Example text
 | This template is used on approximately 7,000 pages and changes may be widely noticed. Test changes in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them. |
This and related templates produce an inline typeface change suitable to render eXample Text on Wikipedia's general help pages.
Using example-formatting templates in general
 | This family of templates cannot be used in mainspace (the article namespace). |
 | This template uses Lua: |
The category of example-formatting templates is used frequently in non-mainspace general help pages such as Wikipedia:Manual of Style (MOS) when inline typeface changes are needed.
This family of templates cannot be used in mainspace (the article namespace).
For cases where the serif typeface is not desirable (e.g. in blocks of computer code), use ((bxt)), which substitutes boldfacing, or ((mxt)), which substitutes a monospaced font. For style examples that break to their own line (e.g. paragraphs), use ((xt2)).
For examples of bad/wrong style, in red, use ((!xt)), ((!bxt)), ((!mxt)), or ((!xt2)), respectively to the previous paragraph (the addition of the ! indicates the opposite effect). Use ((!xts)) for bad/wrong style with strikethrough formatting.
The ((xtd)) template exists for deprecated examples. Its alias ((xtg)) (for "grey") can be used to indicate uncertain, unavailable, disabled, lorem, etc., examples without implying deprecation. The bold, sans-serif equivalent is ((bxtd)) (and ((bxtg)) alias). The mono-spaced equivalent is ((mxtd)).
The ((xtn)) template is for neutral examples, and has no color change, but is otherwise identical to ((xt)). It can be used with ((xt)) and ((!xt)) to indicate usage that is neither advised nor advised against or deprecated. The bold, sans-serif equivalent is ((bxtn)).
Parameters
|text hereor|1=text here– The text to which to apply the markup. As with all templates, when the text has any equals characters ("="), explicitly prefix the text with|1=or the template will break.|title=tooltip text here– Takes text, which cannot be marked up in any way, and displays it as a pop-up "tooltip" (in most browsers) when the cursor hovers over the span
Accessibility
The accompanying change in typeface to a serif or monospaced type style (as in example text) is to make it fully accessible for those with color blindness.
Keep accessibility more broadly in mind, and never construct examples such that a blind person, who may not be able to see the coloration, boldfacing, or monospace font change, cannot understand the examples. Especially indicate, with terms like "not", "don't", "wrong:", etc., that a negative example is a negative one, or with "deprecated", "avoid", etc., that deprecated material is deprecated.
Examples of ((xt)) syntax and result
- What you write
...for example, ((xt|1=''T'' = 293.15 K)), but not ((!xt|1=''m''=5.4kg)).
- What you get
- ...for example, T = 293.15 K, but not m=5.4kg.
| What you type | What you get |
|---|---|
| this is an ((xt|inline typeface change)) for comparison | this is an inline typeface change for comparison |
| this is an ((!xt|inline typeface change)) for comparison | this is an inline typeface change for comparison |
| this is an ((xtn|inline typeface change)) for comparison | this is an inline typeface change for comparison |
| this is an ((xtd|inline typeface change)) for comparison | this is an inline typeface change for comparison |
| this is an ((mxt|inline typeface change)) for comparison | this is an inline typeface change for comparison |
| this is an ((!mxt|inline typeface change)) for comparison | this is an inline typeface change for comparison |
| this is an ((mxtn|inline typeface change)) for comparison | this is an inline typeface change for comparison |
| this is an ((mxtd|inline typeface change)) for comparison | this is an inline typeface change for comparison |
| this is an ((bxt|inline typeface change)) for comparison | this is an inline typeface change for comparison |
| this is an ((!bxt|inline typeface change)) for comparison | this is an inline typeface change for comparison |
| this is an ((bxtn|inline typeface change)) for comparison | this is an inline typeface change for comparison |
| this is an ((bxtd|inline typeface change)) for comparison | this is an inline typeface change for comparison |
User CSS for a monospaced coding font
Have monospaced templates in this group – and your editing window – use your preferred monospaced font:
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You can consistently use a monospaced font with well-designed characters for coding (e.g., to distinguish clearly between Add something like one of the code snippets below into your Special:MyPage/common.css page, replacing "Roboto Mono" with whatever your preferred coding font is (Roboto Mono was picked as a freely-available coding font for this example). If you don't want to manually add this code to your CSS page but would rather This code will do the following:
If you know of an additional class to add here, please update this page or mention it on the talk page. Horizontal style /* Use my font, when available, for code */
code, pre, samp, kbd, tt, .example-mono, .userlinks-username, .monospaced, .keyboard-key, .button, .plaincode { font-family: "Roboto Mono", monospace !important; }
/* Make some of the editable stuff monospaced */
#wpTextbox1, #wpSummary, #searchInput, #searchText { font-family: "Roboto Mono", monospace !important; }
Vertical style /* Use my font, when available, for code */
code,
pre,
samp,
kbd,
tt,
.example-mono,
.userlinks-username,
.monospaced,
.keyboard-key,
.button
.plaincode {
font-family: "Roboto Mono", monospace !important;
}
/* Make some of the editable stuff monospaced */
#wpTextbox1,
#wpSummary,
#searchInput,
#searchText {
font-family: "Roboto Mono", monospace !important;
}
Cleanup efforts If you'd like to help clean up instances of the /* Flag bad code for cleanup */
tt { color: DarkRed; background: Pink; }
You can also do this with |
See also
((xt))inline positive example text, in green, with serif font((xt2))same as((xt))but for blocks of text((bxt))same as((xt))but uses bold instead of serif font((mxt))same as((xt))but uses mono-spaced font (especially useful in source code)
((!xt))inline negative example text, in red, with serif font((!xt2))same as((!xt))but for blocks (i.e., same as((xt2))but red)((!bxt))same as((!xt))but uses boldface((!mxt))same as((!xt))but uses mono-spaced font; used for incorrect or strongly deprecated code/output/input examples and should usually be wrapped in<code>,<samp>, or<kbd>as appropriate; see also((dc))and its variants below((!xts))same as((!xt))but alsostrikes through the text((dcr))inlinestrongly deprecated or deleted material;((dc2))variant hasstrikethrough(they both use the<del>element, and do not add monospace font on their own; can be used in mainspace (articles), and where necessary wrapped in<code>,<samp>, or<kbd>); see also((dc))below
((xtd))inline deprecated (or uncertain, unavailable, lorem, etc.) example text, in grey((bxtd))same as((xtd))but uses boldface((mxtd))same as((xtd))but uses mono-spaced font((dc))inlinedeprecated or deleted material; (uses the<del>element, and does not add monospace font on it own; can be used in mainspace (articles), and where necessary wrapped in<code>,<samp>, or<kbd>); see also((dcr))above
((xtn))inline neutral example text, with no color change, when none of the above applies; used for "permissible" examples neither favored nor deprecated((xtn2))same as((xtn))but for blocks of text((bxtn))same as((xtn))but uses boldface; it still applies a CSS class, so it's not simply boldfacing((mxtn))same as((xtn))but uses mono-spaced font; this is a good template to use when the shaded box formatting of<code>...</code>might be undesirable, or the semantics of it is incorrect in the context
((strongbad))– for introducing something as deprecated or issuing some other warning in documentation, e.g.: Not for use in mainspace.