Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2018 March 3

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March 3

can't log in

Hi, I used to do a lot of editing about ten years ago. Recently I tried to log in again but i could not remember my password. What do I do? Cheers, L — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2001:8003:34F0:C300:21C:B3FF:FEC6:12F7 (talk) 02:19, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Did you provide an email address for the account? If you did, you should be able to request at the log in page, that a new password is sent to that email address. If you didn't provide an email address, bad luck; you won't be able to gain access to your account. However, you can create another account, and using that account, edit your old account's userpage to mention that you no longer use it. Before creating the new account, please read up on Wikipedia's username policy, to make sure your account complies. Hope this has helped. Anon126 (notify me of responses! / talk / contribs) 03:15, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Thanks, but I cannot remember the email associated with the account. All I remember is the username: Lgh

Rarely viewed pages

Is there some way to find articles that have not been viewed since their creation or have been very rarely viewed (either at all or within the recent past)?Kdammers (talk) 03:38, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

• I get the impression that we don't have this feature because it would allow a vandal to find places to hide vandalism. But maybe I'm wrong. -Arch dude (talk)
• @Kdammers: Not quite the same thing but Wikipedia:Database reports/Forgotten articles (used to be called Dusty Articles) lists the ones that have not been edited for yonks: Noyster (talk), 14:36, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Overriding template treatment of infobox perameters

Without going into unneccessary detail, is there an easy way to override how a template treats the entry for a given parameter within an infobox? Slightly more specific, a given template does a great job of returning certain information for hundreds (if not thousands) of a particular parameter within an infobox. However, among the huge number of instances of this particular parameter, there are two articles being created that require a different treatment. Since there is no reason to believe that there will ever be more than these two exceptions, it would seem easier to somehow override the standard results for the two articles, rather than alter the applicable template used by the infobox. Even more specific, the template takes the number given for the specific parameter and returns a hyperlink to an external webpage (based on the parameter entry). In these two "exceptional" cases, the hyperlink needs to be slightly different than the "standard". An Errant Knight (talk) 04:35, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

• If you are comfortable with templates, you can simply copy the template source code and create a new template for your needs. The only real difficulty with this occurs when your new template becomes so wildly successful that it is used in a large number of articles and an administrator comes along and protects it. -Arch dude (talk) 04:42, 3 March 2018 (UTC)
  • Thanks for the response, but the hope was to find out if there is anyway to get the desired results without creating a new template or altering the existing template (since it would never need to be used more than twice). An Errant Knight (talk) 04:47, 3 March 2018 (UTC)
    • There is no good way to alter it in the articles without editing a template. Wrapping the whole infobox call in {{Replace}} to replace the url gives an unstable problematic way but I certainly recommend a template edit instead. Which template and links is it about? It would probably only require a line of code with a switch. PrimeHunter (talk) 10:54, 3 March 2018 (UTC)
      • As you indicated, your suggestion didn't work in an acceptable manner. Notwithstanding, thank you for the suggestion and for confirming that a fairly easy fix for the issue was not being overlooked. Since the template in question is protected, a request for an edit has been made. An Errant Knight (talk) 05:44, 4 March 2018 (UTC)

Languages section

What happened to the Languages section on the left side of the page? Why is it collapsed? Until yesterday it wasn't. English Wikipedia used to be the only language version of the project that showed all the interwikis in alphabetical order. Often it was the only way for me to find necessary language in the list. What has happened? Where is the explanation? — 94.25.229.204 (talk) 09:15, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Click "more" below the languages to see all languages grouped by region. You can also click "Edit links" to go to Wikidata page where all languages are listed alphabetically by language code but does not show the language name. Registered users can get the old alphabetical list by disabling "Use a compact language list, with languages relevant to you" at Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-rendering. PrimeHunter (talk) 10:43, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Thank you. I have already seen "languages grouped by region". Disabling isn't available for all users, is it? Why? Why the interface has became more confusing? When has it happened? And where could I read any notice, any explanation of the "innovation"? — 94.25.229.204 (talk) 11:34, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

The change was announced in Technical News 2017-23 last June, so not very recent. The rationale is that topics of widespread interest may have articles on Wikipedias in over 200 languages, making the list too long for convenience. The weekly Technical News is useful to monitor, often giving a warning that WMF are about to improve something: Noyster (talk), 14:25, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Or spoil something. Thanks again. — 188.162.64.2 (talk) 20:17, 7 March 2018 (UTC)

Sorry, after the last June announcement the changes were introduced at the beginning of March?! — 188.162.64.2 (talk) 20:23, 7 March 2018 (UTC)

Semi-protection

how to edit wikipedia articles that have semi protection? I need to edit an article that has been edited by an irresponsible person. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Sisskaputriii (talk • contribs) 11:40, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

@Sisskaputriii: You can place {{request edit}} on the article talk page, with details of the changes you wish to see made. Provide sources where appropriate. See Template:Request edit for full instructions. Please remember to sign your posts on talk pages by typing four tildes (~~~~). Eagleash (talk) 12:07, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

{{Edit semi-protected}} is the template you're looking for. Request edit is for cases where the user has a conflict of interest. See Template:Edit semi-protected for further details. Iffy★Chat -- 13:01, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Oh yeah. Of course: Got interrupted and confused myself there! Eagleash (talk) 15:12, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Help:Cite errors/Cite error references duplicate key

Cite error: There are <ref group=inf> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a

template (see the help page).

what is this error and how can I fix it? Hussainkgl (talk) 14:36, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

What article does the error appear in? Jc3s5h (talk) 14:43, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

@Hussainkgl: Relates to Draft:Nasir Hussain Munshi. I have cleaned up the draft a bit (some layout and style errors) and added the template. However, it gives a URL error message which I was not able to fix. Presumably you know where you found the information and can suppy the correct URL. Eagleash (talk) Eagleash (talk) 15:08, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Additionally, please note punctuation goes before refs. and don't leave spaces before, or between refs. Eagleash (talk) 15:07, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Note also that Wikipedia can't be used as a reference, see WP:CIRCULAR. - David Biddulph (talk) 17:46, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

info box

How do I add an info box to the page Tony Sayegh? ThanksMgenzac (talk) 17:37, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

@Mgenzac: Please see Template:Infobox officeholder. Copy and paste the template into the article and complete as many of the parameters as you can. Make sure that any information likely to be controversial is verifiable. You could also find an article on a similar subject and C&P the i/bx into Sayegh's page changing the information as necessary. Eagleash (talk) 17:48, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Thank youMgenzac (talk) 17:52, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Deleted article?

An article I monitor has suddenly been disappeared, despite having existed for more than 7 years. Can you look into it? It is a biographical article titled Wayne Caparas, who is an author, journalist, business-innovator, and film professional. KaySorin (talk) 21:17, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

• It was deleted as a result of a deletion discussion here: Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Wayne Caparas. Crow^Caw 21:24, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

(edit conflict) @KaySorin: Wayne Caparas was deleted at Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Wayne Caparas. The discussion was open for a week with no opposition. The top of the article had a big box with a link to the discussion. PrimeHunter (talk) 21:27, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

I never received notification of this discussion. What must be done to restore it? This is an author page with many verifiable sources available for the book BioLogic Revelation, and his biography is available in several places online including IMDB and the book's website. This deletion must have been requested by someone criticized in the book, yes? Can you or someone else in the network establish a new page if the previous one cannot be restored? KaySorin (talk) 21:37, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Unfortunately, self-published material such as IMDB and the book's website are not considered to be independent WP:Reliable sources. Can you find any independent reviews that have biographical content? Dbfirs 21:49, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Indeed... I just Googled to find these as starters. First, the book's publisher (Westbow Press) website has verified third-party endorsements that should probably be included in the article, and of course there is also an "About the Author" tab to see biographical information on the author, and also a tab for an overview of the book. That site is https://www.westbowpress.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001127293. Also, I found several articles at highly reputable news sites that cite the author and the book, including Reader's Digest and Livestrong. For those two see: https://www.rd.com/health/diet-weight-loss/walking-workout/ and http://www.biologicrevelation.com/biologic-revelation-blog/livestrong-the-7-most-dreaded-exercises-and-why-you-should-do-them/. Finally, there is a lengthy third-party interview where Caparas discusses the book with fitness journalist Nadia Murdock. You can see this at http://www.nadiamurdockfit.com/blog/fitness-files-wayne-caparas.KaySorin (talk) 22:14, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

With the recent deletion discussion, simply restoring it as an article would not be appropriate, but I can do for you is to move it to restore it as WP:DRAFT where it can be improved to address the issues identified in the deletion discussion before being re-submitted to article space. Beeblebrox (talk) 22:18, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

I think that would be very appropriate. I don't have time to build out a new page, so I hope someone else with great Wiki experience can rebuild it with great ease, but please let me know what I can do to help get the article reestablished in some form. I also found this very recent article that cites the author's role in creating Oxygen Magazine and Obstacle Course Fitness sports for ESPN, which I found especially relevant to the author's biography. See it here: https://discgolf.ultiworld.com/2018/01/18/schusterick-taps-entrepreneurial-spirit-instructional-platform/. Thank you for your assistance! KaySorin (talk) 22:28, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Hello, KaySorin. I'm sorry, but I think you're still not understanding. Wikipedia is basically not interested in anything said by the subject of an article, or their friends, relatives, business associates, agents, employers, employees, publishers etc. A little uncontroversial factual information can be added from those sources, provided the article can be based on enough material that people who are entirely unconnected with the subject have chosen to write about them, and had published in reliable sources: that is really what the requirement of notability is about. So anything published by Westbow Press does not contribute to notability (whoever wrote it). Nor does an interview with Caparas, whoever published it. Both the Readers Digest and the Livestrong article just quote Caparas. And the Ultiworld article is clearly based on an interview or press release, because it also quotes Caparas. Again, where have people who have no connection with Caparas and his activities chosen to write at length about him? Unless you can find some of them, he does not currently meet the criteria for notability, and no article on him will be acceptable, however it is written. Sorry --ColinFine (talk) 21:33, 4 March 2018 (UTC)

Requested Pictures

I've been looking at the list of requested photographs for Scotland, as I do quite a bit of wandering around with a camera, both hill and long distance walking and tracking down things to do with the Age of Sail.

However, I'm finding that quite a lot of the articles listed already have a picture, for example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Creamery_Park https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Charlestown,_Fife

If I find examples like this, can I remove the 'photo required' tag? By which I mean both a) is it safe to assume that a picture is no longer needed (and that there's not a problem with the one there), and b) is it physically possible for me to delete things that come in a fancy official box?

Ingreatwaters (talk) 22:24, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

• Welcome, and thanks. You have just as much authority to make these decisions and take these actions as any other editor (Well almost. See WP:AUTOCONFIRM.) If you feel sure the existing picture is adequate, you are free to remove the tag. If you wish to add an additional picture and you feel it will add to the article, feel free to do that, too. Note that we operate by consensus, so if you think there may be doubt, you may choose to discuss you proposed action on the article's talk page, but even there you are free to be bold (WP:BOLD), and make your change or addition and wait for any dissenter to revert your change before initiating a discussion. -Arch dude (talk) 01:38, 4 March 2018 (UTC)
• If you add pictures, you should be adding them at Commons and not here at the English Wikipedia. That way, all the Wikipedias and use the pictures. adding picture is a bit tedious, because we try hard to ensure that we comply with copyright law. If you have difficulty with the process, please come back and ask for further help.-Arch dude (talk) 01:41, 4 March 2018 (UTC)

2017-18 Big 12 basketball standings

On Big 12 Standings there are two teams that are red can you fix them please. 68.102.39.189 (talk) 23:28, 3 March 2018 (UTC)

Looks like it has been  Fixed with this edit. Eagleash (talk) 00:01, 4 March 2018 (UTC)