Difference between revisions of "How do I format my contents?"

Revision as of 10:05, 11 September 2006

Wiki Syntax and HTML

You can only enter simple text in the edit field of an article. In order to convert this text to properly formatted content when presenting the article, you have to insert structuring and formatting instructions in the text. The text field supports the use of two languages here:

• Wiki's own syntax. This is especially simple and allows even inexperienced authors to create properly structured and formatted text quickly.
• Parts of HTML including CSS. However, you should only use HTML/CSS if the desired objective cannot be achieved using Wiki's own syntax.

If you actually need HTML/CSS in an article, you will need knowledge of these languages. We will look primarily at the fundamentals of the Wiki syntax here.

You can use the sandbox to familiarize yourself with the formatting options described below.

Headings and Paragraphs

Always split longer articles into a number of sections. Each section is introduced by a section heading. This is how you format a section heading:

== Text of section heading ==

The character sequence == is added before and after the text of the section heading. This corresponds to a Level 2 heading. Level 1 headings are reserved for the page heading.

To insert this type of section heading, you can also click the following symbol in the format bar above the edit field:

Depending on the size and complexity, an article may also require subsections or even sub-subsections. These sections are also introduced by a heading and are formatted as follows:

=== Text of subsection heading ===
==== Text of sub-subsection heading ====

You should avoid further hierarchical structuring however.

You do not need any special marking for text paragraphs. Separate the section headings and text sections as well as text paragraphs using a blank line. Example:

== Text of section heading ===
 
This is a text paragraph. The text is wrapped automatically.
 
This is another text paragraph.
 
== This is another section heading ===
 
And another text paragraph

If you want to insert a forced line break at a certain point within a text paragraph, you have to use HTML (more precisely: XHTML). Enter the character string <br /> at the appropriate point.

Separators can be inserted as a more visually efficient means of splitting parts in the running text that do not logically belong together. To do this, simply add four hyphens in succession in a separate text line:

----

This creates the following effect in the presentation view:

Note, however, that section headings are underlined as a result and a visual split appears automatically between sections.

Formatting in the Text

You can highlight individual words or passages within a text using bold, italics or bold and italics. The relevant markings look as follows:

This is an example of text with ''italic'' writing, '''bold''' writing and '''''bold and italic''''' writing.

To insert this formatting, you can also click the following symbols in the format bar:

= Mark text as bold

= Mark text as italics

For special formats, you will need to use HTML. These are a few possible options:

• Use ^Text to mark text as superscript (e.g. 16³)
• Use _Text to mark text as subscript (e.g. S₀)
• Use <u>Text</u> to mark text as underscored (e.g. underscore)
• Use <strike>Text</strike> to mark text as struck-through (e.g. invalid)
• Use <big>Text</big> to mark text as zoomed in (e.g. magnifying glass)
• Use <small>Text</small> to mark text as zoomed out (e.g. bird's eye view)
• Use <tt>Text</tt> to mark text as non-proportional (e.g. code example)

Enumerations and Lists

Lists are used to break up text. In addition, they provide structure. Lists are used for itemizing points of equal importance while numbered lists are used for step-by-step descriptions.

Enumeration lists are annotated as follows:

* List item
* Another list item
* Yet another list item

Every list item starts in a new line. The first character is an asterisk. The example above produces the following presentation content:

• List item
• Another list item
• Yet another list item

Numbered lists are annotated in a similar way:

# First list item
# Second list item
# Third list item

The example produces the following presentation content:

1. First list item
2. Second list item
3. Third list item

Nested lists are also possible. Example:

* List item
* Another list item
** Sub-item for "Another list item"
** Another sub-item for "Another list item"
* Yet another list item

The same principle applies for numbered lists. Sub-lists always only have simple numbering however. Numbering such as 1.2 or 1.2.1 cannot be automated.

Tables

Tables are intended for representing tabular data and not for multi-column contents or separate boxes. Tables in this Wiki are therefore provided automatically with reticule lines. The example below shows how a data table is essentially created with Wiki syntax:

 {|
 ! Header cell 1st. column
 ! Header cell 2nd. column
 ! Header cell 3rd. column
 |-
 | Data cell 1st. column
 | Data cell 2nd. column
 | Data cell 3rd. column
 |}

This then looks as follows in the presentation view:

The definition of a table begins in a new text row with the character string {|. The definition of the table is terminated at the end with the character string |}. The | is the vertical bar.

Every table row is introduced in a new text row with the character string |-.

To define a header cell, first enter an exclamation mark in a new text row followed by the desired cell content.

To define a data cell, first enter a vertical bar in a new text row followed by the desired cell content.

Cell contents can contain formatting, links, graphics etc. in addition to pure text.

Make sure that you enter content in every table row for every column. If the content of a cell is to remain blank, enter the starting character (exclamation mark or vertical bar) and leave the following text row blank.

Connecting Cells

You need to insert a HTML attribute to connect cells. An example of this is given below:

 {|
 ! Header cell 1st. column
 ! Header cell 2nd. column
 ! Header cell 3rd. column
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Data cell 1st. row 1st. and 2nd. column
 | Data cell 1st. row 3rd. column
 |-
 | rowspan="2" | Data cell 2nd. and 3rd. row 1st. column
 | Data cell 2nd. row 2nd. column
 | Data cell 2nd. row 3rd. column
 |-
 | Data cell 3rd. row 2nd. column
 | Data cell 3rd. row 3rd. column
 |}

This looks as follows in the presentation view:

You can use colspan="2" to extend a cell within a table row across two columns. You can of course also select a higher value than 2 if the cell is to span more columns. Note that correspondingly fewer remaining cells may be defined in the relevant row.

You can use rowspan="2" to extend a cell across a number of table rows in the same column. You can of course also select a higher value than 2 if the cell is to span more rows. Note that correspondingly fewer cells may be defined in the next table rows.

The combination of colspan and rowspan in a cell is also permitted.

Cells with entries for colspan and/or rowspan start like normal cells with a vertical bar (data cells) or an exclamation mark (header cell). The notation for the HTML attribute then follows this and after that a vertical bar and after that again the cell content.

Borderless Tables

To suppress borders around tables and table cells, you have to insert class="noborder" in this Wiki both in the table and in the table cells. Example:

 {| class="noborder" 
 ! class="noborder" | Header cell 1st. column
 ! class="noborder" | Header cell 2nd. column
 ! class="noborder" | Header cell 3rd. column
 |-
 | class="noborder" | Data cell 1st. column
 | class="noborder" | Data cell 2nd. column
 | class="noborder" | Data cell 3rd. column
 |}

This produces the following output in the presentation view:

Other Formatting Options

Please refer also to the following pages within the Help for this Wiki:

• How do I link to other contents or URLs?
• How do I add images and multimedia?

Detailed and systematic descriptions can also be found in the following external source:

•   Official MediaWiki Handbook

Structured Formatting, Templates and Standards

The more frequently an article with similar content is produced, the more sense it makes to use templates and standards to give the articles a uniform look and feel. We therefore provide a number of templates in our Wiki to make it easier for you to create such articles.

The following templates are currently available in the Template namespace (selection):

• Template:TOC: Short table of contents
• Template:File-DL: File download link
• Template:wp: Link to Wikipedia (EN or DE)
• Template:DefaultTable: Formatting of a default table
• Template:FeatureBox Phone: Template for a default list of features
• Template:ProcedureTable: Template for a procedure table
• Template:fixme: Means completed
• Template:stillde: Means DE > EN translation
• Template:stillen: Means EN > DE translation
• Template:constr: Means "in process"
• Template:dontchange: Means "please do not change"

The following proposed layouts are currently available in the Wiki namespace (selection):

• Wiki:Template Phone

To insert a template in the article text, use the notation {{template name}}.

Some templates also require parameters. You will find additional information in this regard on the template pages.