Template:Subpages4

(template main page)

Usage

Examples of this templates use can be found at the Anthropology cluster (not approved) and the Life cluster (approved).

Function

Two functions are associated with this template. First to place a subpage navigation box with the appropriate buttons on each page. Second, to define the header and categories for each subpage.Templates associated with the {{subpages4}} template are described below:

Navigation box

• {{Subpage list}}

Defines the button names and whether they are Default or Optional

• {{Default button 2}}*

Adds the Default buttons to the navigation box whether they exist or not (so expect to see some red links, the idea is to encourage people to create those missing subpages)

• {{Optional button 2}}

Adds the Optional buttons to the navigation box if they exist in the cluster. (these are added to the navigation box after the default buttons have been set).

• {{Optional}} and {{Default}}

Toggles button to on ON or OFF. ON if the subpage is being viewed. (also distinguish between a signed article (sub-subpage) and a regular subpage). (I am sure there is a more economic way to do this. If you're watching, and know how, feel free to step in and fix it :) Actually, I'm sure many parts of the whole set can be improved. Please go ahead and tinker if you have some ideas.)

• {{Button on}} and {{Button off}}

Define the ON and OFF button colour and style respectively.

For additional subpage ideas a new button can be added to the navigation box by replacing the Button available place holders in the {{Subpage list}} template. If there are no free buttons in the existing template then additional button code must be added to the following four templates: {{Subpage list}}, {{Default button}}, {{Optional button}} and {{Unused subpages}}.

Header and categories

• {{Anthropology/Info}}

If the subpage4 concept is adopted each article will have its own info template (Anthropology linked above as an example). The info template is critical to the functionality of the subpages4 template since it is the central depository for all the information related to the article. This includes the checklist template information, the approved template information and the ToApprove template information.

All the header templates discussed below access data from the info template. This is a huge advantage since all the subpages are coordinated with the articles changing status, as recorded in the info template.

• {{Approved2}} or {{Construction2}}

One of these will be placed on the article page depending on whether the article is approved or not. Much of their usage depends on how we use the Draft pages in the future. At present, the example of subpages4 at the Anthropology cluster assumes that all writing will be done on the draft page, whereas the article will only have text once it is approved (NOTE: this is not current practice but is an option that has been discussed in the forums. I have set it up this way to visualise how such a solution might look in practice.)

• {{Draft header2}} and {{Checklist3}}

The draft header will place either a short advert for the approved version (if exists) or an appeal to improve the article to a state where it can be approved.

The checklist3 template places the categories designated from the checklist data onto the Draft page (currently they go to the Talk:Draft page) or on the article in the case of an approved article. This is advantageous since at present every entry in the different categories starts with "Talk:". This is not a huge problem but having the page name first is an improvement, despite the fact that many names will have "/Draft" after them (exceptions are the approved articles).

• {{Related header2}}, {{Bibliography header2}}, {{Gallery header2}} and {{Links header2}}

These represent preliminary ideas for adding a simple descriptive banner and categories to the subpages. They uses the information from the info template to add specific categories dependent on workgroups and whether the article is approved or not. Below are others that will probably function in a similar way.

• {{Tables header2}}
• {{Tutorials header2}}
• {{Debate guide header2}}
• {{News guide header2}}
• {{Signed articles header2}}
• {{Discography header2}}
• {{Timelines header2}}
• {{Signed Article Header}}

• {{Checklist2}}

This variant of the checklist is placed on the Talk:Draft page and adds the checklist to the top of the page. Visually this is similar to the current checklist except the categories are not placed on this page and the data is cribbed from the articles info template.

• {{Unused subpages}}

This is used to identify any unused subpages in a particular cluster.

• {{Yes-or-no}}

This is used in both checklists

Random thoughts

Feel free to add new additions or suggest changes. Discussion of these points can continue of the talk page Template_talk:Subpages4.

Ideas not yet incorporated into this tempalte:

1. The placement of the ToApprove template will be controlled by this template when an editor adds their name to the ToA Editor field and completes all the other ToApprove fields in the "info template".

   The navigation box will be a different colour for approved articles (Green?). This allows a reader to quickly note if the content has been approved, even when browsing the subpages. Could also have a colour that designates when the cluster has a ToApprove template placed since it is often a time to mention problems with the articles and subpages on the talk page. These types of visual signals should aid the readers as well as authors.

   I just implemented this change. The green colour is not the best choice the concept is now working.

2. With the navigation box on the Talk:Draft page the archive box is semi-redundant. The archive links can be incorporated into the {{checklist2}} table on the Talk:Draft page to free up space at the top of the page.