Help:Editing

''Need a quick cheat sheet for the most common syntax? Use the Help:CheatSheet!''

''Don't want to use Wiki MarkUp? FireFox and Safari users can click the "Rich editor" button to edit the styles visually.''

On a wiki, it is customary to allow readers to edit content and structure. This is a brief overview of the editing and contributing process. The editing table of contents to the right contains more information on editing functions.

A fairly complete summary of editing features can be found here.

Review policy and conventions

 * Make sure that you submit information which is relevant to the specific purpose of the wiki, or your content might be deleted. You can always use the talk pages to ask questions or check to see if your idea will be accepted. Please make note of the license your contributions will be covered with.

Start editing

 * To start editing a MediaWiki page, click the Edit this page (or just edit) link at one of its edges. This brings you to the edit page: a page with a text box containing the wikitext - the editable code from which the server produces the finished page. If you just want to experiment, please do so in the sandbox, not here.

Type your changes

 * You can just type your text. However, also using basic wiki markup (described in the next section) to make links and do simple formatting adds to the value of your contribution. Wikimedia wikis have style guidelines available. If you follow these, your contributions will be more valuable as they won't need to be cleaned up later.

Summarize your changes

 * Write a short edit summary in the small field below the edit-box. You may use shorthand to describe your changes, as described in the edit summary legend.

Preview before saving

 * When you have finished, click Show preview to see how your changes will look before you make them permanent. Repeat the edit/preview process until you are satisfied, then click Save page and your changes will be immediately applied to the article.

Most frequent wiki markup explained
Here are the 6 most frequently used types of wiki markup. If you need more help see Wikitext examples.

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" ! width="1000" style="background:#FFFF99" | What it looks like ! width="500" style="background:#FFFF99" | What you type You can italicize text by putting 2 apostrophes on each side.

3 apostrophes will embolden the text.

5 apostrophes will embolden and italicize the text.

(4 apostrophes doesn't do anything special -- there's just 'one left over'.)

apostrophes on each side.
 * You can italicize text by putting 2

3 apostrophes will embolden the text.

5 apostrophes will embolden and italicize the text.

(4 apostrophes doesn't do anything special -- there's just 'one left over'.) You should "sign" your comments on talk pages: - Three tildes give your user name: Karl Wick - Four tildes give your user name plus date/time: Karl Wick 07:46, 27 November 2005 (UTC) - Five tildes give the date/time alone: 07:46, 27 November 2005 (UTC)

on talk pages: &lt;br&gt; - Three tildes give your user name: &lt;br&gt; - Four tildes give your user name plus date/time: ~ &lt;br&gt; - Five tildes give the date/time alone: &lt;br&gt; 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.
 * You should "sign" your comments
 * Section headings
 * Section headings

Start with 2 equals signs not 1 because 1 creates H1 tags which should be reserved for page title.


 * == 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 2 equals signs not 1 because 1 creates H1 tags which should be reserved for page title.
 * - id="lists"
 * Unordered lists are easy to do:
 * Start every line with a star.
 * More stars indicate a deeper level.
 * Previous item continues.
 * A newline
 * in a list
 * in a list

marks the end of the list.


 * Of course you can start again.

marks the end of the list.
 * * Unordered lists are easy to do:
 * Start every line with a star.
 * More stars indicate a deeper level.
 * Previous item continues.
 * A new line
 * in a list
 * Of course you can start again.
 * 1) Numbered lists are:
 * 2) Very organized
 * 3) Easy to follow
 * 1) Very organized
 * 2) Easy to follow

A new line marks the end of the list.


 * 1) New numbering starts with 1.

A new line marks the end of the list. Here's a link to the Main page.
 * # Numbered lists are:
 * 1) Very organized
 * 2) Easy to follow
 * 1) New numbering starts with 1.

The weather in London is a page that doesn't exist yet. You could create it by clicking on the link.
 * Here's a link to the Main page.

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:
 * The weather in London is


 * List of cities by country.

If multiple sections have the same title, add a number. goes to the third section named "Example section".


 * You can link to a page section by its title:


 * List of cities by country.

If multiple sections have the same title, add a number. goes to the third section named "Example section".
 * }