Help:Notes for Users

From the Family Tree Forum Reference Library

This is work in progress - please free to add to the menu ....

Family Tree Forum Wiki

General Use

Getting in and using it

Temporary link from Layout Thread

  • Menu

Once you have arrived at the Wiki you will see the Main Pgae with a menu of links on the left.


  • Links from within pages


  • User guides – click, download, click again, print from right menu not print preview

Reporting problems, typos and other mistakes.


Adding information if not an editor


Making suggestions


Editors (Sysops)

Mainhelp.jpg


Creating new pages

  • If the name has already been created
  • To create a new name through Search

EDITING A PAGE

  • Through a menu or other pages

Start editing

To start editing a MediaWiki page, click the Edit tab at the top or the [Edit] link at the side of the page.


Edit1.jpg


This brings you to the edit page, which is a page with a text box containing the wikitext - the editable code from which the server produces the finished page.


Edit2.jpg


Entering your contributions on a page

The presentation for the size and style of font, bullet points etc. are created by adding special Wikitext codes. Although at first sight the coding can be a bit daunting there are actually very few to remember.

You can just type in your text and leave it that, but if you use the codes it will mean that the presentation will be uniform and save everyone a great deal of time.

If you want to experiment, you can do so in the The Playground

Although it is possible to change colours and fonts using the codes, please don’t do this as there is a fixed style for the site. Some areas will have ready made templates, e.g. Counties_Page_Template but if there isn't one for your page, you should follow the Style Conventions below. There are examples of coding in the same section.

Please be aware that anyone else with edit permissions can edit your text. This is reassuring in case you have made a typing error, and it means that information can be updated quickly, but don't be offended if somebody quietly "improves" your grammar or writing style!!


TIP: It is easier (and quicker in the long run) to prepare your text in Word so that you can check it for grammar and spelling as well as entering the coding, and then copy and paste it into the Edit box.


Preview before saving

When you have finished, click Show preview to see how your changes will look before you make them permanent.

Repeat the edit/preview process until you are satisfied, then click Save page and your changes will be immediately applied to the article.


Edit3.jpg----

TIP: Save your page before trying to follow any links or you will lose any editing which you have done on the page.


  • Rollback
  • Protection

Style Conventions for this Wiki

The Toolbar can automatically add many of the codes for you. The most used buttons are illustrated below.


Toolbar.jpg


  • Font size and colour are preset – don’t change them
  • Sections
  • Headings

The more = you use, the smaller the font. ==Headline== will give you large font and a horizontal line ====Section Heading==== will give you large font and a horizontal line =====Subsection heading===== will give you large font and a horizontal line

  • Hyperlinks
  • Bullet points
  • Back to top

Uploading and inserting images

  • Uploading
  • Positioning

Other formatting codes