PathfinderWiki talk:Manual of style

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Sentence-case infobox/navbox headers

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Changes Accepted
This section contains a discussion about changes to this policy that have been accepted.

The guidance on headings using sentence case should explicitly apply to infobox and navbox sections. For instance, navbox section headings should avoid title case for sections ("Notable Inhabitants (Living and Dead)" as for ex. Template:Kintargo navbox and most city navboxes) and instead use sentence case ("Notable inhabitants (living and dead)").

This would further align our MoS with Wikipedia, which suggests sentence case for both ("The same applies to the titles of articles, table headers and captions, the headers of infoboxes and navigation templates"). -Oznogon (talk) 16:12, 13 October 2023 (UTC)

Agree, though begrudgingly. CadeHerrig (talk) 05:15, 12 January 2024 (UTC)
I still have the scars from the last time this subject was argued. So, in for a penny... and Approve for consistency's sake. I already started doing this for the new {{Riddleport navbox}}, but this is a big change regarding the work required to deploy it on existing pages and navboxes; I guess we fix when we find, as my understanding of how bots work suggests they cannot help here??? Again, if agreed, we'll need to update the associated help pages, as well as the MoS, plus add some examples. Finally, PathfinderWiki:Use lower case needs rewriting - incorrect, confusing, rules in the rationale, and has dead links. That page will also need the decision here adding too. I'll make a note. --Fleanetha (talk) 00:59, 16 January 2024 (UTC)
Change policy moved to 'Accepted' after running for over a month. --Fleanetha (talk) 13:31, 24 February 2024 (UTC)
Incorporated in MoS, updates to PathfinderWiki:Use lower case also needed. -Oznogon (talk) 20:51, 24 February 2024 (UTC)

Avoid legend text in navbox headings

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Changes Accepted
This section contains a discussion about changes to this policy that have been accepted.

Some navboxes include legend text, particularly in section headings, to indicate the meaning of formatted items (ie. bold, italics, colors). This causes two problems:

  • On narrow viewports/mobile, if the section header overflows the width of the navbox, the line wraps outside of the bounds of the section heading row. If the section is collapsed, the text is cut off. If the section is expanded, the heading text disruptively overlaps the text below it.
  • The legend text is typically relevant only when the section is expanded, making it more of a distraction than benefit when collapsed.

Per boldness, I edited Template:Nirmathas navbox to avoid this by moving the legend text into the list. (before, after) This avoided the rendering issue and allowed the legend text to appear only when relevant in the expanded section.

In retrospect, this style should be part of the MoS and thus enforceable as policy.

I propose adding the following subsection to the "Formatting" subsection of the "Miscellaneous" section of the MoS:

==== Meaningful formatting ====
Provide a legend when using meaningful formatting, such as when italicized or bolded text reflects something specific. For example, several articles related to Earth use italicized text to reflect known facts about Earth that are not in any canon source but are relevant context to canon statements about Earth.
Reference footnotes and superscript symbols, such as daggers (), can be more appropriate for grouping or contextualizing full statements or list items. Unlike meaningful formatting, footnotes and symbols can also be linked to a note or legend that describes their meaning.
Avoid adding legends for meaningful formatting in headlines, table headings, infoboxes, navbox titles or group headings, which can result in poor formatting on variously sized devices even if they do not cause problems for you.

-Oznogon (talk) 16:12, 13 October 2023 (UTC)

Does this proposal prevent the usage of formatted text in general in navboxes, or only explainer text for said formatting? CadeHerrig (talk) 05:14, 12 January 2024 (UTC)
This proposal suggests only moving legends (explainer text; text required to describe what formatting in a navbox is meant to represent) out of the title lines of navboxes and navbox groups.
This proposal does not suggest prohibiting the use of formatted text in navboxes, nor does it suggest prohibiting legends/explainer text.
Added precise suggested text to the proposal. -Oznogon (talk) 21:53, 15 January 2024 (UTC)
Didn't know this was a problem and am likely the clueless cause of many. I do now so this is an obvious amendment we need. As well as updating the MoS, we'll also need to update the help pages for the navboxes and show some good practice examples. Approve. --Fleanetha (talk) 00:38, 16 January 2024 (UTC)
No rejections received, plus over a month of silence, means we'll accept this sensible proposal for the MoS. Thanks for leading Oz and I'll leave you to do the honours on updating the MoS please. --Fleanetha (talk) 13:27, 24 February 2024 (UTC)
Incorporated. -Oznogon (talk) 20:51, 24 February 2024 (UTC)

Update image sizing guidance

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Changes Accepted
This section contains a discussion about changes to this policy that have been accepted.

We have been modernizing image markup to prefer the use of thumb and upright parameters, which are already suggested in the MoS. However, some related MoS guidance is outdated and should be updated accordingly, or should be added to reflect usage:

  • Update the Images section to describe and prefer the use upright over pixel widths when specifying thumbnail size. For example, As currently written, our MoS describes incorrect default widths for upright and suggests accommodating specific pixel-width screens, 800x600 in particular, in a manner that is not relevant with the current, responsive wiki theme.
  • Describe and specify the use of wide banner lead images at the top of an article after the badges but before infoboxes, banners, or content, separated from content by a four-dash rule (----). (See Dis as an example.)
  • Remove references to {{Wide image}}, which does not exist.

-Oznogon (talk) 20:51, 24 February 2024 (UTC)

Agree: all sensible and mainly documenting what we do. --Fleanetha (talk) 22:22, 24 February 2024 (UTC)
One month running and no dissent to sensible amendments - policy change to MoS accepted. --Fleanetha (talk) 12:25, 24 March 2024 (UTC)
Applied. -Oznogon (talk) 05:16, 25 March 2024 (UTC)

De-emphasize and remove left-alignment guidance

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Changes Accepted
This section contains a discussion about changes to this policy that have been accepted.

In usage, we prefer right-aligned art due to the often disruptive nature of left-aligned images in articles on mobile devices and narrow browser viewports. The MoS should be updated to reflect this.

  • Revise "Avoid sandwiching text between two images that face each other" to "Avoid sandwiching text between two images, infoboxes, or other floating elements such as maps".
  • Remove guidance suggesting the viability of left-aligned images, which frequently disrupt mobile and other narrow-viewport layouts. For example, add guidance stating this concern, and remove guidance such as "shift left-aligned images down a paragraph or two".
  • Remove guidance suggesting that reversing an image is a viable option, since doing so is prohibited on CUP images.
    • Remove guidance suggesting that we prefer that the eyes of an image's subject face the text. Since we can't reverse the image's facing, this can suggest the use of left-aligned images, which often disrupt layout.
  • Expand the image stacking guidance to suggest linking to relevant image categories instead of adding multiple images to short articles.

-Oznogon (talk) 20:51, 24 February 2024 (UTC)

Agree. --Fleanetha (talk) 22:23, 24 February 2024 (UTC)
One month running and no dissent to sensible amendments - policy change to MoS accepted. --Fleanetha (talk) 12:25, 24 March 2024 (UTC)
Applied. -Oznogon (talk) 05:16, 25 March 2024 (UTC)

Provide DisplayMap/mapping project incorporation guidance

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Changes Accepted
This section contains a discussion about changes to this policy that have been accepted.

The PathfinderWiki mapping project provides a new visual resource that the MoS predates. Update the MoS with guidance on using the mapping project as a resource.

  • Note appropriate usage of the DisplayMap template and city/region/nation infobox latlong params to locate the subject of a text.
  • Provide guidance on when and how to use captions to describe a map, such as on Primogen Crown.
  • Provide guidance on using taller or shorter maps to help focus the map on a specific feature, such as on Sellen River.

-Oznogon (talk) 20:51, 24 February 2024 (UTC)

Agree: all useful guidance. --Fleanetha (talk) 22:24, 24 February 2024 (UTC)
One month running and no dissent to sensible amendments - policy change to MoS accepted. --Fleanetha (talk) 12:25, 24 March 2024 (UTC)
Applied. -Oznogon (talk) 05:16, 25 March 2024 (UTC)