Help:Editing

Make sure to check out Article standards and practices if you're adding new API articles.

Spheriki the Sphere Wiki runs on a MediaWiki setup similar to Wikipedia, so if you want, you can take its editing crash course, view the more comprehensive editing guide, or even the advanced editing markup list.

Pages

Before you can edit pages, you must be registered on the wiki; to register you must have an OpenID-enabled account. That's mainly so we can keep track of who does what. Once you are registered, you are welcome to add and edit content!

Making a new page

There's a few ways to do this.

1. Click on a red link with the name of the page you want to make.
2. Type in the name of the page you want in the Search box at the side. Click 'Go', and then 'create this page'.

Both ways will lead you to the edit box, where you can type in the stuff you want in the page.

Editing an existing page

Look at the top of the page, just below the dark grey bar. Click 'edit', and you will be taken to the edit box with the existing page contents.

Formatting

Knowing about formatting will make your pages that much prettier. Of note, the Functions pages require all pages to be in a similar format, but most pages aren't like that. Here's the lowdown.

HTML support

Basic HTML is supported by the wiki, if you're familiar with it. However, wiki markup is preferred. Don't worry, you can pick it up along the way.

Headings

Here's how headings look in wiki code:

= Heading level 1 =
== Heading level 2 ==
=== Heading level 3 ===

And so on. Headings are used to put sections into categories, so arrange them in tiers (e.g. don't put a level 3 heading without a matching level 2 heading above it).

Try not to use a level 1 heading (one =), as this is normally reserved for the article's title.

Paragraphs

When typing stuff, just leave a spare blank line between paragraphs. If you want a larger space between the paragraphs, leave two blank lines. Usually, one blank line is enough.

Links

There are two types of links, internal, which point to pages in the wiki, and external, which point to other places.

• Internal - Put the name of the page in double square brackets, [[page name]]. If the page exists, it will show up as blue when saved/previewed, otherwise it will be red.
  • Category links - you must prefix the link with a colon (the : character) if you want to link to a category.
  • Subpage links - you can link to a subpage by prefixing with a slash (the / character).
• External - Use single square brackets, and a space to separate the URL from the link text, [http://www.urlofsite.com/ link text]. Or just type the URL, and the wiki should link automatically.

For different link text, use the pipe character (or '|', typed using 'SHIFT + \' on a US English keyboard): [[link|different text]].

For the name of a topic or function that appears multiple times, you only need to link the first occurence of the topic/function, and maybe again if it appears in a menu of links at the bottom of the page.

Decorations

Italics and bold text are made by surrounding the text with a pair of two single quotes for italics, and three single quotes for bold. Or use the blue editing buttons at the top of the edit box.

Fixed-width text

Just surround the text you need in monospace with <pre> and </pre> tags. Alternately, put some whitespace at the beginning of each line, which has a similar effect.

Unwanted fixed-width text

If your text shows up in monospace, in a grey box, and you aren't expecting it, the way to fix it is to remove all the whitespace at the beginning of each line affected.

Lists

Flush with the left of the page, type an asterisk (or '*') for each item of a bullet point list, or a hash (or '#') for a numbered list. Start a new line for each item.

For nested lists, just add asterisks or hashes, being sure to line up symbols of continuous lists.

* Unordered item A
* Unordered item B
*# Sub-item 1
*# Sub-item 2
*# Sub-item 3
*#* Unordered sub-sub-item A
*#* Unordered sub-sub-item B
*# Sub-item 4
* Unordered item C
** Unordered sub-item A
** Unordered sub-item B

Results in:

• Unordered item A
• Unordered item B
  1. Sub-item 1
  2. Sub-item 2
  3. Sub-item 3
     • Unordered sub-sub-item A
     • Unordered sub-sub-item B
  4. Sub-item 4
• Unordered item C
  • Unordered sub-item A
  • Unordered sub-item B

Indentation

To indent a paragraph of text, or something else, just make the first character of the line a colon (or ':'). String multiple colons for further levels of indentation. Useful for talk pages, or quotes.

Categories

To add a page to a category, put in a link like [[Category:categoryname]] anywhere in the page. There are a small number of established categories, such as Games, Functions, and Tutorials.

Saving pages

Saving a page you are editing will commit the changes, so everybody can bask in their wonderful light.

Preview

Always click the 'Show preview' button at the bottom, to see your handiwork. It also keeps the number of reported recent changes down.

Summary

Write a quick one-phrase description of what you changed here, which helps in skimming over recent changes.

Save

The 'Save' button will save the page edits you have made, so everybody else can see them. Remember to click this when you're done previewing.

Minor edits

If you only change formatting, or a the phrasing of a sentence, and/or add nothing particularly new or significant, click the checkbox marked 'This is a minor edit'. This way, the community can filter through important and unimportant changes.

Talk pages

On the row of buttons just below the grey bar at the top, there is a button labelled 'discussion'. Clicking it will show a page containing any discussion between members about the original article contents. If an edit box shows up, it means that nobody has made any comments about the page yet.

Starting a new topic

You'll notice a new button in the button row just below the grey bar now, one labelled with an addition sign (or '+'). Clicking that will open a new dialog with space for a topic title, and space for your discussion comment. Be sure to sign your comment with --~~~~ (two dashes, followed by four tildes), or just press the signature button from the blue editing buttons above the box.

Replying to an existing topic

Click the 'edit' button, and reply by putting your text in a paragraph with an extra level of indentation after the message to reply to, as well as after any replies from other people. Be sure to sign your comment as above.

Testing stuff

If you want to mess about without causing distress, head to the Sandbox, which is reserved for people like you, wanting to learn by doing.