CZ:Start article with subpages

There are two similar but distinct ways to create a new article, complete with subpages! For background, see Subpages and Using the Subpages template.

Why this process? You can still simply start an article the old-fashioned way, which is dead simple. But the Citizendium isn't just an encyclopedia project; it aims to become a general reference project. For that reason, we have "clusters" of pages all on the same topic. For an example, see New York City. The encyclopedia article is the main page, and other types of information, like bibliographies and image collections, belong on what we call "subpages." But in order to link the main page and the subpages together in a nice way, we need to create a bit of technical apparatus. In time, we will definitely automate this process (programmers are needed!). For now, the forms below semi-automate it.

Method 1

1. Start an article and include the {{subpages}} template at the top.
2. At the top of the new article, below the messy green template, a prompt will appear to create a metadata template. Follow the instructions, similar to STEP1 below.
3. On the main article, you will then be prompted to create the two utility pages that are common to all articles; the Talk page and the Approval page.
4. Once the metadata page and both utility pages are created the article cluster is complete.

Method 2

STEP 1. Create the "metadata template." It's OK, you don't need to know what this means.  :-)

(1) Decide on a new article name. (See Topic Choice and Naming Conventions.)

(2) In the box above, replace ARTICLE_NAME with the new article name,
making sure that you leave "Template:" and "/Metadata" around the new name.
(3) Then press the button.
(4) On the page that appears, put the title in again across from pagename =.
You might also fill out the checklist part of the form. Ignore the rest.
See this page if you're curious. Don't worry--you'll get the hang of it right away.

(5) Save.

STEP 2 - Make the Talk page
On the newly saved page, click on the "Talk" tab, place the text {{subpages}} in the page and save it.

STEP 3 - Make the Approval page
On the newly saved Talk page, click on the "Please create the Approval page" link and save the page. It is automatically filled in correctly.

STEP 4 - Make the Main page
On the newly saved Approval page, click on the "Main" page and start the article. Place the text {{subpages}} on the first line. Write the article and save it when finished.

Method 3

You'll follow four steps, creating four pages. After completing a step, just use your browser's "back" button to return here.

STEP 1. Create the "metadata template." It's OK, you don't need to know what this means.  :-)

(1) Decide on a new article name. (See Topic Choice and Naming Conventions.)
(2) In the box above, replace ARTICLE_NAME with the new article name,
making sure that you leave "Template:" and "/Metadata" around the new name.
(3) Then press the button.
(4) On the page that appears, put the title in again across from pagename =.
You might also fill out the checklist part of the form. Ignore the rest.
See this page if you're curious. Don't worry--you'll get the hang of it right away.
(5) Save.

STEP 2. Create "approval" page.

(1) Replace ARTICLE_NAME with the name you used in Step 1, and press the button.
(2) Save (you'll see {{subpages}} in the box--leave it there).

STEP 3. Create "Talk" page.

(1) Replace ARTICLE_NAME with the name you used in Step 1, and press the button.
(2) Save (you'll see {{subpages}} in the box--leave it there).

STEP 4. Start the article itself!

(1) Replace ARTICLE_NAME with the name you used in Step 1, and press the button.
(2) Start that article!
(3) For "extra credit," link to your new article from an old one.

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