Help desk
< November 17	<< Oct \| November \| Dec >>	November 19 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Help Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current Help Desk pages.

November 18

Creating a reference.

How to create a reference to https://theskylive.com/locationpicker?back_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheskylive.com%2Fsky%2Fstars%2Fchi2-fornacis-star? 117daveawesome (talk) 02:10, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Generally, you want to cite a static piece of information. What information are you trying to cite exactly? You've linked an input form, are you trying to cite a reference for the properties of that specific star as viewed from a specific location? Remsense聊 02:15, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Just use that one. -> https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/chi2-fornacis-star 117daveawesome (talk) 02:23, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Sure thing! I think you might format a reference like this:

<ref>{{Cite web |title=χ2 Fornacis |url=https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/chi2-fornacis-star |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=The Sky Live}}</ref>

Remsense聊 02:26, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks a lot! 117daveawesome (talk) 02:29, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Do you think you should add a pronounciation of Sodium?

I sincerely want to get some answer from you if you are interested in. If it is approved, I should give the way to pronounce it. 2405:4802:64A8:2D40:C19F:C86:76EB:92C7 (talk) 03:03, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

It is pronounced as Soo-DEE-em.

It is suggested as above. You should check it and notify me when you need some changes. 2405:4802:64A8:2D40:C19F:C86:76EB:92C7 (talk) 03:06, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Hi there! Dictionary.com disagrees with you. GoingBatty (talk) 03:12, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

We'd also be more likely to write the pronunciation as /ˈsoʊdiəm/ . —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 03:13, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

So it's time for you to add it. 2405:4802:64A8:2D40:C19F:C86:76EB:92C7 (talk) 03:19, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

That is not going to happen because reliable sources report that the first syllable has the accent (stress). I live in the United States which has the largest number of native native English language speakers in the world, and your favored pronunciation is unknown here. Cullen328 (talk) 03:51, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Add as a suggestion of User:Tenryuu 2405:4802:64A8:2D40:C19F:C86:76EB:92C7 (talk) 04:21, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I mean to add him, not me. 2405:4802:64A8:2D40:C19F:C86:76EB:92C7 (talk) 04:21, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

No. Bring it up at Wikipedia:WikiProject Elements and see if you get consensus. —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 04:50, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

So you'd like Tenryuu to add his pronunciation of the word (which is more or less the same as Cullen328's, and indeed mine, and does not stress the second syllable)? -- Hoary (talk) 08:18, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Yes 2001:EE0:4BCC:9510:C19F:C86:76EB:92C7 (talk) 10:45, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

As Edmund Clerihew Bentley put it so wisely:

Sir Humphrey Davy
Abominated gravy.
He lived in the odium
Of having discovered Sodium.
This suggests that it should rhyme with odium.--♦IanMacM♦ ^{(talk to me)} 10:47, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Sodium not odium. 2001:EE0:4BCC:9510:C19F:C86:76EB:92C7 (talk) 11:15, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I would want everyone who has a will to add a pronunciation. 2001:EE0:4BCC:9510:C19F:C86:76EB:92C7 (talk) 11:43, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Just go to wikt:sodium if you want to see the pronunciations for it. —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 16:12, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Add to the main article man. 2001:EE0:4BC4:8090:C19F:C86:76EB:92C7 (talk) 04:02, 19 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Submission of Georgios Dritsakos

I need help. I just submitted the draft of description of George Dritsakos before it transferred to the articles to be created. 108.21.67.83 (talk) 03:46, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I believe that you're asking about Draft:Georgios Dritsakos (Georgios, not George). But what help do you want? -- Hoary (talk) 05:55, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

He's the retired Lieutenant General of the Hellenic Air Force. And the former Adjutant to His Excellency the President of the Hellenic Republic Constantinos Stephanopoulos. 108.21.67.83 (talk) 14:46, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

So, add those facts to the Draft, with the appropriate citations to Reliable sources for them. Just because a Draft is awaiting review doesn't mean it can't still be improved before that review is performed. It's not an exam, and nobody said "Stop writing now" when it was submitted.

That said, it wouldn't surprise me if the draft was declined again, because there's nothing in it that suggests to me he is a Notable person in the Wikipedia meaning of the term (see linked essay). {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 51.241.161.192 (talk) 18:02, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Arek Smith

Is Arek Smith notable. MagicalPrince863 (talk) 04:05, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Hello, MagicalPrince863. Based on my Google and Google News searches, I see no evidence that a person with that name is notable. But perhaps I missed something. Why do you think that this person might be notable? Cullen328 (talk) 04:34, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

MagicalPrince863, you very recently asked the identical question about some fellow named Cory Markum. You got responses. Any time you wonder if someone is notable, apply one or other of those responses. (If you care to apply mine, you won't simply ask whether XYZ is notable; you'll instead ask if [source 1], [source 2], and [source 3] are enough to show that XYZ is notable.) -- Hoary (talk) 05:51, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Fix the Chinese Hockey Player Liu Chunhua

Liu Chunhua (ice hockey), can you fix it because I used to put in the pinyin as well as in Chinese name in Mandarin. 108.21.67.83 (talk) 04:58, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Fixed Liu Chunhua (ice hockey). GoingBatty (talk) 05:09, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Citing one source via another

X is a reliable source, which I've seen. On one of its pages, the writer cites something that he says appears on a certain page of Y (by a different author), which I haven't seen but which comes from a respected publisher. I want to cite that "something". In a footnote/endnote (not a Vancouver-style reference), and in a template-less world, I'd could write "X, citing Y", or I could write "Y, as cited by X". But here, with Vancouver, what's the recommended method (or what are the recommended methods), using the appropriate CS1 template(s)?

I'm sure that this is explained on some page somewhere. Just point me to it. -- Hoary (talk) 07:57, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The guidance is at WP:SWYGT. There's no special template parameters, although some have been proposed in the archives of Help talk:Citation Style 1 (most search hits are just editors explaining what they do personally in these cases). Basically just call two citation templates backy-back within the same pair of ref tags, separated by some words indicating one is citing the other. Folly Mox (talk) 08:38, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I think I might have been a little confused by the introduction of "Vancouver" into this question. If it's "X citing Y" within shortened footnotes you're after, the best I've managed is "{{harvnb}}, cited in / citing {{harvnb}}" within a pair of ref tags. {{sfnmp}} doesn't handle that kind of nesting. Template:R might. It's weird. Folly Mox (talk) 08:46, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you, Folly Mox. Sorry I phrased the question rather poorly; but your first response answered the question that I had in mind. I did what you suggested, and tucked the combination into a footnote; the result is a bit awkward, but I hope not too bad. -- Hoary (talk) 09:15, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

These days, "X is a reliable source" is a surprising statement until one reads the context. Maproom (talk) 10:10, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

😁 Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 13:14, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Hoary likes this. 11:34, 18 November 2023 (UTC)

I've seen the portmanteau Xwitter, which to me is clearer. Folly Mox (talk) 15:27, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

What is the common word for a tweet these days? Is there an officially recommended one? Do Xitters xit? Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 15:56, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Depends if one is using the Chinese pronunciation. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 51.241.161.192 (talk) 21:17, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

A Xitter may xit, but Xitters xeunt. Folly Mox (talk) 05:20, 19 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

...latin grammar? Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 15:28, 19 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

i think the site now uses post. —Tamfang (talk) 05:47, 21 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

X and post, they're not striving for distinction. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 08:33, 21 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I've used forms like {{sfn|Bell|1938|ps=: quoted by {{harvnb|Hinkley|1979|p=7}}}} in the past and they worked fine with all links functional. Martin of Sheffield (talk) 12:04, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Recovering a previous account

I had an account under the user name NickPretzel, but it was linked to an email address I no longer have access to. It's there any way to recover the account, to merge it with this one? I last accessed the account around 2015 some time. I'm sure you'll find there's been no activity on that account for quite some time.

Please don't hesitate to ask any questions you require to confirm that the account really did belong to me. However, if there isn't any way to do it, the thing I'll miss most is my sandbox, especially as I'm having trouble accessing my current one.

Thanks you for your help

Nick Pretzel

SaintIX (talk) 10:51, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@SaintIX: Unfortunately there's no way to recover access to an account when you don't have access to the email address, and there's no mechanism to merge accounts even if it could be recovered. If it helps at all, your old sandbox was located at User:NickPretzel/sandbox, and while your new account doesn't have any existing sandboxes, a link to a blank one is User:SaintIX/sandbox. Tollens (talk) 11:02, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Many thanks for your swift reply. Shame, but not so serious. I did try User:SaintIX/sandbox in the search box, but nothing happened. I'll try the link from here/in my browser. I guess it doesn't work in the mobile app. Thanks again, take care

SaintIX (talk) 11:27, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

My Watchlist has changed

User talk pages are no longer being shown on my Watchlist. I need to see them to communicate with recipients of the Editor of the Week award. Thank you Buster7 (talk) 12:45, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I just now notice that this request to the Help Desk also Does Not show on my Watchlist. I need to see My most recent activity history to stay on top of what I do, Buster7 (talk) 12:50, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Did the changes by you option in the watchlist filter get unselected? Or some other filters get flipped? ScottishFinnishRadish (talk) 12:55, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I dont understand your answer. Where is the "changes by you" option and where is the filter. I'm an old geezer, unable to fix anything I break. Any assistance you can provide is appreciated. Buster7 (talk) 13:09, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

When I just gave FakeScientist8000 the EotW award about half an hour ago shouldn't his talk page get added to my Watchlist. They always have in the past! I notice that the star on his talk page is not bolded. I could engage it now butg i never had to do that before. Buster7 (talk) 13:18, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

For instance...right now I clicked the star at the top of this page and I know I will now see this page on my watchlist so I can monitor this discussion. Will I have to do that everywhere I go....going forward? Buster7 (talk) 13:22, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

There are some options for automatically adding pages to your watchlist at Special:Preferences. Not sure why the behavior you had been seeing changed. ScottishFinnishRadish (talk) 14:10, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Archiving my talk page

In the page where it explains how to archive a user's talk page i saw that the archive number should be a whole number, since 0 is a whole number, can i use it? Sangsangaplaz (talk) 12:58, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Sangsangaplaz where does it say that? According to Whole number the meaning is ambiguous, so you should just do a positive integer to be safe. Sungodtemple (talk • contribs) 14:00, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, i did '1' just to be safe Sangsangaplaz (talk) 14:19, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Sangsangaplaz: Some templates such as {{Talk header}} assume that the first archive will be numbered 1. Although, probably, there are workarounds, everything will work more smoothly for you if you stick to the standard numbering. -- John of Reading (talk) 14:10, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

thank you for the reply. I just used '1' instead. Sangsangaplaz (talk) 14:19, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Election infobox

I do not understand the election infobox.

On this page, Kuomintang gets rendered as "Kuomintang", while Democratic Progressive Party gets rendered as DPP. In the top infobox.

2022_Taiwanese_local_elections

However, in source code, there is party1 = Kuomintang and party1 = party2 = Democratic Progressive Party.

The infobox help says just "party1 - Political Party using Political party shortname templates. The number can be changed up to nine to display different Parties at the same time.", but I don't see shortname template used in either.

Both KMT and DPP are exactly the same here

Module:Political_party/D

and here

Module:Political_party/K

Wait... let me see what the abbrev thing does.

{ {Party abbrev|Kuomintang} } -> KMT

{ {Party abbrev|Democratic Progressive Party} } -> DPP

Now it's both correct! What is wrong on the 2022 taiwanese election then? Why is it still showing "Kuomintang"?

--- Running 13:59, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Well. When I do this - a super simplified version

{ {Infobox election | party1 = Kuomintang | party2 = Democratic Progressive Party } }

I get this

It's still treated differently for some reason...?

ah, the infobox uses _shortname_...? I ... guess...? Maybe? --- Running 14:06, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Running: Yes. The relevant lines in the data modules:

	["Kuomintang"] = {abbrev = "KMT", color = "#000099", shortname = "Kuomintang",},
	["Democratic Progressive Party"] = {abbrev = "DPP", color = "#1B9431", shortname = "",},
	["Taiwan People's Party"] = {abbrev = "TPP", color = "#28C7C7", shortname = "",},

The infobox prefers shortname if it's defined since the infobox field has room for more than an abbreviation but not a long name like "Taiwan People's Party. I see nothing wrong. PrimeHunter (talk) 01:35, 19 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. There is no problem per se, I just wanted to understand what is going on. Thanks. - Running 06:56, 19 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Editing my watchlist?

The "edit your watchlist" button on my watchlist display page does not take me anywhere any more. Am I missing something? Is the system trying to force me to one of the newer, crappier interfaces? --Orange Mike | Talk 17:37, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

What skin are you on? I'm using Vector 2022 and the closest things I have are "View and edit wachlist" and "Edit raw watchlist". —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 18:09, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Monobook. The button shows a pencil icon and the text "Edit your list of watched pages". --Orange Mike | Talk 18:21, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I switched to Monobook and I'm seeing the same thing (Imgur) at Special:Watchlist with the links without any icons. Are you trying to get to Special:EditWatchlist? —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 18:27, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, but the link Special:Watchlist doesn't work for me. Does it work for you? --Orange Mike | Talk 18:33, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I've no trouble accessing it from the link in your comment. You might need to give more details to the folks over at WP:VPT. In the meantime, I suppose you could manually append Special:EditWatchlist after /wiki/ in your address bar to get to editing your watchlist. —Tenryuu 🐲 ( 💬 • 📝 ) 18:37, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

"The maximum request time of 60 seconds was exceeded." --Orange Mike | Talk 18:54, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Articles written by AI

2601:646:281:3EC0:FBCE:45D9:FA82:2A43 (talk) 18:44, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Does wikipedia have a policy on articles written by artificial intelligence bots? 2601:646:281:3EC0:FBCE:45D9:FA82:2A43 (talk) 18:45, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

See WP:RSPCHATGPT. Sungodtemple (talk • contribs) 19:37, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

All your base are belong to us. MinorProphet (talk) 01:11, 20 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

You have no chance to survive make your time. Industrial Insect (talk) 19:52, 20 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Can I create a biography

Help Dhayanidhiak (talk) 21:00, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

No, not unless you meet WP:Notability guidelines. Wikipedia isn't a social media site. This is an encyclopedia. ~WikiOriginal-9~ (talk) 21:06, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@Dhayanidhiak: Read the advice at WP:AUTO. It is strongly discouraged to write about yourself. RudolfRed (talk) 21:27, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The OP said they wanted to create a biography, not an autobiography. Hogyn Lleol (talk) 17:07, 19 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, you can, but it's harder than performing a triple salchow or flying a helicopter. MinorProphet (talk) 01:15, 20 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Martineau family

Ref number 82 is in red - please fix. - I get confused. thanks 1.123.200.112 (talk) 21:28, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Fixed the typo in November. RudolfRed (talk) 21:44, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Capitalize X Minister in title for Categories by country?

Should the M be capitalized in Category:Foreign Ministers of Germany‎ or Category:Foreign ministers of Gabon. The categories are very inconsistent. Note, this also affects the equivalent categories for Defense Minister/minister.Naraht (talk) 21:40, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Naraht, I would ask at WT:CFD as the inconsistency suggests that the answer is not obvious. TSventon (talk) 03:11, 19 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Martineau family

I think the ref number 23 - the PUBLISHER - is all wrong. Please fix . thanks. again 1.123.200.112 (talk) 22:24, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

According to The London Gazette, the publisher is TSO or The Stationary Office. You can fix it yourself. Please also read WP:OVERCITE. RudolfRed (talk) 22:38, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Actually, that is the current publisher. I am not sure who the publisher in 1862 was. RudolfRed (talk) 22:40, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Why bother trying to name the publisher, when you can use {{London Gazette}} like this:

{{London Gazette|issue=22662|date=12 September 1862|page=4458|quote=...have, hold and enjoy the same title as if their father had succeeded to the dignity of Baron...}}

to generate this:

"No. 22662". The London Gazette. 12 September 1862. p. 4458. ...have, hold and enjoy the same title as if their father had succeeded to the dignity of Baron...

Happy editing! GoingBatty (talk) 23:21, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Honours

Would you help me put honours on the "Federica Pellegrini" page? There are really too many, and I'm in trouble. You can find them here: it:Federica_Pellegrini. JackkBrown (talk) 23:48, 18 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

@JackkBrown: The best place to ask for help with any article is the article's talk page: Talk:Federica Pellegrini. Happy editing! GoingBatty (talk) 00:54, 19 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]