note that the Page Title is case-sensitive.
- For example [[Page Title|'''display text''']] will display as display text
- When you Preview or Save your changes, the link is displayed in blue if the page exists; if the page does not exist, the link will be red. Clicking on a "redlink" for a missing page will usually enable the user to create the page (if the user is allowed to Edit the wiki).
- External link to a page at a different website
- An external link is enclosed in single square brackets with a "space" separating the URL address and the text to be displayed. An arrow will be displayed after the display text to indicate an external link that will be opened up in a new browser tab.
- For example [http://www.example.com display text] will display as display text
To insert an example of an internal or external link while you are editing a page, you can click on the corresponding icon in the Tool Bar in the upper left hand corner of the edit textbox.
Here is a link to detailed help information on Links.
Images
Note: Before you can show images in your wiki page, you will need to upload the image files using the 'Upload File' link in the sidebar to the left. The following file formats are supported: jpg/jpeg, png, gif
The full syntax for displaying an image is:
[[Image:filename.extension|options|caption]]
The options segment of the image link is used to control the Format, Size and Alignment of the image on the wiki page. The various option settings can get complicated, so in this basic guide, we will just give some examples of image links in the Banker Bio template, and how you would use them. For more information on the option settings see the 'detailed information' link at the end of this section.
In general if you are using the Banker Bio and Bank History templates provided, you can just change the Filename and Caption in the image link provided by the template. Your image will then be displayed in the same size and location as the image in the template.
Examples of image links used in the Banker Bio:
The following image link is used to show the banker's photo on the right edge of the page. (You would just replace 'WCBriggs-Photo-1917.jpg' with your image filename, and 'William Currer Briggs, 1917' with your caption):
[[Image:WCBriggs-Photo-1917.jpg|x340px|thumb|William Currer Briggs, 1917]]
The following image link is used to show the bank note along the left edge:
[[Image:MN-Pipestone-Ch3982-FNB-1882BB-5-JB.jpg|650px|none|thumb|$5 Series 1882 Brown Back signed by Wm. Frost, Cashier and W.C. Briggs, President.]]
<br clear=all>
Note: The <br clear=all> markup shown above indicates that you do not want any text flowing around the right edge of the image.
Here is a link to detailed help information on Images, including an explanation of the various Option settings in the image link.
Templates
Page Templates (which include relevant section headings, image link examples, etc) are automatically included when you set up new Bank History and Banker Bio pages using the 'How To' instructions on the corresponding index page.
When working with the Template information that has been added to your page:
- Just Type or Copy/Paste text into relevant sections in the template.
- Upload images, and modify template text in image links as needed to display properly.
- Setup page links as needed (ie if you will link to a Banker Bio page).
- Be sure to include Sources/References.