Using templates and wikitext

This page explains the two ways to write pages on this wiki, how templates work, and how to pull live information from glowfic.com into a page. See also the editing conventions.

Choosing an editor

Every page can be written in one of two editors. You can switch at any time from the Editing Page menu at the top of the editor.

• WYSIWYG (the default): edit the page as it looks, with a toolbar for formatting, links, images and tables.
• Wikitext: write MediaWiki-style markup, like on Wikipedia or Fandom. Choose Switch to Wikitext Editor. A live preview is shown beside the text.

Switching converts the page; nothing is lost, though complicated formatting may come out slightly differently.

Wikitext basics

Links

[[Title]] finds the page with that title anywhere on the wiki, or a book, chapter or shelf with that name. If several pages share a title, readers get a list to choose from; if a title matches character names (like Bella) the wiki lists those characters automatically. Links to pages that don't exist yet show in red — follow one to create the page.

Templates

A template is a reusable piece of a page, like an infobox. Templates live in the Templates book; each template's page shows its parameters, an example and where it's used. Use one by writing its name in double braces, with parameters separated by |:

{{Character Infobox | full_name = Isabella Marie Swan Cullen | known_as = Bella | world = [[Aurum]]}}

Changing a template updates every page that uses it. To write your own, create a page in the Templates book and use {{{name}}} where a parameter goes ({{{name|default}}} for a default). Notes for other editors go on a page called Template name/doc.

Templates also work in the WYSIWYG editor: type the call (like {{Stub}}) as ordinary text and it is filled in when the page is shown. In WYSIWYG pages you can also include another page with {{@123}} (its id), and pass it parameters: {{@123|name=Bella}} fills {{{name}}} in the included page.

Live information from glowfic.com

These blocks fetch information from glowfic.com and refresh it daily. In the WYSIWYG editor, use the Glowfic button on the toolbar; in wikitext, type them directly.

A continuity's threads

{{#glowfic:board|38|limit=5}} — the number is the one in the continuity's glowfic.com address (glowfic.com/boards/38). Every continuity book on this wiki has a Threads page built this way.

A character

{{#glowfic:character|luminous_regnant|limit=3}} — by screenname or id. Shows their icon, aliases and threads they appear in. {{#glowfic:icon|luminous_regnant}} gives just the icon, handy in infoboxes.

Isabella Marie Swan Cullen ☼ "Golden"

Screenname: luminous_regnant

15 icons · gallery

Appears in

• the restless wish, the instant need (rss · epub)
• step outta your bubble (rss · epub)
• take me out to the black (rss · epub)

From glowfic.com · updated daily

An author

{{#glowfic:user|Alicorn|limit=3}} — by username or id: moiety, character templates and recent threads.

A single thread

{{#glowfic:thread|219}} gives applied theology — Silmaril · with Alicorn, lintamande · Complete (rss · epub)

Lists that keep themselves up to date

Information written into templates can be queried. For example, every character whose Character Infobox says template = Zevi:

{{#query: Character Infobox | where = template=Zevi | fields = known_as, world, wb | labels = Goes by, World, Writer}}

Conditions: field=value, field!=value, field~=part, combined with ;. Other options: format = list, links or count; order = field (add desc to reverse); limit; exclude = current to leave out the page you're on.