User talk:Cottrells

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Information about categories
I name is Anne Wuehler and I work in the British Research unit of the Family History Library. I work with Barbara Baker and Alan Mann. We've been discussing categories and realized that yhe English list would be huge if we categorized every article under England. If an article relates only to one county, we will assign it to the category for the name of the county. Barbara is in the middle of creating the categories for all of the counties. To see the list so far, go to https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Category:England

I'm working on adding probate information for Yorkshire. The subcategories are the names of the courts because I've categorized each court page Category:Yorkshire. If you want to see an example, go to https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Court_of_the_Peculiar_of_the_Prebend_of_Bilton

Anne 21:54, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * Thanks Anne for your message. Yes the Category:England was looking rather crowded. I made some changes last weekend that set-up separate sub-categories for each of the English counties, and made some progress in recategorising articles that relate to specific places within England to the appropriate county. I also created the Category:Probate records in England to group all the main county probate record article together. You mention creating categories in the names of the courts, but I don't see them. Is this something that you plan? --CottrellS 16:10, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

Wikipedia
Thanks for creating the Wikipedia template Wpd. I have used it on a couple of occasions, Gregorybean 08:03, 23 July 2009 (UTC)


 * Thanks. I appreciate your comments. This template works well for inline links. I have also been considering creating a template like or  that could be used to direct readers to further information in Wikipedia. --Steve 09:05, 23 July 2009 (UTC)

Underlined Text
Steve - thanks for helping with the Alabama VR page - I just checked a lots of the text is underlined. Could you please help us fix it? Thanks! CK Whipple 06:51, 8 August 2009 (UTC) and could you tell me how to sign my name? Thanks!! CK Whipple

Documentation Templates
Hello CottrellS, just FYI. . . I have been working on several templates that are at various states of development. Many of them are mostly done, but are not complete due to questions that have been sent to the powers to be. I am mostly warning you as it is possible that changes made by others may be lost after I get the questions answered. On these types of things, it may be good to inquire of the author before making changes. Anyway, you may find out which templates I am working on (and status of some of them) by looking at my talk page. Thank you for all you do, Thomas Lerman 20:48, 9 August 2009 (UTC)


 * Thanks for pointing this out Thomas. This evening I have been working through the missing meta-templates that work into Documentation. Now that you have alerted me to the list on your talk page I am a little confused. Was there a decision not to add these templates? Are they being developed outside of the wiki or in a sandbox somewhere. I read the whole section and these things were not clear. --Steve 20:58, 9 August 2009 (UTC)


 * I really only created that list for my own purposes and have developed templates outside of the Research Wiki. Which missing meta-templates are you specifically working through (just want to make sure it is not something that I forgot to add to the list)? Thomas Lerman 21:05, 9 August 2009 (UTC)


 * The new templates that I created today were Template:Namespace detect and Template:Ombox. I did edit a couple of others where some minor code changes were needed to get the templates to work correctly, see Template:Documentation subpage/doc and Template:Mbox. I see that you started these back in March. Have you been waiting since then for answers to your questions? --Steve 21:18, 9 August 2009 (UTC)


 * The answers that I have been waiting for is more recent. I edited my previous posting to correct punctuation. Thomas Lerman 22:44, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

Infobox
I see a url had been created but with no information added: Template:Infobox U.S. County however I need to know if there is another template controlling it, like the newest template we worked together to develop (US county navigation box) controlling the county templates? I've checking the Wikipedia to see if there is underlying controlling template or not and has yet to find it. dsammy 23:31, 9 August 2009 (UTC)


 * Hi David, the previous code entered for Template:Infobox U.S. County was the code to use the template and not the code to create the template. I have now updated the code so that your test of the template User:Dsammy/Sandbox3 is now creating an infobox.


 * As documented, this template includes code that assumes a standard format for names of maps.


 * For maps of counties within states the assumed name is Map of [State] highlighting [County].svg.


 * For maps of states shown with the US the assumed name is Map of USA ##.svg where ## is the state abbreviation. --Steve 06:14, 10 August 2009 (UTC)

CID tags
Hello, Steve. I'm glad that you're willing to help with the wiki. Please don't add CID notes to the wiki however. We'll add them as each collection is ready. We do want wiki users to add contents to our pages, just not to that tag. We're still trying to get them to work.


 * I am curious about the CID references. I found a reference by Topher (now removed) that they are used in connection with the alpha version of the New Family Search.org site. Must they be embedded in a level 6 header? As they are now these references are listed in the Table of contents for each page they are added to. Is it important that the CID number included in the TOC? Is it important that the reference is displayed on the face of the page? If not could the CID number be included in comment tags for example  ? Must they be at the bottom of the article? Could a template be developed to include them in a way to suit both the technical needs and user experience of the wiki?


 * I think it would be useful for someone to document the purpose of these references, so that all users of the site will understand why they are included and how they help other processes. --Steve 23:35, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

Steve, there is now a link, (What's this?) that explains the purpose of the CID notes. For now they will appear as they are. It looks like you marked one as "patrolled", What does that accomplish? Dorothy


 * Hi Dorothy. Yes I did notice some What's this? links (for example at the bottom of France, Protestant Church Records) that was linked to Collection ID. I also noted that they were not internal links but external links. As for marking something as patrolled that can only be done by a sysop. It wasn't me. --Steve 16:30, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

If wpd|xxxx works, why not oclc|xxx?
Think the same concept be applied to oclc feature?

The OCLC has a specific reference ID to each registered book, film, ebook, etc. Even multiple editions. See Wallowa County, Oregon for the insane listing of the OCLC. There are two versions, one is USA's national and one is Pacific Northwest. dsammy 03:04, 13 August 2009 (UTC)


 * Do you not want to use the WorldCat template? This works with all permalinks available through WorldCat (for OCLC, ISBN, and ISSN). Or am I misunderstanding your question? Thomas Lerman 03:31, 13 August 2009 (UTC)
 * You meant there is already such template in FSWiki? I've been holding back adding a lot in hope for such template. Where is it? dsammy 04:21, 13 August 2009 (UTC)
 * Found and it solved half of my problem. The problem half is that there are regional OCLC/Worldcat. Summit.Worldcat.org serve Pacific Northwest colleges and universities. Make you wonder about other regions. I found this region OCLC/WorldCat by accident. I wonder what network used in England, France, Germany, etc. One step at a time, take care of Summit.worldcat.org template, please since I am already using this regional OCLC. dsammy 04:34, 13 August 2009 (UTC)
 * This template and its possibilities were discussed in one of the community meetings a few weeks back. I wonder if you were not there that day. That is why it was created. As I understand it, the standard WorldCat shows libraries that contain the book (or whatever) that are close to where one lives. It seems like the regional version shows which libraries of a region contain the book. I am not sure why I would necessarily want to find out what libraries elsewhere has what I am looking for. I would want to find out more about the regional versions first. This all probably should be discussed with the template rather than in a user's talk page. To access the template and then its talk page, click on the template name in my previous comment. Thomas Lerman 05:02, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

If Wpd template works, why not same type of templates for two others?
http://www.genealogienetz.de/

http://wiki-de.genealogy.net/Hauptseite the home page of German based genealogy (has some English entries)

These ones are Wiki for German genealogy research and they are very sizeable sites, in German and Dsammy 20:42, 29 September 2009 (UTC)


 * It is possible to create templates like Wpd that will make it easy to create links to these or any other website. As was mentioned in the community meeting there is a German version of this wiki being developed see http://wiki.familysearch.org/de/ so it may be better to develop templates for linking to these sites there. The English language version is http://wiki-en.genealogy.net/ would you like me to help create GenWiki that could be used to link to this site? --Steve 11:22, 30 September 2009 (UTC)
 * I knew there was an English version but couldn't find it in a pinch of time yesterday. Yes, please do create it for English version. German version is not ready for the public yet. Baerbel will love this. She's in Germany right now. Dsammy 15:53, 30 September 2009 (UTC)


 * I've created GenWiki, let me have your feedback. --Steve 18:29, 30 September 2009 (UTC)
 * I will wait for Baerbel to get back from Germany before making any feedback. She's supposed to be back in SLC by next week.

Work around possible for the templates
Is it possible to tweak the wpd, oclc, etc templates so that the template links will open into another window in accordance with the ruling made last Tuesday? At least this could eliminate the pesky problem - see: External links dsammy 16:36, 8 October 2009 (UTC)


 * got a problem - see Baker County, Oregon - check Edward Dickinson Baker info in the InfoBox - it's broken as a result of the modificiation.


 * Template WorldCat (OCLC) was already opened as an external link. The template wpd is not working right now due to the spaces in the name. I have requested an extension that would allow search and replace in parameters for this very reason. Maybe this will help bring up the priority? Thomas Lerman 00:11, 14 October 2009 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the heads up on this. I have reverted the change so that the template uses the interwiki link once more. Once the StringFunctions are installed then I will rework the template to produce external links. --Steve 05:46, 14 October 2009 (UTC)

Breslau Address Book Church and Civil Registration Jurisdictions.
Hello, CottrellS,

Hi, I had been looking in the Schlesien topics for an item that I had put under the Address book topic and couldn't find it there or under the other topic headings. After doing a title specific search, I found that it had been disconnected when you moved it. However the move did not put it in the topic that you had redirected it to. Had I not wondered where my article was, it may have been lost all together. Please check the destinations when you move things to make sure that they arrived there. Thanks so much for your help with the WIKI.

Thanks, Sonja


 * Hi Sonja, I was careful when moving the article Breslau address directories on July 10. I used the What links here tool and found that no articles where linking to it. Had I found any I would have updated the links. Even now there is only one article that links to Breslau address directories and that is the article Prussia-Schlesien Directories that you created today. I'm not sure what broken links/disconnects you are referring to. Are you reffering to a link from Portal:Prussia - Schlesien/Topics? If so then checking the page history I can see the link was broken as of 16:17, June 12, 2009 which was almost a whole month before the move was made. --Steve 16:06, 14 October 2009 (UTC)

What should the Manual of Style include and how should it look?
I have moved the discussion items from the Manual of Style page to the discussion page, and begun an outline for items to be covered in the MOS. It is kind of a dramatic (read: VERY "bold") change, and I would appreciate feedback, contributions, suggestions, discussion. Lise 14:33, 19 October 2009 (UTC)

Policies and guidelines navigation template
We will be moving the Policy and Guideline pages from the Policy namespace back to the FamilySearch Wiki namespace. I noticed that you added the navigation template box at the bottom of the Policy page (FamilySearch Wiki Policies), so I was wondering how this project would impact the navigation links. Thanks, Fran 16:06, 19 October 2009 (UTC)


 * Go ahead and make the moves. The template can be easily amended to use the correct links. --Steve 17:27, 19 October 2009 (UTC)


 * Do you know of a way to automate the moving of pages in the Policy namespace to the FamilySearch Wiki namespace? Franjensen 18:23, 21 October 2009 (UTC)


 * There is a MediaWiki maintenance script Manual:MoveBatch.php . However there are less than 50 pages to move and so it wouldn't take long to this manually. The only potential problems would be where an article title already exists in the FamilySearch Wiki namespace. Unless a redirect has been edited they are no problem, but it take an administrators to . I can help by moving whatever I am able. --Steve 19:15, 21 October 2009 (UTC)


 * I was more concerned about all the links to the pages in the Policy namespace that would require editing (like the Navigation template for Policy and Guideline). That's why I thought that an automated move process might help reduce the amount of links that need to be edited. Fran 19:20, 21 October 2009 (UTC)


 * When a page is moved a redirect is automatically produced. Then by using What links here from the toolbox you can find pages that are linked to the old page name and edit them so they link to the new location. --Steve 19:24, 21 October 2009 (UTC)


 * I was aware of that functionality. I was under the impression that it was not possible to move pages from one namespace to another. I will test this out and then move forward as needed. Thanks for your help. Fran 19:36, 21 October 2009 (UTC)


 * Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I see that you've been helping with the moving of our policy pages from the policy namespace to the FamilySearch Wiki namespace. Your help is greatly appreciated! Fran 20:16, 21 October 2009 (UTC)


 * Steve, it looks like we have double-redirect on the Privacy Policy page. The Privacy Policy link at the bottom of every page used to link to a Privacy Policy page in the Main namespace. It appears that there was a redirect on that page to the Policy:Privacy Policy page. Now when I click on the link at the bottom of the page I'm taken to the Policy:Privacy Policy page which only shows the redirect to FamilySearch Wiki: Privacy Policy. I was unaware that the original page was still on the Main namespace. I will try to fix it this afternoon if you are unavailable to do so. Thanks again for all your help. Fran 20:52, 21 October 2009 (UTC) Everything has been fixed.


 * The links for Conditions of Use; Privacy Policy (footers) and (navigation box links )Guiding Principles and Polices were updated to the FamilySearch Wiki namespace. Fran 21:30, 21 October 2009 (UTC)


 * That's great. The remaining pages in the policy namespace are mainly redirects. Each needs to be checked so that the What links here pages can be edited to link to the new pages. Some will need merging. --Steve 21:40, 21 October 2009 (UTC)

Call for Feedback Re: Making Wiki Easier for New Users/Contributors
Steve, we need your feedback! Our goal is for wiki.familysearch.org to be a friendly, welcoming place that is easy to use and make contributions. Thank you for all you are doing to help it be such a place. Please share your comments. What is your experience? What challenges do new users face in using and contributing to the wiki? Where should they find help? When you notice problems, please go to Challenges Facing New Users. This is the page for making comments on challenges encountered.

Please post your comments and ideas for the solutions at What New Users and Contributors Want to Make Wiki Easier. Then, come add your "Vote" by listing and prioritizing those solutions that are most urgent and important for the entire community at Newbies Priorities. This is not only for newbies, we also need experienced user/contributor feedback on early, new user experiences. Thank you!

Kara aka CK Whipple 12:33, 7 November 2009 (UTC)

Thanks Steve!
Steve, thanks for the information you dug up regarding displaying Featured Articles and the like -- the Skunks Needed item listed on Community Meeting Agenda 10 November 2009. I'll read about the stuff you linked so I can catch up with you, and then probably ask some more questions to get us closer to being able to do this. Ritcheymt 21:51, 10 November 2009 (UTC)