Template talk:Ref

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Contents 1 Documentation 1.1 Alternative referencing style 1.2 Usage 1.2.1 Link in text area 1.2.1.1 Simple 1.2.1.2 Complex 1.2.1.3 Harvard 1.2.2 Link in References section 1.2.2.1 Simple 1.2.2.2 Complex 1.3 Examples 1.4 Instructions 1.4.1 References (example for Notes) 1.5 See also 2 "Template:Ref" 3 Please help! 4 Optional naming 5 {{ref 1}} 6 Bug with backlinks when reference_name has leading spaces 7 Interwiki 8 Bug with Symbols/Table 9 Wikiproject Inline templates proposed 10 Help

[edit] Documentation

[edit] Alternative referencing style

The Cite.php <ref> and <references/> system is an alternative style of referencing to the templates discussed on this page. For details on this system, please see Wikipedia:Footnotes and Wikipedia:Cite sources.

A third-party tool to translate articles using the templates described on this page into the Cite.php system is available, see Ref converter.

[edit] Usage

For multiple links to one citation in the Reference section, use different id values ("a", "b", etc.), beginning with the first citation. The "id" is used to make multiple backlinks from the note.

[edit] Link in text area

[edit] Simple

{{ref|reference_name}}
{{ref|reference_name|label}}

fuu^[1]
fuu^label

Creates a simple link to a footnote, with reference_name being an invisible unique id.

[edit] Complex

{{ref label|reference_name|label|id}}

fuu^[label]

{{ref label}} links to a {{note label}} citation in the References section labeled reference_name and id (reference_nameid). Text is marked with label instead of an automatically generated value. For future needs, reference_name should be the same as related references.

[edit] Harvard

{{ref harvard|reference_name|Harvard reference|id}}
{{ref harv|reference_name|Harvard reference|id}}

fuu (Harvard reference)
fuu^{(Harvard reference)}

{{ref harvard}} and {{ref harv}} link to a {{ref label}} citation in the References section labeled reference_name and id. Text is with Harvard reference (usually an author's name and year of publication) instead of automatically generated number. {{ref harvard}} formats the reference link as normal text while {{ref harv}} formats the reference link as ^superscript.

[edit] Link in References section

[edit] Simple

{{note|reference_name}}

↑ fuu

The {{note}} template creates a simple footnote for the reference with the invisible unique id reference_name.

[edit] Complex

{{note label|reference_name|number|id}}

^id fuu

Creates a footnote matching {{ref label}} in the text labeled reference_name and id. For multiple uses of a citation, use {{note label}} with the corresponding id values ("a", "b", etc.), used in the text. The "id" is used to make backlinks to the text. If the id is specified as "none", then the ^ symbol is rendered for the backlink.

[edit] Examples

Also see examples and explanation in Wikipedia:Footnote3.

The following examples from {{Ref/examples}} are rendered as a template in the following table:

What to type

What it makes

Linking and footnote templates Tags attached to links in text area: "{{ref}} example{{ref|reference1}}" — Links to a citation in the Reference section labeled "reference1". "Deprecated {{ref_num}} example{{ref_num|reference1|1}}" — Links to a citation in the Reference section labeled "reference1", but marked in the text with the number "1" instead of an automatically generated number. NOTE: {{ref_num}} is deprecated. {{ref_label}} should be used instead. "{{ref_label}} example{{ref_label|example.com|2|none}}" — Links to a citation in the Reference section labeled "example.com". Text is marked with the number "2". For two links to the same footnote labeled "example.com", you would: "{{ref_label}} example{{ref_label|example.com|3|a}}" "{{ref_label}} example{{ref_label|example.com|3|b}}" "{{ref_label}} example{{ref_label|nextexample.com|4|4}}" "{{ref_harvard}} example {{ref_harvard|lastexample.com|Jones 1999|none}}" — Links to a citation in the Reference section labeled "lastexample.comnone", and marked in the text with (Jones 1999). "{{ref_harv}} example {{ref_harv|lastexample.com|Jones 1999|none}}" — Links to a citation in the Reference section labeled "lastexample.comnone", and marked in the text with (Jones 1999). "{{ref_harvard}} example {{ref_harvard|finalexample.com|Smith 2000|a}}(a)" "{{ref_harv}} example {{ref_harv|finalexample.com|Smith 2000|a}}(a)" "{{ref_harvard}} example {{ref_harvard|finalexample.com|Smith 2000|b}}(b)" "{{ref_harv}} example {{ref_harv|finalexample.com|Smith 2000|b}}(b)" Tags attached to links in References or Footnote section: "#{{note|reference1}} example of {{note}}" — In References section, citation labeled "reference1". "#{{note_label|example.com|2|none}}"— In References section, citation labeled "example.comnone". Creates backlink to matching {{ref_label}} entry in the text labeled "example.comnone". Now, if you have two links to the same footnote labeled "example.com", you would do: "#{{note_label|example.com|3|a}}{{note_label|example.com|3|b}} example of {{note_label}}" "{{note_label|nextexample.com|4|4}} example of {{note_label}}" "{{note_label|lastexample.com|Jones 1999|none}}Jones (1999) {{note_label}}" -- Note that when the 3rd unnamed parameter is specified as "none", the ^ symbol is rendered for the backlink. "{{note_label|finalexample.com|Smith 2000|a}}{{note_label|finalexample.com|Smith 2000|b}}Smith (2000)"

In text area: {{ref}} example[2] Deprecated {{ref_num}} example[1] {{ref_label}} example[2] {{ref_label}} example[3] {{ref_label}} example[3] {{ref_label}} example[4] {{ref_harvard}} example (Jones 1999) {{ref_harv}} example (Jones 1999) {{ref_harvard}} example (Smith 2000)(a) {{ref_harv}} example (Smith 2000)(a) {{ref_harvard}} example (Smith 2000)(b) {{ref_harv}} example (Smith 2000)(b) In References or Footnote section: ↑ example of {{note}} ^ example of {{note_label}} a b example of {{note_label}} 4 example of {{note_label}} ^ Jones (1999) {{note_label}} a b Smith (2000)

[edit] Instructions

In an article, a reference link to supporting material can be made with the {{ref}} template, such as this^[3]. (Note the link to the reference's footnote; at present it appears as a small number.)

A significant advantage of using this method is that the reference contains a named link which allows recovery from various edit problems. Otherwise, connections to references can be lost if only numbers are used and editors alter footnote numbers.

• For multiple references to the same work it is suggested that the page number be used to make each reference unique, i.e. {{ref|Jones1954a-25}}.
• For journal articles it is suggested a reference similar to AuthorYear be used, i.e. {{ref|Jones1954a}}.

• Instructions for adding a citations using these templates:

Footnotes use names, not numbers. Please see Wikipedia:Footnote3 for details.

1) Assign your footnote a unique name, for example "TheSun_Dec9".

2) Add the template {{ref|TheSun_Dec9}} to the body of the article where you want the new footnote.

3) Take note of the name of the footnote that immediately proceeds yours in the article body.

4) Add #{{Note|TheSun_Dec9}} to the reference list, immediately below the footnote you noted in step 3.

5) Multiple sources in the text pointing to the same reference will not work: each source must have uniquely-named notes in the References section.

It is important to add the citations in the right order in the Reference (or Notes) list.

• These templates can be used in conjunction with other non-linking templates at Wikipedia:Cite_sources/example_style and Wikipedia:Template_messages/Sources_of_articles/Generic_citations. All citations are listed at Wikipedia:Template_messages/Sources_of_articles as well.

[edit] References (example for Notes)

1. (used earlier)
2. ↑ This is a footnote with supporting material to the above reference. This footnote is created with the template syntax: {{note|ref_example}}. The {{note}} template presently creates a small symbol ("^") that contains a link back up to the source in the text. Readers thus have links back and forth within the text. The number at the beginning of this line was created with the Wiki notation # placed at the beginning of the line, which only displays a numbered list. The matching number is not necessary, and Wikipedia:Cite sources suggests using the bulleted list notation: *

[edit] See also

• Wikipedia:Footnotes — Discussion about this reference method.
• Template:Ref — Template for references using this method.
• Template:Ref label same as {{Ref}}, but with more features.
• Template:Footnote label same as, and redirect to, {{Ref label}}, but ignored by bots that convert {{Ref label}} and {{Ref}} to Cite.php references; for use of these templates for informational footnotes as opposed to reference citations.
• Template:Note — Template for footnotes using this method.
• Template:Note label same as Note, but with more features,

[edit] "Template:Ref"

The Tallboy bomb article uses ref notes. The "ref_label" and "note" templates are working as expected but the "ref" template shows "Template:Ref" in the text and if cliked upon takes the reader to this template. Something somewhere is broken and I would appreciate it if someone who knows what they are doing could fix the Ref template. --Philip Baird Shearer 10:57, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Please help!

Does this format.. superscripted text in parentheses such as ^(Author), that links to a note indexed as ^(Author) .. does it exist in the real world? Can you go to the library and pick up a major journal referenced in this way? If the answer is NO I vote Deprecate and Delete. Just because we can make our own idiosyncratic system of referencing is a far cry for saying that we should. The current chaos in systems for linking cites to refs does a huge disservice to the Wikipedia community. --Ling.Nut 15:29, 24 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Optional naming

I'd like to add a second parameter defaulting to nothing for the link name (see example page where this would be useful). This would have no effect on normal usage, as shown below. Are there any objections to this?

meh{{ref|meh|a}} fuu{{ref|fuu|b}} bar{{ref|bar|c}}{{ref|mv}}.

== Notes ==
* {{note|meh|a}} [[meh]]
* {{note|fuu|b}} [[fuu]]
* {{note|bar|c}} [[bar]]
# {{note|mv}} [[Metasyntactic variable]]

// [admin] Pathoschild (^talk/_map) 00:12, 7 October 2006 (UTC)

Implemented. // [admin] Pathoschild (^talk/_map) 06:42, 10 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] {{ref 1}}

Is there any point to the templates like {{ref 1}}, {{ref 2}}, and so on? I'd say they should be deleted and all instances should be replaced with {{ref label}}, so that they are linked to the associated notes. — Omegatron 21:20, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

Since these templates never had links, the associated notes also don't have the tags to receive links. It would take a little work to replace them all, for instance this conversion to use ref/note with backlinking. They seem a little superfluous (going up to {{ref 8}}) but are they doing any great harm? {{ref 1}} is only used on 113 pages currently, many of which are not in article space. Within articles, they seem to be used as shorthand for notes within tables, many predating the ref/note system. Gimmetrow 04:00, 27 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Bug with backlinks when reference_name has leading spaces

If the template is used with a space before the reference_name, the inter-links with note do not work. Since the template parameters are not named, leading spaces are kept. So in id="ref_{{{1}}}", the html has "ref__value". However, in #endnote_{{{1}}}, the leading space is dropped, so the html has "#endnote_value". Since the opposite happens in {{note}}, they don't work together. I'm guessing this has something to do with how repeated spaces are processed for html display - and that the underscore in the #endnote is being treated as a space.

Since this is used on nearly 9000 pages, it might be good to discuss options for fixing this bug. I've tried using anchorencode to handle these tags without success. A "simple" fix for this is to replace the underscores with some other letter, such as "Q". In {{Rf}}/{{Ent}}, this works when one template use to have more leading spaces than another template use, though if one use has a leading space and the other doesn't it still fails. Gimmetrow 02:15, 28 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Interwiki

Please add [[sv:Mall:ref]] to {{ref}} and [[sv:Mall:not]] to {{note}}. /skagedal^... 13:48, 5 January 2007 (UTC)

Done. If you have any questions, please contact me at my talk page. Ian Manka 02:18, 6 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Bug with Symbols/Table

Using the Ref tag, it either is tripping up on symbols, or chokes when embedded in tables. - MSTCrow 00:48, 2 February 2007 (UTC)

Responded on user's talk. Christopher Parham (talk) 00:56, 2 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Wikiproject Inline templates proposed

Wikipedia:WikiProject Council/Proposals#Inline templates. I've been meaning to do this for a while. — SMcCandlish [talk] [contrib] ツ 16:31, 19 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Help

The ref+note system is not working at List of fastest cars by acceleration. Λυδαcιτγ 01:22, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Looking into it. Gimmetrow 02:01, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

I was able to find a problem on one browser where the refs don't link to notes, but the notes link to refs. Both work fine on another browser, however, so it seems to be a browser-specific issue. Gimmetrow 04:04, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

I think I've been noticing that too. Internet Exploder seems to work for me; (the otherwise vastly superior) Firefox, not always... is that the same as what you found?--Ling.Nut 08:53, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, I'm using Firefox. The problem has to do with the fact that the section is called "endnote_{{{1}}}", which for some reason doesn't work in Firefox, as you can see at User:Audacity/Sandbox. Calling it "e_{{{1}}}" does work. I have no clue why this is — does anyone else? Λυδαcιτγ 01:33, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

(undent) I dunno, but methinks it's time to squawk:

--Ling.Nut 01:42, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

OK, but see also above - tags with spaces are another issue. If the anchor tags in Ref/Note are changed, they should not have any spaces, and the anchors in {{Rf}}/{{Ent}} should be changed to match. (They currently do not match, as the no-space fix was previously implemented there, however Rf/Ent presently has the same backlink problem in Mozilla/SeaMonkey.) Gimmetrow 02:11, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

What exactly would you like to have changed? Can you make a list? CMummert · talk 02:25, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

(undent) ummm... I thought the above thread was an exact list... --Ling.Nut 02:40, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

It's somewhat painful to have to search through a thread to gather information about what the requested edit is; the person making the request presumably already knows what is desired.

Is this right - you want me to edit all four of ref, note, rf, and ent, and change the section titles to all be the same. Will "eQ" do as the section title (no space)? CMummert · talk 03:01, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Personally, I think this should be tested quite a bit further before being implemented, but yes you have correctly surmised what is desired. Gimmetrow 03:06, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

{{editprotected}} I agree with the idea of testing. I see no objection to implementing this, but it seems suboptimal to me because the source of the problem has not been diagnosed but a fix has been proposed. For now I will turn off the editprotected tag; please feel free to add it whenever and I will be glad to follow up on it personally. CMummert · talk 03:12, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

At least some of the articles where this is broken formerly worked fine, and I don't see any recent changes to Ref/Note, nor any recent related changes to Common.css. What else could have changed that would have an effect? Gimmetrow 03:26, 31 March 2007 (UTC)