Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2021 September 6

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September 6

Vandalism help request from RW Dutton

I have noticed some vandalism at Race. Namely, several attempts by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/70.185.18.232 and https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Rippedjorts . Would an editor please assist me with fixing it? Thank you, RW Dutton (talk) 01:06, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

@RW Dutton: Hi there! Looks like the IP edit was reverted by bot, and you successfully reverted the other edit. Is there something specific you needed help with? Thanks! GoingBatty (talk) 01:12, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

Hi RW Dutton. I'm glad to see you are trying to keep articles from the project free from vandalism and disruptive edits. In this specific case, there is nothing to be alarmed, as your revertion already fixed everything. If the user keep disrupting the article, all you need do is warn them and hopefully they will stop. If they don't, either report them at WP:AIV, if it's a case of obvious vandalism, or at WP:ANI if it's something else that might need community input. Isabelle ^🔔 01:13, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

Need help with infobox person code at Paul Volcker

I can't figure out how to get the spouse error to go away. I tried using code from other pages as template but I think there's some issue with the first wife {{marriage}} code. Looking at page history, it seems to be there for more than two years now. Thanks. GreaterPonce665 ^(TALK) 03:22, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

@GreaterPonce665: Hi there! It's not just this article. There's a discussion of the issue at Template_talk:Marriage#Malfunction inside of infobox? GoingBatty (talk) 03:56, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

The Watchlist stylesheet just changed (eww!)

Can I opt out and return to the previous stylesheet? Load it into my custom CSS somehow? Suggestions, pls. Yappy2bhere (talk) 06:22, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

@Yappy2bhere: Hi. I suspect you may be able to opt out under beta features or gadgets in your preferences, as I don't see anything different yet. You can also set custom CSS for a specific skin (or for all skins, or even across all wikis) in your under Appearance in your preferences. — Lauritz Thomsen (talk) 07:25, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

@Yappy2bhere: I haven't noticed any changes to the watchlist's appearance. What's changed for you? —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 14:07, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

@Yappy2bhere: Are you using any of the watchlist gadgets? For software issues you'll probably get better answers at the technical village pump. 192.76.8.74 (talk) 14:55, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

1. No beta features enabled, only default gadgets enabled, Monobook skin. All settings are 2009 stock, never changed.
2. What's changed: (1) Revision time is monospaced and/or a different font. (2) The "mb" column seems unusually wide, as does the "viewed/not" bullet--they used to tuck in tight with the edit summary, now they seem ashamed to be associated with it. (3) The "mb" text is now bold with a dotted underline--either it wasn't bold before this, or the font changed, idk. (4) Finally, no whitespace to the right of the edit summaries--wasn't there whitespace below the "List of abbreviations"? (Not so sure about that last--it just "looks wrong" somehow, and harder to read.)
3. Using only default watchlist gadgets: (1) Geonotice, (2) Display watchlist notices, (3) base style, (4) green collapsible arrows and bullets for changed pages, (5) Subtle update marker.

Yappy2bhere (talk) 17:07, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

@Yappy2bhere: That sounds like the same issue that is described here with a fix: Wikipedia:Village pump (technical)#My watchlist looks... weird 192.76.8.74 (talk) 17:14, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

Archived.— Vchimpanzee • talk • contributions • 22:48, 18 October 2021 (UTC)

It was the same issue, thank you! omg, a minute ago I was going to check a diff and noticed that the "diff|hist" links had moved, too--I was starting to think "oh noes, TIA!" Yappy2bhere (talk) 17:29, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

Puppets

I know that generally you're supposed to WP:AGF, but I opened an AFD a while ago (here) and a random IP address showed up to make a keep argument that is pretty much just an WP:ATA. I have no problem with keeping the article if that becomes the consensus, but I don't often see IP addresses show up in AFD discussions and when I do someone normally gets flagged for puppetry. What would be the procedures neccessary to check if the IP address was a puppet and would it even be worth the time and effort in this context? TipsyElephant (talk) 12:27, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

To report sockpuppetry you need to go to WP:Sockpuppet investigations and file a report as instructed. Checkusers will not connect IP addresses to accounts, so any blocks would have to be handed out purley on the basis of behavioural evidence. In this case since the edits seem to be purely disruptive and the IP's look to be over far too broad a range for blocks to be effective It'd probably be better to ask for the discussion page to be semi-protected (I've put in a request). 192.76.8.74 (talk) 14:02, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

It looks like the IP user also created a talk page for the discussion just to say "keep it". TipsyElephant (talk) 14:33, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

Editting an Archived AfD

I was part of an AfD discussion where I voted rename or move and the consensus was to keep and then rename. When I check my WP:AfD stats it doesn't show up because rename and move are not accounted for. I was wondering whether I could edit the archived discussion to change the wording of my vote to Keep and rename because that's what I meant and then it would show up in my stats correctly. However, the archived discussion explicitly says at the top that no one should edit the page now that the discussion is over. Here's the page: WP:Articles for deletion/Unionized cooperative. TipsyElephant (talk) 12:37, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

@TipsyElephant: No, you must not change an articles for deletion discussion after it's been closed, your thoughts as they are written is what the closer used to determine consensus. AFD stats really aren't that important, even if your running for adminship the quality of your votes and level of understanding of policy are more important than numerical values. Even if the discussion was still open you shouldn't change your vote after other people have replied to it, instead you should strike through it and give an updated vote below. 192.76.8.74 (talk) 13:50, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

Essay

I wrote a wikipedia essay—do i add links to it on relevant pages? I feel like i shouldn't self-promote, but right now, it's just sitting there. theleekycauldron (talk • contribs) (they/them) 19:49, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

I think you'll find that many essays are added to other pages by their authors, so I wouldn't worry about that. I'd recommend finding about 3 of the most relevant. There may also be a template somewhere. -- zzuuzz ^(talk) 19:57, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

Note list

Hello, I'm trying to add an explanatory footnote to an article about olympic sailing, but I can't figure out how to get the note "list" to show up in the "Notes" section. Instead the note shows up a little bit earlier in the article, despite that I've put {{notes}} in the "Notes" section. You can see what happens in my sandbox User:Marima/sandbox. Why is this? How can I fix it? Marima (talk) 21:08, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

@Marima: it appears that {{sailing result legend}} must be adding an undocumented {{notes}} of its own. Fix this by using you own separate group. Add |group=mine to your {{efn}} and to your {{notes}}. -Arch dude (talk) 21:37, 6 September 2021 (UTC)

@Arch dude:Thanks for your advice, but unfortunately I still don't get it. Would you mind showing me how to do it by editing my sandbox? Marima (talk) 10:33, 7 September 2021 (UTC)

@Marima:  Done – Rummskartoffel 12:42, 7 September 2021 (UTC)

@Rummskartoffel Thanks a lot! Marima (talk) 22:57, 7 September 2021 (UTC)