((Template:Template link general/sandbox))

This is the template sandbox page for Template:Template link general (diff).
See also the companion subpage for test cases.

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This template is used on approximately 20,000 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.

Shortcut

((tlg))

This template uses Lua:

Module:Template link general (sandbox)

This template, often abbreviated as ((tlg)), is used to provide stylized formatting to template displays without actually using the template itself. The code generated will be displayed inline. For a multi-line output, see ((tj)).

Parameters[edit]

With the exception of alttext, the named parameters are toggles that are either omitted (default in most cases) or activated (by being assigned a value such as "on", "yes", "true", "include", etc.). They may be included in any order (see Examples below). Certain templates have the parameter "on" by default; see the main table for all alternate options.

Parameter	Action	Use with ((example))	Default active
	Default (without accessory parameters)	((example))
brace	Include braces as part of the template link	((example))	((tlw))/((tn))
braceinside	Include innermost braces as part of the template link	{{example}}
bold	Renders the template link/name in bold	((example))	((tlb)), ((tlxb))
code	Display output using HTML `<code>...</code>` tags (monospaced font)	`((example))`	((tlc)), ((Template link expanded)), etc.
italic	Display any parameters accompanying the template link/name in italics	((example\|param))	((tlxi))
kbd	Display output using HTML `<kbd>...</kbd>` tags (monospaced font)	`((example))`
nolink	Don't render the template name as a link	((example))	((tlf)), ((tnull))
nowrap	Prevent the insertion of line breaks (word wrap) in the output	((example))
nowrapname	Prevent word wrapping in the output of template name/link (parameters will wrap if needed)	((example))
plaincode	Uses `<code style="border:none; background:transparent;">...</code>`	`((example))`	((tltss))
subst	Include a subst: prefix before the template link/name	((subst:example))	((tls)), ((tlxs)), etc
alttext=`[text]`	Replace `[text]` with the actual label to be displayed for the template link	((Other))	((tla))
_show_result	Will also display the result of the template	`((Min\|7\|-5))` → -5
_expand	Will add a link to the expanded template page	`((Min\|7\|-5))` [1]

Unnamed (Positional)[edit]

This template can take any number of unnamed parameters as parameters accompanying the template link (or name); see Examples below.

Examples[edit]

Code	Output	Remarks
((tlg\|Banner))	((Banner))	Template:Banner does not exist. (Non-existent template is redlinked.)
((tlg\|Abc))	((Abc))	Template:Abc exists.
((tlg\|abC))	((abC))	Template names are case-sensitive
((tlg\|abc))	((abc))	(but the first letter is case-insensitive).
((tlg\|x0))	((x0))	no parameters
((tlg\|x1\|one))	((x1\|one))	one parameter
((tlg\|x2\|one\|two))	((x2\|one\|two))	two parameters
((tlg\|x3\|1\|2\|3\|4\|5\|6\|7\|8\|9\|10))	((x3\|1\|2\|3\|4\|5\|6\|7\|8\|9\|10))	ten parameters
`((tlg\|convert\|<nowiki>14\|m\|ftin\|abbr=out\|sp=us</nowiki>))`	((convert\|14\|m\|ftin\|abbr=out\|sp=us))	Unlimited parameters, as one `<nowiki>...</nowiki>` string.
((tlg\|x2\|\|two\|\|))	((x2\|two))	Empty parameters are discarded.
((tlg\|x0\|code=on))	`((x0))`	<code> style
((tlg\|x0\|plaincode=on))	`((x0))`	plaincode style
((tlg\|x0\|kbd=on))	`((x0))`	<kbd> style
((tlg\|x0\|bold=on))	((x0))	bold link/name
((tlg\|x1\|one\|italic=on))	((x1\|one))	parameter(s) in italics
((tlg\|x0\|nolink=on))	((x0))
((tlg\|x0\|subst=on))	((subst:x0))
((tlg\|x0\|brace=on))	((x0))	all braces in link
((tlg\|x0\|braceinside=on))	{{x0}}	inside braces in link
((tlg\|x0\|alttext=x0 link))	((x0 link))
((tlg\|x0\|bold=on\|code=on\|brace=on))	`((x0))`	Combine multiple parameter settings.
`((tlg\|x1\|((spaces))one((spaces))))`	((abc\| one ))	Using ((spaces)) before and after a parameter.
((tlg\|x2\|bold=on\|code=on\|one\|two))	`((x2\|one\|two))`	Can combine named and anonymous parameters ...
((tlg\|x2\|one\|two\|bold=on\|code=on))	`((x2\|one\|two))`	... in any order ...
((tlg\|x2\|one\|code=on\|two\|bold=on\|three))	`((x2\|one\|two\|three))`	... even intermixed ...
((tlg\|x2\|one\|code=on\|two\|bold=on\|three\|italic=on))	`((x2\|one\|two\|three))`	... with many configurations.
`((tlg\|x1\|x=u))`	((x1))	= won't work
`((tlg\|x1\|x=u))`	((x1\|x=u))	`=` is okay
`((tlg\|x1\|x((=))u))`	((x1\|x=u))	`((=))` is okay (see Template:=)
`((tlg\|x1\|x<nowiki>=</nowiki>u))`	((x1\|x=u))	Sticky nowiki is okay.
((tlg\|x2\|3=two\|2=one))	((x2\|one\|two))	Right-to-left is okay
((tlg))	tlg	With no arguments, it emits the current page name without braces.
((tlg\|x2\|3=one\|4=two))	((x2))	Null parameter stops parsing.

Wrapping of long names (default)
Code	Output
((tlg\|long template name that would wrap to new line\|this is a long value for the 1st parameter that would wrap))	((long template name that would wrap to new line\|this is a long value for the 1st parameter that would wrap))

Wrapping of long names (`nowrap=on`)
Code	Output
((tlg\|nowrap=on\|long template name that would wrap to new line\|long value for the 1st parameter that would wrap))	((long template name that would wrap to new line\|long value for the 1st parameter that would wrap))

Wrapping of long names (`nowrapname=on`)
Code	Output
((tlg\|nowrapname=on\|long template name that would wrap to new line\|long value for the 1st parameter that would wrap))	((long template name that would wrap to new line\|long value for the 1st parameter that would wrap))

See also[edit]

General-purpose formatting[edit]

Comparison of template-linking templates according to the styles of generated text and link produced
Text style ↓	`((tlg))` options^{[note 1]} to achieve text style	Link style
Text style ↓	`((tlg))` options^{[note 1]} to achieve text style	Linked	Unlinked	Linked with subst	Unlinked with subst	Linked including braces	Linked with alternative text
`((tlg))` options^{[note 1]} to achieve link style	—	DEFAULT	`nolink=yes`	`subst=yes`	`nolink=yes\|subst=yes`	`braceinside=yes`	`alttext=Foo` `2=Foo`
normal	DEFAULT	((tlg))^{[note 1]} ((tl)) ((tlp\|1\|2\|...))^{[note 2]} ((Template:tlu))^{[note 3]}	((tlf))^{[note 2]} ^{<template link>}	((subst:tls)) ((subst:Template:tlsu))^{[note 3]}	((subst:tlsf))^{[note 2]} ^{<template link>}	((tn))	((tla))
`code`	`code=yes`	`((tl2))` `((tlx))` `((Template:tlxu))`^{[note 3]}	`((tlc))`^{[note 2]} ^{<template link>} `((tnull))`^{<template link>}	`((subst:tlxs))`	`((subst:tlsc))`^{[note 2]} ^{<template link>}	—
monospace	`plaincode=yes`^{[note 4]}	—		((subst:tltss))^{[note 5]}	—
`kbd`	`kbd=yes`^{[note 5]}	—		((subst:tltss))^{[note 5]}	—
bold	`bold=yes`	((tlb))	—
`bold+code`	`bold=yes\|code=yes`	`((tlxb))`
`italic+code`	`italic=yes\|code=yes`	`((tlxi))`

^ ^a ^b ^c ((tlg)) is the most general template, allowing any combination of text style and/or link style options.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Prevents wrapping of text by placing it inside <span class="nowrap">...</span> tags.
^ ^a ^b ^c Allows links to templates in any namespace.
^ ((tlg|plaincode=yes)) uses <code style="border:none; background-color:transparent;">...</code>.
^ ^a ^b Displays monospaced font using <span style="font-family:monospace;">...</span>.

Other formatting templates[edit]

Templates producing specialised formatting effects for given templates, modules or parameters
Code example	Effect	Notes
`((Tj\|Hatnote\|Some text\|selfref: yes\|category: no\|lang: fr))`	((Hatnote \| Some text \| selfref = yes \| category = no \| lang = fr ))	Supports colors, placeholder texts, named and unnamed parameters
<syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext"> ((Hatnote \| Some text \| selfref = yes \| category = no \| lang = fr )) </syntaxhighlight>	((Hatnote \| Some text \| selfref = yes \| category = no \| lang = fr ))	Same as above
`((Tji\|Hatnote\|Some text\|selfref: yes\|category: no\|lang: fr))`	((Hatnote\|Some text\|selfref=yes\|category=no\|lang=fr))	Supports colors, placeholder texts, named and unnamed parameters
`<syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext" inline>((Hatnote\|Some text\|selfref=yes\|category=no\|lang=fr))</syntaxhighlight>`	`((Hatnote\|Some text\|selfref=yes\|category=no\|lang=fr))`	Same as above
`((tl2\|Hatnote\|lang=fr))`	`((hatnote))`	Supports linking to sister projects (e.g., fr:Hatnote)
`((demo\|<nowiki>((Hatnote\|lang=fr\|Some text))</nowiki>))`	((hatnote\|lang=fr\|Some text)) Some text	Shows code and example
`((tln\|Hatnote))`	Template:Hatnote	Produces a normal link to the template
`((elc\|Template:Hatnote))` `((elc\|Template:Hatnote\|Hatnote))`	`[[Template:Hatnote]]` `[[Template:Hatnote\|Hatnote]]`	Formats wikilink, with optional piped link text and blended suffix
`((ml\|Example\|hello))`	((#invoke:Example\|hello))	Counterpart to ((tl)) for linking to Lua modules
`((mfl\|Example\|hello))`	((#invoke:Example\|hello))	Similar to ((ml)), but expects the function to be documented and creates a link to the corresponding section
`((mlx\|Example\|hello))`	`((#invoke:Example\|hello))`	Counterpart to ((tlx)) for linking to Lua modules
`((ml-lua\|Module:Example\|hello))`	`require('Module:Example')`	Link to Lua modules and built-in libraries, showing Lua code.
`((para\|title\|<var>book title</var>))`	`\|title=book title`	Formats template parameters for display, with or without values
`((sclx\|LASTING))`	`[[WP:LASTING]]`	Takes a shortcut suffix in project namespace and displays it with brackets and the WP: alias in a `<code>...</code>` tag.
`((tag\|ref))` `((xtag\|templatedata))`	`<ref>...</ref>` `<templatedata>`	Formats [X]HTML tags; can add content, choose opening, closing, or self-closing
`((dtl\|Ping project))`	((d:Ping project))	Wikidata counterpart to ((tl))
`((pf\|if))` `((pf\|if\|(({1))}\|true\|false))`	((#if)) ((#if:(({1))}\|true\|false))	Parser function equivalent to ((tl))
`((magic word\|uc:))`	((uc:))	Magic word links

With utility links[edit]

Templates producing utility links for a given template (Hatnote used here as example)
Code example	Effect
`((lt\|Hatnote))`	Template:Hatnote (edit \| talk \| history \| links \| watch \| logs)
`((lts\|Hatnote))`	Template:Hatnote(edit talk links history)
`((t links\|Hatnote))`	((Hatnote)) (edit talk history links # /subpages /doc /doc edit /sbox /sbox diff /test)
`((tfd links\|Hatnote))`	Template:Hatnote (talk · history · transclusions · logs · subpages)
`((tetl\|Hatnote))`	((Hatnote)) links talk edit
`((tsetl\|Hatnote))`	((subst:Hatnote)) links talk edit
`((ti\|Hatnote))`	Template:Hatnote (talk · links · edit)
`((tic\|Hatnote))`	Template:Hatnote (talk links edit)
`((tim\|Hatnote))`	m:Template:Hatnote (backlinks edit)
`((tiw\|Hatnote))`	Template:Hatnote (backlinks edit)
`((tlt\|Hatnote))`	((Hatnote)) (talk)
`((ttl\|Hatnote))`	((Hatnote)) (t/l)
`((twlh\|Hatnote))`	Template:Hatnote (links, talk)

Semantic markup templates

Template	Example output	Use
((strong))	Important!	To indicate <strong> importance, seriousness, or urgency instead of just simple typographical boldfacing
((strongbad))	"Never use ..."	Same as ((strong)) but in red
((stronggood))	"Only use ..."	Same as ((strong)) but in green
((em))	"An emphatic phrase"	To indicate <em> stress emphasis (not just purely typographical italicization like for book titles or foreign terms)
((var))	`strPrefix`	To indicate text is a variable name. Use for any variable names except those including "I" (uppercase i) and/or "l" (lowercase L); for these, ((var serif)) should be used to ensure a noticeable distinction
((var serif))	`strIllustratePrefix`	(see ((var)) above)
((tld))	`((DEFAULTSORT:Y, X))`	To display wikicode variables and magic words as they would appear in code
((para))	`\|year=2008`	To display template parameters with or without values
((param))	`(({title\|alt))}`	To display parameters as used in code (i.e. with triple braces), especially to indicate relationships between them. May be combined with ((para)) above
((tjp))	\|selfref=yes	To display template parameters with colors (as they would appear in the ((tj)) and ((tji)) templates)
((param value))	`··2·blanks·fore·and·aft··`	To display parameter values lightly bordered; replaces <code>...</code>, especially when value contains embedded or leading/trailing blanks; visualized here with middot (·) but can use ␠, ▯, or any character.
((tlx)) etc.	`((Template\|1\|2\|...\|10))`	To display a template call (with or without parameters and values) as code
((tji))	((hatnote\|Hello\|selfref=yes\|category=no))	To showcase with colors in horizontal format the syntax of any template, while providing an easy way to display placeholder texts using colons as separators
((tag))	"The `<img>...</img>` tags ..."	To render HTML elements ("tags") in prose
((code))/((codett))	"Ensure the `alt=` parameter ..."	To indicate text is source code. To nest other templates within ((code)), use `<code>...</code>`. ((codett)) differs only in styling: `someMethod` becomes `someMethod`
((PreCode))	"FORTH has keyword `?BRANCH`."	Like ((code)), but prevents line breaks inside the code. Only for very short code parts.
((subst:codenowiki))	`((small\|small text example))`	To wrap example code in `<code><nowiki>...</nowiki></code>`
((subst:kbdnowiki))	`((large\|large text example))`	To wrap example code in `<kbd><nowiki>...</nowiki></kbd>`
((syntaxhighlight))	_{[this is a block template]}	( or `((sxhl))` ) Wrapper for `<syntaxhighlight>...</syntaxhighlight>`, but will wrap overflowing text
((deprecated code))	"Do not use `<blink>`."	( or `((dc))` ) To indicate deprecated source code in template documentation, articles on HTML specs, etc. The `((dc2))` variant uses strike-through (`<blink>`) while `((dcr))` uses red (`<blink>`).
((pre))	_{[this is a block template]}	For larger blocks of source code and other pre-formatted text
((tj))	_{[this is a block template]}	To showcase with colors and multiple lines (vertical format) the syntax of any template, while providing an easy way to display placeholder texts using colons as separators
((quote))	_{[this is a block template]}	For block quotations (only – never for non-quotations)
((block indent))	_{[this is a block template]}	For indented blocks of material; visually identical to `((quote))` but without quote markup
((kbd))	`user input`	To indicate user input
((key press))	`Ctrl`+`x`	To indicate specific-keystroke input, including combinations
((key top))	`Left shift`	Similar; includes more symbols, but does not directly support combinations
((button))	`Don't save`	To indicate a button in a user interface
((samp))	`example output`	To indicate sample or example output

The above documentation is transcluded from Template:Template link general/doc.
Editors can experiment in this template's sandbox and testcases pages.
Add categories to the /doc subpage. Subpages of this template.

Code example	Effect	Notes
`((Tj\|Hatnote\|Some text\|selfref: yes\|category: no\|lang: fr))`	((Hatnote \| Some text \| selfref = yes \| category = no \| lang = fr ))	Supports colors, placeholder texts, named and unnamed parameters
<syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext"> ((Hatnote \| Some text \| selfref = yes \| category = no \| lang = fr )) </syntaxhighlight>	((Hatnote \| Some text \| selfref = yes \| category = no \| lang = fr ))	Same as above
`((Tji\|Hatnote\|Some text\|selfref: yes\|category: no\|lang: fr))`	((Hatnote\|Some text\|selfref=yes\|category=no\|lang=fr))	Supports colors, placeholder texts, named and unnamed parameters
`<syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext" inline>((Hatnote\|Some text\|selfref=yes\|category=no\|lang=fr))</syntaxhighlight>`	`((Hatnote\|Some text\|selfref=yes\|category=no\|lang=fr))`	Same as above
`((tl2\|Hatnote\|lang=fr))`	`((hatnote))`	Supports linking to sister projects (e.g., fr:Hatnote)
`((demo\|<nowiki>((Hatnote\|lang=fr\|Some text))</nowiki>))`	((hatnote\|lang=fr\|Some text)) Some text	Shows code and example
`((tln\|Hatnote))`	Template:Hatnote	Produces a normal link to the template
`((elc\|Template:Hatnote))` `((elc\|Template:Hatnote\|Hatnote))`	`[[Template:Hatnote]]` `[[Template:Hatnote\|Hatnote]]`	Formats wikilink, with optional piped link text and blended suffix
`((ml\|Example\|hello))`	((#invoke:Example\|hello))	Counterpart to ((tl)) for linking to Lua modules
`((mfl\|Example\|hello))`	((#invoke:Example\|hello))	Similar to ((ml)), but expects the function to be documented and creates a link to the corresponding section
`((mlx\|Example\|hello))`	`((#invoke:Example\|hello))`	Counterpart to ((tlx)) for linking to Lua modules
`((ml-lua\|Module:Example\|hello))`	`require('Module:Example')`	Link to Lua modules and built-in libraries, showing Lua code.
`((para\|title\|<var>book title</var>))`	`\|title=book title`	Formats template parameters for display, with or without values
`((sclx\|LASTING))`	`[[WP:LASTING]]`	Takes a shortcut suffix in project namespace and displays it with brackets and the WP: alias in a `<code>...</code>` tag.
`((tag\|ref))` `((xtag\|templatedata))`	`<ref>...</ref>` `<templatedata>`	Formats [X]HTML tags; can add content, choose opening, closing, or self-closing
`((dtl\|Ping project))`	((d:Ping project))	Wikidata counterpart to ((tl))
`((pf\|if))` `((pf\|if\|(({1))}\|true\|false))`	((#if)) ((#if:(({1))}\|true\|false))	Parser function equivalent to ((tl))
`((magic word\|uc:))`	((uc:))	Magic word links