Help talk:Templates

I would like to propose a Template help page that would provide easy to understand instructions on how GWW has structured templates and how a new editor can find and utilize them so someone wanting to help can do that easily without having to think much for themselves.

I understand the reasons behind using templates on a wiki that has as much information to document as GWW, but coming here with a desire to contribute while learning wiki code at the same time, I was and still am faced with a daunting number of implemented templates that are difficult to find, and confusing to use. I am sure I am not the only one. While I know this would add another not insignificant item to someone's 'to do' list, I believe that the benefit to the community as a whole would make it a worthwhile project for one or more of GWW's more experienced editors.

Once completed this page could be linked from Guild Wars Wiki:How to help. Currently the editing section of that page only points to the MediaWiki Handbook, as well as GWW's formatting guidelines, but has nothing to address GWW specific templates and their usage.

Items I'd like to see covered: -- Wynthyst 14:24, 7 January 2008 (UTC)
 * basic syntax for using templates
 * basic 'how to' instructions for using templates with variables
 * link to Template category.
 * Just in case you didn't find these: Guild Wars Wiki:Templates and Guild Wars Wiki:Formatting/Templates, maybe merge material. Just some thoughts to note: while templates are powerful tools, they can be confusing too, so what is important is to stress that new users should not be intimidated by the presence of templates (and there shouldn't be too many templates in one page) and templates should not intimidate users enough to prevent them from adding content. Don't be afraid of not using existing templates. Just put the content in. -- ab.er. rant [[Image:User Ab.er.rant Sig.png|sig]] 16:52, 7 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Apart from our existing pages, Help:Template on meta is probably the most detailed article about templates.. poke | talk 17:06, 7 January 2008 (UTC)
 * This would be very helpful, I still have some doubts about templates. Coran Ironclaw 17:30, 7 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Seeing those links aberrant posted, I think we could focus this help page on how to use templates and what they generally are used for on GWW. And I definitely think it's needed. :) It's better to have something localized and relevant to us (but not as extensive maybe) than just linking to meta help pages. The meta link should be there for those who want to know more, imo. - anja  [[Image:User Anja Astor sig icon.png|talk]] 17:33, 7 January 2008 (UTC)
 * The pages you indicated are fine, but putting them in Guild Wars Wiki is counter intuitive for someone looking for help, or maybe I'm just too much of a novice. When I was searching for some instructions on how to do stuff, my first stop was the Help center where I found zero information on using templates. Instead I found Anja, THANK THE HIGHER POWERS! And while obviously, I'm not intimidated by templates, as I'm still here, I do feel that there is a fairly large number of potential contributors that would either be intimidated by them, or disheartened by the ensuing messages directing them to policy/guideline pages that would begin as soon as they posted something that didn't conform.  You say you want to stress just getting the content in... but at least in my case, that is not at all what happens.  I'm just suggesting that WE (because I now consider myself a member of this community) make some easy to read and understand instructions easily available in a place that is most likely to be the first place someone new would go looking for it.  If I had enough knowledge of the subject I would do it myself, but since I don't, I'm putting it out there for those that do. --[[Image:User Wynthyst sig icon.png |Go to Wynthyst's Talk page]] Wynthyst 09:02, 8 January 2008 (UTC)
 * I agree with Anja above: The help page here is needed and should focus on how to use templates (there are some very nicely documented templates around as well). The meta template page is great, but it is also huge and directed at people who want to create templates. Most new users will rather want to use existing templates and might not be willing to read 81k page just to find out how to use, e.g. the skill template.
 * The discussion of how many templates we want to have is somewhat related but different. There are clear advantages and disadvantages of templates, but most disadvantages can be reduced by a good documentation and parameters that are full english words (I know that programmers are famously bad on using descriptive words for parameters, but "levelhardmode" beats "Lhm" or "z" anytime if you try to use a template). --Xeeron 10:51, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

W:Wikipedia:Template namespace &mdash;  ク  Eloc  貢  01:40, 10 January 2008 (UTC)
 * And the purpose of that was? - anja  [[Image:User Anja Astor sig icon.png|talk]] 11:24, 10 January 2008 (UTC)
 * I was replying to the top post of this page, hence to no indents. I was basically showing we could use something like Wikipedias page or something. &mdash;  ク  Eloc  貢  00:40, 11 January 2008 (UTC)

So I added some basic info about templates. I figure the description is a bit too general. Maybe use specific templates as examples, such as npc-stub and NPC infobox? After looking at Guild Wars Wiki:Templates, I'm not sure how to merge that. It seems more like a list of documentation for common templates. I didn't realize Guild Wars Wiki:Formatting/Templates already explains how to use templates, so don't know if the info should be merged or replace what I wrote. Oh before I forget, Help:TEMPLATES doesn't seem like much of a shortcut. Maybe Help:TEMP? Tedium 05:31, 24 January 2008 (UTC)

Thank you.
I know it doesn't seem like that much, but I believe that having this in Help, with a link to the others will help. It's short and sweet, and to the point, and written in plain enough English to at least get someone started. -- Wynthyst 08:22, 24 January 2008 (UTC)