Wikipedia:Userboxes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This page gives information about the design, construction, and usage of userboxes, which are only intended to be used on userpages. Wikipedia is first and foremost an online encyclopedia, and as a means to that end, an online community. Userboxes are to help us create the best encyclopedia we can. However, before spending an inordinate amount of time on userboxes, please ask yourself whether it truly will benefit Wikipedia, such as helping people to collaborate more effectively on articles, and whether it would instead be a better use of time to write and develop encyclopedia articles.

Shortcut: WP:BOX WP:MINIBX WP:UBX WP:USERBOXES WP:USERBOX WP:UBXS

WP:BOX redirects here. You may be looking for Wikipedia:Sandbox.

A userbox is a small box that looks like this.

Userboxes can come in many different styles, including an ID Box on the right side, or even 2 ID Boxes.

Userboxes can have one or two sideboxes.

Userboxes (commonly abbreviated as UBX) are small colored boxes designed to appear on Wikipedians' user pages. They generally include one or two small graphics and a few short lines of text. Often they also include wiki markup that places the user in a category. Userboxes are generally created as templates and transcluded onto userpages, although their markup may be substituted directly onto userpages instead. Userboxes are not intended to be encyclopedic content, and as such they are not to be used in articles.

The first userboxes were designed to support the Babel interlanguage effort.

The primary purpose of userboxes and user categories is to alert other Wikipedians to ways you might be able to aid them in editing. For instance, if you speak a language besides English, or have expertise in a particular field, other users will know they can contact you for assistance.

Userboxes typically make statements about a user's skills, attributes, personality, interests, views, and affiliations.

Detailed technical instructions for userboxes may be found below.

[edit] Designing a userbox

Typical userbox content examples:

• This user <verb phrase> <noun phrase>
  • This user is <noun phrase>
  • This user is a member of <noun phrase>
  • This user is a fan of <noun phrase>
  • This user supports <noun phrase>
  • This user contributes to <noun phrase>
  • This user is interested in <noun phrase>
  • This user is fascinated by <noun phrase>

Other combinations are obviously possible.

Other typical verbs (again, others are possible): drives, eats, edits, enjoys, favours, likes, loves, plays, prefers, reads, speaks, understands, uses, and watches.

Avoid the following verbs: considers, finds, knows, and thinks.

Also avoid compound sentences which are positive and negative, such as:

• This user likes <noun phrase>, but does not like <another noun phrase>.

[edit] Caution about image use

• The Wikimedia Commons has a large range of icons for use within boxes. However, if you wish to select a different image to put in a userbox, make certain the image license is free. Wikipedia policy does not allow templates (which includes userboxes) or user pages to contain any copyrighted content not under free license; so, for example, "fair use" images are explicitly forbidden. This clause is to be interpreted strictly and without exception, for legal reasons. See Wikipedia's fair use policy guidelines for more details.

[edit] Content restrictions

• All items in template and user space are governed by the civility policy.
  • Userboxes must not include blatant incivility or personal attacks.
  • Userboxes must not be intentionally inflammatory or divisive.
  • Wikipedia is not an appropriate place for political campaigning.

Simply: If content is not appropriate on a user page, it is not appropriate within userboxes.

Userboxes that fail to meet these guidelines may be subject to deletion.

[edit] Category inclusion

• Userboxes that include Category markup which adds the bearing userpage to a category must only categorize within subcategories of Category:Wikipedians.
• Names and descriptions of subcategories are subject to the same rules and restrictions as userbox content.
• Userboxes should not automatically include categories by default. Consider how useful the category would be to other editors before adding it to your userbox.
• Do not create categories which could potentially include all Wikipedians. For example: "This user is a Wikipedian."; "This user is human."; "This user uses the internet"; etc.
• Avoid categorising "not"-based userboxes. For example: "This user does not like <noun phrase>."

[edit] Constructing a userbox

[edit] How to construct the box

There are a number of box types to select from when deciding to make a userbox. The most commonly used design is the "Standard box". It has one square shaped area on the left ("id") and a rectangular area on the right ("info").

For ease of use, userboxes are made using maker-templates that have a number of parameters. Once the maker-template is saved, it is automatically transformed to HTML.

[edit] Userbox types

{{Userbox
  |border-c = #000
  |border-s = 1
  |id-c     = #fff
  |id-s     = 12
  |id-fc    = #000
  |info-c   = #039
  |info-s   = 8
  |info-fc  = #fff
  |id       = ID
  |info     = info box content
}}

{{Userbox-r
  |border-c = #000
  |border-s = 1
  |id-c     = #fff
  |id-s     = 12
  |id-fc    = #000
  |info-c   = #039
  |info-s   = 8
  |info-fc  = #fff
  |id       = ID
  |info     = info box content
}}

{{Userbox-2
  |border-c = #000
  |border-s = 1
  |id1-c    = #fff
  |id1-s    = 12
  |id1-fc   = #000
  |id2-c    = #000
  |id2-s    = 12
  |id2-fc   = #fff
  |info-c   = #039
  |info-s   = 8
  |info-fc  = #fff
  |id1      = ID 1
  |id2      = ID 2
  |info     = info box content
}}

{{Userbox-m
  |border-c = #000
  |border-s = 1
  |id-c     = #fff
  |id-s     = 12
  |id-fc    = #000
  |id       = ID
}}

[edit] Userbox sampling templates

To make it easier to quote the generation code for a userbox in a uniform format, a template {{Userbox sample compact}} has been made available, which produces a picture of the userbox along with the code necessary to create it. To use it, just give it exactly the same parameters you would give the {{Userbox}} template. You must use subst:, or the template will not work properly.

For example, consider the following code and the resulting demonstration userbox:

{{subst:Userbox sample compact

| id=UBX

| id-c=red

| info=This is a '''[[WP:UBX|Userbox]]'''

}}

There are not yet any similar templates available for userboxes created by the templates Userbox-r, Userbox-2 and Userbox-m.

[edit] Using existing userboxes

[edit] Syntax

The standard syntax for adding a userbox to your user page (also known as transclusion) is: {{user nameofbox}}.

If you wish, you can use the following substitution syntax instead: {{subst: user nameofbox}}. If you do not substitute, and the userbox is deleted, this could result in many broken template references on your user page. The use of "subst:" will prevent the deletion of userbox templates from affecting your page. However, if you do this, the version on your userbox will not reflect any new changes, and it will also lead to large amounts of Wikicode being present on your page.

[edit] Grouping userboxes

Example 1 This user is a member of WikiProject Userboxes. This user is using a web browser. This user is interested in ancient Rome. This user wants to be your friend.

As with the Babel box, there is a box to group userboxes together. Just make a list of userboxes with {{Userboxtop|box-name}} at the top, followed by your list of userboxes, and {{Userboxbottom}} at the bottom. For example, the box to the right is created using the following list:

{{Userboxtop|Example 1}}
{{Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes/Userbox}}
{{User browser}}
{{User Rome}}
{{User:Nihiltres/Userboxes/Friendly}}
{{Userboxbottom}}

You may also change the alignment by using 'right' or 'left' as the 2nd parameter, or explicitly using parameter align. Thus, it is possible to create the same box on the right, but positioned on the left side of the page, by changing the first line from {{Userboxtop|Example 1}} to {{Userboxtop|Example 1|left}}.

Similar results can be achieved with either of the following:

{{Babel-X|header=Example 

1|footer=|align=left|wikipedia/Administrator|Wikipedia:WikiProject 

Userboxes/Userbox|browser|Rome|:Nihiltres/Userboxes/Friendly}}

{{UBX-X|header=Example 1|wikipedia/Administrator|Wikipedia:WikiProject 

Userboxes/Userbox|browser|Rome|:Nihiltres/Userboxes/Friendly}}

The older Babel grouping system can also be used, e.g. {{Babel-4|sv|no-4|browser|rome}}. However, it only works for user boxes with the "User" prefix, which must then be dropped for the arguments. Also, boxes that need arguments of their own (such as {{User Monty Python}}) cannot be used with Babel.

A third alternative would be to table your userboxes. For example:

{| style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
| {{User:Saoshyant/Userboxes/User ESP-member}} {{User:Netsnipe/User_VCN}} {{user CVU1-en}}
|-
| {{user AGF}} {{User wikipedia/No personal attacks}} {{user NPOV}}
|-
| {{User:Feureau/UserBox/ProudWikipedian}} 
{{User wikipedia/Signpost}} 
{{User wikipedia/Department of Fun}}
|}

would produce the following:

This user is a member of Esperanza. This user IRCs on the Vandalism Control Network. This user is a member of the Counter-Vandalism Unit.

This user assumes good faith. This user maintains a strict policy advising against all personal attacks. This user strives to maintain a policy of neutrality on controversial issues.

This user is proud to be a Wikipedian. This user writes for The Wikipedia Signpost. Do you? This user is a member of the Wikipedia Department of Fun.

[edit] Gallery submissions

Ideas for userboxes can be submitted here.

If you have designed a userbox that you would like to make available to others, submitting it to the gallery may be currently controversial. It may be suggested to first display it on the New Userboxes talk page, for community comment.

As an alternative, you may wish to consider keeping it on your own userspace and making it available through Category:Original Wikipedian userboxes, using the following syntax:

<noinclude>
[[category:Original Wikipedian userboxes]]
</noinclude>

[edit] Gallery

See also: :Category:Wikipedia userboxes, Wikipedia talk:Userboxes/Ideas, and Wikipedia talk:Userboxes/New Userboxes

[edit] Languages

• Wikipedia:Babel, for multilingual communication.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Writing systems, for written languages.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Grammar, for preferences on grammatical and dialect-related controversies.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Non-ISO Languages, for non-ISO languages.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Programming, for programming languages.

[edit] Interests and Tastes

• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Computing, for personal computing information, such as hardware and software, including preferences about blogs, websites, and browsers.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Food, for preferences about food, beverages, and eating habits.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Games, for preferences about board, card and video games.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/History, for preferences in the study of history.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Interests, for general human interests and hobbies.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Mathematics, for statistics, measurement systems, and other areas of mathematics.
• Media:
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Anime, for preferences in anime and manga.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Books, for preferences in books.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Comics, for preferences in comics.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Film, for preferences in film.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Newsprint, for preferences in newsprint.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Radio, for preferences in radio.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Television, for preferences in television.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Music, for preferences about music, and musical interests.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Science, for preferences in the study of science.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Sports, for preferences about sports.

[edit] Life, Status, and Situation

• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Education, for educational qualifications, schools, colleges and universities, by region
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Emoticons, for userboxes representing a current mood.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Health, for physical and mental health.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Life, for age, ancestry, and family.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Location, for country and state of origin, and regional organizations.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Military, for military affiliation and ranks.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Profession, for profession.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Seasonal, for seasonal userboxes.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Time, for time zone and other temporal userboxes.

[edit] Wikipedia-related

• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Wikipedia, for user category, association, editing philosophy and preferences.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/WikiProjects, for WikiProject userboxes.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Userboxes, for userboxes about userboxes and topics related to them.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Large/Licencing, for large user templates related to licensing of Wikipedia users' contributions.

	WikiProject Userboxes
	Language
	Languages | Non-ISO languages and dialects | Writing systems | Programming languages | Grammar
	Interests
	WikiProjects | Comedy | Computing | Food | Games | History | Mathematics | Music | Science | Sports | Miscellaneous Media: Books • Film • Television • Radio • Newsprint • Comics • Anime and manga
	Life
	Education | Health | Life | Profession
	Location and time
	Location: Africa • Americas: Argentina · Brazil · Canada · U.S. • Asia • Europe: Germany · Spain · U.K. • Oceania Time: Seasonal • Time zone
	Other
	Emoticons | Userboxes | Wikipedia See also: Userbox migration • Userbox policy

[edit] See also

• Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes
• User:GRBerry/Userbox migration, User:Rfrisbie/Userboxes, and User:MiraLuka/Userboxes/Nav - for alternative galleries in user space.
• RSS feed of user pages on the English Wikipedia ordered by the number of userbox templates on them