Teamplaid:Rcat shell/Comparison

Teamplaid:TOCRight Because of a software modification, text can now appear on Wikipedia's redirect pages. Therefore, they all have the capability to display other readable text in addition to the redirect arrow and target page title, which had been the only displayable content prior to the software modification.

This page compares how text may appear on redirect pages when they are tagged by redirect category (rcat) templates in accordance with the guideline for categorizing redirects. In particular, the style comparisons on this page display examples that show how rcats are rendered when the {{Rcat shell}} (which has replaced the deprecated {{This is a redirect}} template) is used:

{{Rcat shell|{{R from plural}}|{{R with possibilities}}}}

in contrast to how text appears when rcats are added to redirects individually, such as:

{{R from plural}}

{{R with possibilities}}

The Rcat shell template wraps rcats in a similar manner to other shell templates, such as the {{WikiProject banner shell}}. However, rather than collapsing the templates, the Rcat shell gives them a more sophisticated and professional appearance.

Learning curve

With the Rcat shell template, the learning curve for inexperienced editors, who want to learn the details of redirect categorization, can be greatly enhanced. If an editor has no idea where to start and wants to learn, they can just add {{Rcat shell}} to the third line of a redirect's edit screen, and someone will "come a runninTeamplaid:'" to add rcats to the redirect. If they keep track of where they left a shell template, then they will learn how to categorize from more experienced editors. As their learning grows, they are not abandoned. If an editor knows that one or two rcats are needed, but they are unsure if any more should be added, all they need do is leave the very first parameter empty. Just as before, other editors will come a runnin' to double check their good work. This ability to help new and inexperienced editors is not available to individually applied rcats. More details may be found on the template documentation page.

Protection detection

Another good reason to consider using the Rcat shell instead of using individual rcats on redirects is that the shell template, in addition to the learning curve and standardized text, is capable of detecting the protection level(s) of a redirect. When an administrator protects a redirect, either edit-protected, move-protected or both, and if the Rcat shell template has been used to tag the redirect, then it automatically sorts the redirect into appropriate protection categories. If and when protection is lifted, raised or lowered, then the protection tags and categories are automatically removed or adjusted accordingly. If the Rcat shell is added to an already protected redirect, then any manually placed protection templates may be removed as they will not be needed. This automatic protection sensing is not available to individually applied rcats.

Style comparison

Templates used

The rcat templates used in this example are:

• {{R from related word}}
• {{R from template shortcut}}
• {{R from long name}}

• {{R from alternative name}}
• {{R to redirect template}}

Rcat shell

{{Rcat shell|
{{R from related word}}
{{R from template shortcut}}
{{R from long name}}
{{R from alternative name}}
{{R to redirect template}}
}}

Following is how text appears when Rcat shell is used:

Individually added

{{R from related word}}
{{R from template shortcut}}
{{R from long name}}
{{R from alternative name}}
{{R to redirect template}}

Following is the text that appears when rcats are added individually:

Incorrect namespace

Also noted is how these rcats will appear if they are used to tag a redirect in the wrong namespace. {{R from plural}} is an rcat that is only used in article mainspace, and this page is a "template" page, so:

{{Rcat shell|{{R from plural}}}}...

{{R from plural}} if used individually... Teamplaid:R from plural

---

Note 1: If {{R from plural}} or any template is used in a different namespace than it should be used, the editor may note that both the above error message and a different categorization than expected is generated. The page will not be sorted to the expected category, and will instead populate Roinn-seòrsa:Pages with templates in the wrong namespace.

Note 2: When the error box shown above is seen on "preview" or after the edit has been published, be sure to correct the error by removing the rcat that should only be used in another namespace. In this case the {{R from modification}} rcat, which may be used in any namespace, can be used instead of R from plural:

{{Rcat shell|{{R from modification}}}}...

{{R from modification}}... Teamplaid:R from modification

Edit notes

• Always double check your edits even after you have previewed and published them. Some edits may appear differently in different browsers and skins, so it's good to be prepared and to check those edits with different browsers and in different skins. Also, a few edits may appear differently after being published than when they were viewed on preview.

• If your edits fail to appear after you've published them, be sure you have enabled your ability to see "hidden categories". You can make this choice very easily:

1. Go to Teamplaid:Myprefs
2. Scroll down to Roghainnean adhartach
3. Check the box Seall na roinnean-seòrsa falaichte
4. Click Sàbhail

You may need to purge your browser cache to ensure that you can see hidden cats in the future.

• The following "preview trick" is no longer necessary since the bugs were fixed. It is kept only for historic reasons, because it also works for other templates. There is another way the text can be seen and checked to see if the correct rcat has been added. When an editor begins to edit a redirect, the edit screen is brought up that gives the ability to change the page. If the redirect is disabled for preview and not saved, the editor can see the text of the rcat(s) added by clicking on Show preview. Once the editor has determined that the correct rcats have been added, the redirect can be re-enabled before being saved. One easy way to disable a redirect is to type a number or letter in the upper left of the edit field, to the left of the "#REDIRECT", as in "4#REDIRECT". Be sure that the "4" is removed before the Publish page is clicked.

• The following "preview trick" is no longer necessary since a software update enabled section reference viewing. It is kept only for historic reasons, because it also works for other templates. The above "preview trick" works for other templates as well, such as {{Reflist}} or its shortcut, {{RE}}. Place one of those beneath a paragraph of an article section and click on Show preview to give you a "test reflist" with which to check citation edits. If you forget to remove the test reflist and published the page with it still in, just be sure to double check the edit and correct your mistake. Others will understand because we've all made the same or similar errors.

Bug note

There are two closed bugs and one open Phab ticket that dealt/deal with the appearance of text on redirects:

• T16323
• T44642
• T134075 same bug description only for file image redirect pages

Until the first two were resolved, the above texts only appeared at Rfd, because only then was a redirect disabled (by the Rfd template). Only when a redirect was disabled would text appear on redirects.

Editor's choice

There is no policy nor guideline with a goal to get editors to use the Rcat shell. So it is up to editors to decide which style is better for use: the Rcat shell wrapping the rcats or the rcats are used individually. The editors who have worked to improve the Rcat shell hope that other editors will put it to good use.