Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2015 January 6

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January 6

Help:Cite errors/Cite error ref no input

I was looking for information regarding James Ten Eyck, the Varsity Crew Coach from Syracuse University, and under his name is listed Numismatist. I then was looking at images of James Ten Eyck, of which there are quite a few. Mixed in with those images, is one of a different James Ten Eyck. He lived in New York City, 1840 - 1910, and he was a well known coin collector, owner among other rarities, of a Brasher Doubloon. That is the only reference I have, which I tried to cite. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Nstewart10 (talk • contribs) 03:14, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

I have removed that section from James A. Ten Eyck, and referred in the edit summary to the Google image search. The numismatist might deserve an article, or at least a mention in Ten Eyck family. Thanks for pointing it out. --David Biddulph (talk) 08:31, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Trying to edit an bad post

I am trying to edit a bad post on this site, how do i do it? — Preceding unsigned comment added by AndyH2jj (talk • contribs) 04:17, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

If you're referring to this, you need to provide a published source to back up your assertion. Do you have one? --NeilN ^{talk to me} 04:22, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Btw, here's a source for that:

• "Mike Hawker - obituary". Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Ltd. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2015.

~Eric, aka:71.20.250.51 (talk) 04:59, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

merging 2 articles

Dear friends, a week ago I suggested that Shimon ben Yeshua ben Eliezer ben Sira be merged into Ben Sira. There's been no comments since, so I assume it's OK to go ahead. I propose to move all useful stuff into Ben Sira article, and then put a redirect in the other location. Is this the right way to procede? Please advise. Eio-cos (talk) 04:34, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

I've never merged articles but WP:MERGE might help here. Dismas|^(talk) 04:54, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Thanks for the tip, Dismas! Job is done. --Eio-cos (talk) 17:57, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Limit on signatures

I tried to make a new signature...

Qwerty2000 (talk)

But while attempting to create this, it ran out of room. Can you please expand the size limit for signatures, or have templates for colour? Qwertyxp2000 (talk) 06:44, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

@Qwertyxp2000: Well, the limit is there for a good reason - everyone using excessively long signature code will potentially make editing talk pages more convoluted than it already is. Template:Color is what you're looking for, though :) ~SuperHamster Talk Contribs 07:06, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Let me try again... Qwerty2000 (talk)

(edit conflict) Per WP:SIGNATURE, "Keep signatures short, both in display and in markup." The colorful signature you show here takes up three lines on my screen in the edit window. That's a lot of space just to say your name. Dismas|^(talk) 07:13, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

It takes about two lines on a 1980 x 1080 computer. What is the desirable resolution aim for Wikipedia? Qwerty2000 (talk) 07:15, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

I don't think there is a necessarily a "desirable" resolution - websites should be built responsively so the maximum number of users will have a positive experience. While more and more people are using higher resolutions, there is still quite some variance - and in Wikipedia's case, where the aim is to educate people from all over the world, accessibility is particularly important. That being said, the limit is 255 characters. ~SuperHamster Talk Contribs 07:19, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

I know that you aren't required to have the text in a signature match your username, but it does seem odd to have qwertyxp2000 as an account, but the signature say querty2000 (without the xp)Naraht (talk) 15:39, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Dusty Springfield

Hey guys, when reading your write-up on Dusty Springfield, there was no mention of her back-up work in support of Eddie Money's hit: "take me home tonight" (which I think was in 1986). Also, there is no mention (in the other direction)of her effort on this particular piece on your bio/write-up of Eddie Money. Just thought you might want to know. Congrats on the fundraising ...you guys are awesome!-- Fitz98.235.12.93 (talk) 08:20, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Hello, Fitz. Wikipedia is the encyclopaedia anyone can edit. So if you have a published source for this information, you are welcome to add it (with a reference to the source) to the article. (If you haven't a published source, you should not add it). Either way, if you haven't a source, or are nervous about editing the article, you can make a section on the article's talk page Talk:Dusty Springfield, suggesting the change, so that somebody with an interest in the subject can look for a reference (if you haven't given one) and add it to the article. Thanks for the suggestion, and the congratulations. --ColinFine (talk) 16:08, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Authority control

I can't figure out the proper Library of Congress parameter value for Ethel Hill.[1] Clarityfiend (talk) 09:22, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

@Clarityfiend: I've added it in. It's not very user friendly but take the code and add a slash after the letter prefix (which varies) and after the year prefix, which will be a full year for some and a partial year for others. Here it was: no90003425, which becomes no/90/003425. Best regards--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 15:35, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Yikes! Thanks. Clarityfiend (talk) 19:02, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

editing sidebars??

via the searchengine, namespace help, I could not find any helpful information about how to edit a sidebar (change it?!!) of which I find in the editable code of an article only the coded title, e.g. {{islamism sidebar}}... arcane knowledge... thanx!

sorry, I can not sign this because as soon as I hit the sign-icon "chrome has been shut down"... my wikiname is HilmarHansWerner --HilmarHansWerner (talk) 14:41, 6 January 2015 (UTC) (now it worked)

The template you're referring to (which I've made into a link, instead of allowing it to display here) has three linked letters at the very bottom, on the right hand side: "V" "T" and "E", which stand for respectively "V"iew this template, discuss ("T"alk about) this template, and "E"dit this template. That's really just a side note though, and will not help you with the majority of templates that do not have such links. Please read Help:Template, so you understand what a template is. In short, anytime you see code inside opening and closing curly braces ({{...}}) that's a template being called, and the template itself will always be in the template namespace, and thus at a name like Template:Whatever the name is, where you can edit it. The template you used as an example is thus located at Template:islamism sidebar where it can be edited. Please note though that a change to a template like this will make that change display in every article it is used in. For that reason, it is often a good idea to discuss edits first, on the talk page, and to be very careful when you make the edits. Best regards--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 14:50, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

thanks a lot! used already your link to edit it... suggestion: make your helpful info into a help-article with the title "how to edit sidebars" or "sidebar-editing"...?!! --HilmarHansWerner (talk) 15:44, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Moral Action Committee and Dr. John Adams

We would desire to see Wikipedia add the Moral Action Committee and our Executive Director Dr. John M. Adams added to you information group. This is a viable and much read presentation about morality in America and around the world. submitted by the Board of Trustees and Chairman of Moral Action.... <redacted promotional material> — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.211.117.36 (talk) 16:23, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Please make your request at WP:Requested articles.--ukexpat (talk) 16:32, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Please read the conflict of interest policy. Making your request at WP:Requested articles is a request that the article be written by a neutral editor. Bear in mind that if the article is written, you will not have control of it, because it is the work of the Wikipedia community. Robert McClenon (talk) 18:00, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Citing wikipedia in wikipedia

HEllo,

I want to know if we can cite wikipedia articles while creating a wikipedia article.

Thanks — Preceding unsigned comment added by Dhairikfuletra (talk • contribs) 16:46, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

No you can't; see WP:CIRCULAR. --David Biddulph (talk) 16:50, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

What you can do is to copy the references from one article to another, if they are applicable to both articles. Robert McClenon (talk) 17:57, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

And if you read them yourself. --  Gadget850 ^talk 20:59, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Foreign language fonts

I often encounter pages where non-latin character sets appear as small boxes instead of specific characters. I have tried changing my personal 'language preferences', so that the fonts to be displayed are downloaded as and when required. However, this has had no effect on a Wiki page that I presently wish to read, even after I restart my computer. Is there something else I must do? For information, I am using a PC running Windows 8. DStanB (talk) 17:01, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Hello, DStanB. I'm afraid I don't know the answer. But Help:Fonts may provide useful information. --ColinFine (talk) 20:21, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Hi, ColinFine. Good of you to try to help, but Help:Fonts seems to be mostly for editors wanting to insert specialist fonts. I can't find anything that tells the casual browser why their displays do not pick up those fonts properly. I have now set the same question on the Talk page of the article where I am having this problem myself, which is on Greek numerals. --DStanB (talk) 14:21, 8 January 2015 (UTC)

Adding a photo

Heading added by ColinFine (talk) 20:21, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

have a new wiki page that is approved. how do i add a photo--i submitted one to you and it said it was linked to the article — Preceding unsigned comment added by Chdant (talk • contribs) 18:34, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Hello, Chdant. If you mean the article Charles "Bud" Dant, I think you have worked out how. --ColinFine (talk) 20:26, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

How to replace image on page

Hi - How to I replace the image on this page (Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health)? We have updated the logo for the new year. Thanks. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Health4Cdns (talk • contribs) 19:12, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Can you provide a link to the newly uploaded logo? Ruslik_Zero 20:33, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Hello, Health4Cdns. The existing logo is a non-free image, used in accordance with the WP:non-free content criteria. You can upload a new version, as long as this use still complies with these criteria, by going to File:Cadth Logo.png and picking "Upload a new version of this file". Once you have uploaded a new version, the article should pick up the new version. On another subject, please be aware that the article is liable to be deleted unless some citations are added to reliable sources independent of the agency, because at present the article does not meet the criteria for notability. --ColinFine (talk) 20:32, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

WP:TAFIACCOMP

I do not understand how {{Wikipedia:Today's articles for improvement/Accomplishments/row}} works. Qwertyxp2000 (talk) 20:14, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Please can you show how to use it and show what these things mean and how I can put these things in.

{{Wikipedia:Today's articles for improvement/Accomplishments/row
|YYYY     = 
|WW       = 
|oldid    = 
|olddate  = 
|oldclass = 
|newid    = 
|newdate  = 
|newclass = 
|edits    = 
|editors  = 
|IPs      = 
|bots     = 
|reverts  = 
|prose_before = 
|prose_after  = 
|size_before  = 
|size_after   = 
}}

Qwertyxp2000 (talk) 20:16, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

All parameters are documented at your link {{Wikipedia:Today's articles for improvement/Accomplishments/row}}. Click the "Edit" tab at Wikipedia:Today's articles for improvement/Accomplishments to see lots of examples. Come back if you have a specific problem. PrimeHunter (talk) 21:09, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Reusing content

I am thinking of writing a book and I want to use Wikipedia information as my main source. How can I do that legally. I don't want to get in any trouble. To clarify better the book is not going to be a story, it will be a book of compiled information. Thank you 20:44, 6 January 2015 (UTC)~~ — Preceding unsigned comment added by Papagator0075 (talk • contribs)

You are free to reuse Wikipedia content provided that you comply with the terms of reuse.--ukexpat (talk) 20:55, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

brown playdoh

How come you don't make brown playdoh? My granddaughter would love to find some. She is sad that there is none. She is light brown herself and there is none for her to use to make her own family, ice cream cones, brownie's, hamburger's, and more things. Please let us known where you have brown.

Respectfully, <redacted> — Preceding unsigned comment added by 50.155.208.99 (talk) 22:59, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

I suspect, based on your question, that you found one of our over 4 million articles and thought we were affiliated in some way with that subject. Please note that you are at Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit, and this page is for asking questions related to using or contributing to Wikipedia itself. Thus, we have no special knowledge about the subject of your question. You can, however, search our vast catalogue of articles by typing a subject into the search field on the upper right side of your screen. If you cannot find what you are looking for, we have a reference desk, divided into various subject areas, where asking knowledge questions is welcome. Best of luck. Nyttend (talk) 23:26, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

Hyper Link

I added a name and description of a notable alum on a school website. How do I get his name to hyper link to his Wikipedia page entry rather than having it appear in black with no link. Do I have to re-do the edit? Broadway Bob (talk) 23:04, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

[[Example]] will produce Example. Take a look at Help:Cheatsheet for more info. Scarce2 (talk) 23:12, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

If I understand Broadway Bob's question, it is about embedding a link to Wikipedia on another website: if so, Scarce2's suggestion won't help, as that is for links within Wikipedia. If I am right, then I'm afraid that will depend on what technology your school website uses, and we can't really help. It may be enough to use the full URL (eg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Helena for the article Saint Helena: whether you can make that display some different text or not depends on the software. --ColinFine (talk) 23:53, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

I totally misread it, I thought the user was adding someone to a list of notable alum on a school's article. Scarce2 (talk) 01:22, 7 January 2015 (UTC)

Special:Contributions/Broadway Bob shows you were right. Posters often use incorrect terminology, in this case "website" about a Wikipedia article. The edit [2] was however reverted [3] with edit summary "remove Bob Dunn (cartoonist) as notable; no source here, no mention in his article and no source found in a Google search". Our policy Wikipedia:Verifiability requires published reliable sources. @Broadway Bob: Maybe you have personal knowledge that he went to the school, for example if you heard it directly from the subject, but that is not sufficient for Wikipedia. Anyway, the way to make the link would have been [[Bob Dunn (cartoonist)|Bob Dunn]] which renders as Bob Dunn, so it links to the right article without displaying "(cartoonist)". PrimeHunter (talk) 02:19, 7 January 2015 (UTC)