Basic Editing

How To Videos

• Wiki basics

If you've never edited anything on the Wiki yet, this video will discuss how to edit and create wiki pages.

• Generic features of the MediaWiki software as used by HL7

Topics covered include: Versioning (revisions of pages), monitoring changes made by others (recent history, watchlist, RSS), delete/move/REDIRECT, and the uploading of files.

• Advanced aspects of editing the HL7 Wiki

Topics covered include: Categories, Include pages, Templates and the use of images with Thumbnails.

Basic Editing

It's easy to start editing on the HL7 Wiki! Here are some quick tips:

• To experiment with editing, go to the sandbox. Open that in another window so you can still see this!
• You can edit any page by clicking edit this page at the top - do this if you think it could do with more information, or if there's an error in the page. You can also see how the wiki features work by editing existing pages - just make sure you don't save without meaning to!
• You can create a page from scratch, simply by entering the name of the new page in the search-box on left, which results in a page with the text There is no page titled "your new page name". Select your new page name and the new page will be created.
• To link to a page (even if it doesn't exist yet), write it like this: [[article name]]. It is case-sensitive except for the first letter.
• You can link with different text like this: [[article name|text to display]]
• Italics can be done with two single quotes, ''like this''; bold with three, '''like this'''
• Numbered lists can be created by putting one or more # at the start of each line, with no spaces before
• Unnumbered lists, like this one, have one or more * at the start of each line
• If you need to sign your name, use ~~~, or ~~~~ to include the date too. You shouldn't normally do this unless talking to someone on a talk page or making a personal note outside the normal flow of the article - wherever you can't avoid saying "I" ;-)
• Please remember to click Preview before saving. Check all your links!

• Anywhere you see a red link, you can create a new page. You can also just put it in the search box at the left and press Go (not Search) or type the name of a page into the URL box after the /index.php/ or /wiki/ bit, or create a link to that page in the sandbox and then click it. Why not start with a wanted page?
• To link to a page on another site, write it like this: [http://whatever.com/page.htm Description]. Note:
  • Only one pair of brackets, not two.
  • Space between URL and description, not | character.
• To redirect one page to another (useful for different spelling or capitalization), write this: #REDIRECT [[Other Page]]. Redirects to a page that is also a redirect will not work correctly.
• To revert a page to a previous version click on the page's History tab, click a date and time prior to the edit you want to remove, click Edit, then save. You might want to do this if you make a change and don't like it.
• Write plurals like this unless the article title is plural: [[Agent]]s.
• To display different text for a HL7 Wiki link, write this: [[article name|description]].
• To indent text, place one or more : at the start of each line
• A space at the start of each line will stop the text from wrapping - you can also use the <pre> tag
• More complicated formatting is possible with the <div>, <span> and <font> HTML tags, which work here
• You can make headers like this: == Header text == - add a = mark on each side for increasing depth of headers
• You can use images as well, but you need to log in and upload the file first. Add an image with [[Image:imagename.png|left or right or none|frame or thumb (if you want a frame or thumbnail - if not, leave this out)|Description]]. Examples:
  • [[Image:HL7Wiki.png|left|frame|This is the [[HL7 Wiki]] logo!]]
  • [[Image:Testimage.png|right|This text only shows up when you hover over the image]]
  • [[Image:Yourimage.jpg|right|220px|This is will be sized to 220px in width]]
• To put a page into a category, write this at the end of the article: [[Category:Whatever]]
  • To link to a category page, use [[:Category:Whatever|Whatever category]].
• Don't forget, every signed in user gets a User Page! If you're signed in, you can also take advantage of your Watchlist to keep track of updates on your favorite articles.
• Got a helpful hint? Add it in above this line!

Rules of thumb

• Try to be kind and courteous with respect to all people, organizations, ideas, and locations when creating content on the HL7 Wiki.
• In order to maintain a good library of all things HL7 related, it is best to try and use an impartial point of view when you compose your additions and changes. Avoid taking sides in any matter, but simply report on the subject you wish to share; if there are sides, try to represent them both fairly.
• Keep in mind that this is an international resource.
• If there is controversy, make sure to include resources and links to both sides of the issue, and attribute opinion to specific groups of people.
• Double check to make sure what you are adding is not already present somewhere. Make good use of those search buttons.
• Make sure you cite your sources. If the source is else where on the HL7 Wiki or on the web, make sure to provide the proper link to the original content.
• Be careful when editing. It is best to first create your content in a text editor and run spell check. This helps avoid some of the simpler errors as well as provides you a back up in case your browser quits unexpectedly.

Further resources

For more technical help, see these detailed resources:

• Wikipedia's style guidelines and how-to directory, particularly how to edit a page (note: not all style is applicable)
• The MediaWiki Users' Handbook
• HL7 Work Group Meeting Minutes template help