This page or section is an archive. Please do not edit the contents of this page. This thread was archived on 10 October 2010 by Liquidhelium.

I propose we create a policy for Template namespace that addresses personal templates, signature templates, and other rules for what may a template created for and be used for.

I do not have very good writing skills so I am hoping someone else will be able to come up with a rough draft to start with. Evil1888 ^{Talk A's L}

Contents 1 Rough Draft 2 Discussion

Rough DraftEdit

Many users wish to use templates to add a personal touch to their userpages, or to unify content across a web of user subpages. This is perfectly fine, however in order to facilitate this, users must take care of where they place their personal use templates. This is both for maintenance and organizational purposes. Its important to identify which templates are for user page use, since usually templates are deleted if they only used in the User namespace.

The most common type of personal use template is a userbox. A userbox is a small rectangular box, usually 240px wide and 48px tall, which includes a brief message about likes, dislikes, and other biographical info. Users include these userboxes on their page to indicate that they agree with the message or that it pertains to them. Users can make their own from scratch, or use one of the hundreds of userboxes that other users have premade. See Template:Userbox for more details. If users choose to create their own userbox, they must create it as a sub-page of the Template:Userbox page, for example, Template:Userbox/Loves cats.

If a userbox is made using the Userbox template, it does not need to be categorized, since using Template:Userbox automatically categorizes all userboxes made with it. If one is made from scratch however, it will need to be added to Category:Userbox templates using the format: <noinclude>[[Category:Users who love cats]]</noinclude>. The noinclude tags mean that the category will not follow the rest of the template code when it is translcuded on the userpage.

Userboxes often add users to categories which which relate to the userbox. For example, Template:Userbox/Loves cats might add players to Category:Users who love cats. This is accomplished by adding <includeonly>[[Category:Users who love cats]]</includeonly>. The includeonly tags means that the category will only be activated when the userbox is put on someone's userpage, and will not include the actual userbox template in the category.

Userboxes usually come with an image, and most of the time this is one of the images already uploaded to the Wiki for encyclopedic purposes. If no image fits in with the user box, an image specifically designed for that userbox may be uploaded, but it must first pass consensus by creating a thread in the Yew Grove and seeing if the community agrees that the userbox should get its own image. This is to prevent people from using a userbox as an excuse to upload a personal use image, which is forbidden, since the Wiki is not a host for image files.

Other personal use templates are used to organise and unify the appearance of a userpage. It includes things like headers, sidebars, and footers. These templates cannot be created in the Template: namespace, since they are only for use on one user's page. Instead, they must be crated as a sub-page of the user's page, for example, User:Elfinlocks/Header. The can then be transcluded just like any other template using {{User:Elfinlocks/Header}}. These types of templates do not need to, and in fact, should not be categorised.

DiscussionEdit

Support - As nominator. Evil1888 ^{Talk A's L} 08:16, June 13, 2010 (UTC)

Support - I agree that we need to come up with a policy for that namespace, as shown by the last two threads about . Do you have any particular ideas in mind? I'll write it if you can give me something to base it on. It's Cook's afterbirth day! 08:40, June 13, 2010 (UTC)

Comment - See RS:SIG and RS:UOL. I couldn't find anything about personal templates though. bad_fetus^talk 10:33, June 13, 2010 (UTC)

I think he's talking about more what's allowed and what's not allowed to be in the Template space. Neither of those links really cover that. It's Cook's afterbirth day! 18:33, June 13, 2010 (UTC)

Comment - Strangely I couldn't find anything mentioning personal pages. I would think that a bit of common sense would apply here; personal images aren't allowed so obviously personal pages, whether or not they are in the template userspace or anywhere else besides user pages, aren't allowed either, although it would be nice to clarify it in one or more of our existing policies. Andrew ^talk 23:33, June 13, 2010 (UTC)

Notice of Intent - Unless a draft is written up soon, this will be closed. Stelercus 12:33, July 7, 2010 (UTC)

Support - It seemed pretty straightforward so I produced what I thought to be a sensible rough draft. If it were to pass, it would replace RuneScape:Userboxes, and I guess it could be called RuneScape:User Templates. Oh also I strongly advocate moving the userbox examples off or RuneScape:Userboxes and putting it on Template:Userboxes. Psycho Robot talk 20:27, July 7, 2010 (UTC)

Hmm, great part on Userboxes. We should add more on other user templates. Also, "They will be deleted if they are not used in the mainspace" isn't really true. More like "They will be deleted if they are only used in the userspace.", because there are plenty of templates (i.e. {{Forumheader}} that aren't used in the mainspace, but are not going to be deleted. Y'know? It's Cook's afterbirth day! 20:35, July 7, 2010 (UTC)

Good point. I changed it! yay! Psycho Robot talk 00:18, July 8, 2010 (UTC)

{{Rfc|complete=true}} MattTalk 22:29, July 27, 2010 (UTC)

A user has requested closure for Template policy. Request denied. The reason given was: denied

MattTalk 10:51, July 28, 2010 (UTC)

Support - More loopholes gone! 222 ^talk 06:23, August 21, 2010 (UTC)

? - What will the name of the policy be O_o ajr 18:11, September 13, 2010 (UTC)

I unno. RuneScape:Personal Templates perhaps? Psycho Robot talk 19:42, September 13, 2010 (UTC)

Support - Except, what about templates such as Template:User? This has been here awhile and little discussion has occurred. Ryan PM 18:46, September 13, 2010 (UTC)

What about Template:User? I don't see what needs to be discussed about it Psycho Robot talk 19:42, September 13, 2010 (UTC)

Support - Per Brains. MattTalk 12:10, September 29, 2010 (UTC)

Closed - RS:PT has been created. I used the rough draft with minor edits in grammar, organization, and the choice of Elfinlocks as a name. --King Liquidhelium^Talk 13:48, October 10, 2010 (UTC)