Help:How to fix your signature: Difference between revisions

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{{shortcutShortcut|[[WP:SIGHELP]]|WP:FIXSIG}}

RecentChanges changesmade onin November 2005 to the version of the [[MediaWiki]] software running Wikipedia altered the way [[WP:SIG|signatures]] work. If your signature is not working now (but was working previously), you will need to make some changes to your "[[Special:Preferences|my preferencesPreferences]]" page.

==YouIf you are not using "raw signatures"==

MediaWiki makes the creation of simple, straightforward signatures relatively easy. For example, if User:Example wants a signature that displays as [[User:Example|Example]], he would simply have to enter <code>"Example</code>" in the NicknameSignature field in [[Special:Preferences|my preferencesPreferences]]. The software automatically places <code>"Example" in <nowiki>[[User:Example|</nowiki>''here''</code> in front of and <codenowiki>]]</codenowiki> behind the entry, to form <code><nowiki>[[User:Example|Example]]</nowiki></code>;. When saved in a page, this escapesmarkup displays as "[[User:Example|Example]]". [[WP:HEP#Wiki_markup|Wiki markup]] and [[HTML element|HTML markup]] ''do not'' function in the Signature field, ''unless'' the "'''Treat the above as [[wiki markup]]'''" option is checked in [[Special:Preferences|Preferences]].

For example, placing the following in the Nicknamedefault Signature field (without checking raw signatures)

With recent changes to the software, more complex signatures cannot be set this way. [[WP:HEP#Wiki_markup|Wiki markup]] and [[HTML element|HTML markup]] ''do not'' function in the Nickname field any longer, ''unless'' the <code>Raw signatures</code> option is checked in [[Special:Preferences|preferences]].

:<nowiki>[[User:Example|Example]] &#124;: &#91;&#91;User_talk[[User talk:Example&#124;|Talk]] </nowiki>

will result in a signature that looks like

For example, placing the following in the Nickname field (without checking raw signatures)

:<code>[[User:Example|<nowiki>[[User:Example|Example]] |: [[User talk:Example|Talk]]</nowiki></code>]] ([[User talk:Example|talk]])

will result in a signature that looks like

:[[User:Example|Example]] &#124; &#91;&#91;User_talk:Example&#124;Talk]]

instead of

:[[User:Example|Example]] |: [[User talk:Example|Talk]]

This is because Wiki markup (and HTML markup) are now escaped as HTML entities when placed in the default NicknameSignature field, e.g. <codenowiki>&amp;#91;</code> instead of <code><nowiki>[.</nowiki></code>.

If you would like a signature that requires markup within the NicknameSignature field, please check the <code>Raw"Treat signatures</code>the above as wiki markup" option and enter the ''full'' signature string into the field.

For instance, to produce the signature

:[[User:Example|Example]] |: [[User talk:Example|Talk]]

place

:<code><nowiki>[[User:Example|Example]] |: [[User talk:Example|Talk]]</nowiki></code>

within the NicknameSignature field and check <code>Rawthe signatures</code>"Treat the above as wiki markup" option.

==YouIf you are using "raw signatures"==

If you have been using "raw signatures" all along but find that your signature is now not working, you may find the following message when lookingdisplayed atin your [[Special:Preferences|preferences]]:

:<span style="color:red;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:larger;">Invalid raw signature; check HTML tags.</span>

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This means you are using invalid markup on your signature. Some possible causes with their corresponding solutions:

;Unclosed tags :If you are opening a tag without the corresponding closing tag (for instance: <code><nowiki>[[User:Example|<fontspan colorstyle="color:white">Example]]</nowiki>),<br/code>), you should close the tag (for instance: <code><nowiki>[[User:Example|<fontspan colorstyle="color:white">Example</fontspan>]]</nowiki>).<br/code>). It's also a good idea to put the tags outside the link if possible (for instance: <code><nowiki><fontspan colorstyle="whitefont-family: serif">[[User:Example|Example]]</fontspan></nowiki></code>).

;Mismatched or incorrectly nested tags :If the tags are mismatched (for instance: <code><nowiki><s><u>hi</s></u></nowiki></code>), fix them (for instance: <code><nowiki><s><u>hi</u></s></nowiki></code>).

;Unquoted attributes :It's also recommended to use quotes on all attributes (for.<br/>For instance, use <code><nowiki><fontspan colorstyle="color:white"></fontspan></nowiki></code> instead of <code><nowiki><fontspan colorstyle=color:white></fontspan></nowiki></code>).

;Unclosed entities :If you have aan [[HTML entity]] which is lacking the final <codenowiki>;</codenowiki>, you need to add it; if you have a bare <codenowiki>&amp;</codenowiki>, it must be replaced by <codenowiki>&amp;amp;</codenowiki> (a bare <codenowiki>&amp;</codenowiki> is always a mistake in either HTML or wikicode).

;Unescaped special characters :If you are using one of <codenowiki>&amp;</codenowiki>, <codenowiki>&lt;</codenowiki>, or <codenowiki>&gt;</codenowiki>, and want it shown as text, it must be escaped as <codenowiki>&amp;amp;</codenowiki>, <codenowiki>&amp;lt;</codenowiki>, or <codenowiki>&amp;gt;</codenowiki>, respectively.

* Do not use a table. A table causes the signature to display on more than one line. Use span instead.

==Wikilink behavior==

Remember that ''all'' wikilinks show up as [[{{FULLPAGENAME}}|bold black text]] on the page they link to. So if you are testing your signature on your userpage/talk page and the user/talk part of it doesn't show up as a link, that may be why.

==A note on long signatures==

The markup for your signature is visible in the edit window; if it is too long, it makes editing the page harder. Try to keep the markup length below about one line of text. Also, the signature length is, since 13 June 2006, restricted to 255 [[byte]]s ([[phab:T10458|T10458]], [[rev:22960|r22960]]), later changed to 255 [[codepoint|character]]s ([[phab:T12338|T12338]], [[rev:23389|r23389]]).

[[Category:Wikipedia how-to|Signature]]