User:Wayoshi/Code FAQ
While I'm not a professional coder by any means, I have an expert grip on WikiSyntax, and I'd like to help newbies & long-time contributors alike with any issues they come across, hence this page. Most of you know basic syntax, but very little besides me can use ParserFunctions & DPL successfully, which I plan writing about here eventually.
You may ask a specific question on the talk page, in chat, my talk page (if something comes up), or basically anywhere, and I'll add it here if I think other people might ask the same question.
Please see these help pages before asking me your question, as these cover the basics:
Parser Functions
- Under construction
A parser function is a special template-based construction. Instead of {{name}}, the construction is {{#name:}}, with different syntax after the colon depending on each function. They are used for dynamic results in templates. 8 total are installed in a collective extension on this wiki, but we only have use for half of them:
- {{#expr}}
- {{#if}}
- {{#ifeq}}
- {{#ifexist}}
- {{#ifexpr}}
- {{#switch}}
- {{#time}}
- {{#rel2abs}}
#expr
This expression function takes mathematical expressions, including basic operations & rounding. While something like {{#expr:(((8+76)/7)*3)/9}} seems like a waste of time (it comes out to be 4), any variables in a template that are numbers can be fed into this function without error and give varying results.
Sadly, the additional parser function {{#ec}} for EditCount has been disabled for now, the template {{user-analysis}} provided an excellent example of the possibilities of {{#expr}}, as {{#ec}} always gives out a numeric result. For the time being, {{#expr}} does not have much use.
#if
- Under construction
The if function is to be used solely with templates, as it takes a variable of a template as the determinant. The actual "if" part of the function is to test whether the variable of a template is defined or not. Syntax:
{{#if:{{{variablename|}}} | defined text | undefined text}}
If the variable is defined on a certain page the template is called, the defined text will be outputed. If the variable is left blank ( {{something|1=}}) or left uncalled entirely, the undefined text will be outputed instead.
This has several practical uses.
