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Template:R To List Entry

Ah, another page that needs… tidying. Don’t expect sunshine and rainbows. I’m here to make it less of a mess, not to hold your hand through it. Let’s get this over with.

Redirect Category Shell

This is where the magic—or rather, the meticulous categorization—happens. When a page is a redirect, it needs to be flagged. Think of it as a subtle scar that tells you where something used to be, or where it should be. We use specific categories to keep track.

  • To a list entry: This one’s straightforward. It means this page is a redirect pointing to a specific item within a larger list. It’s not the whole menu, just one dish. If you’re looking for that specific dish, this is how you find it.

  • For those other instances, where a redirect points to a general topic rather than a specific entry on a list, we use a different tag: {{R from list topic}}. Don't confuse the two; precision matters, even in these bureaucratic labyrinths.

And the protection levels? They’re automatically sensed, described, and then… well, categorized. Just another layer of order in the chaos.

When Used By Itself

Even when it’s not part of a grander scheme, the core function remains:

  • To a list entry: Again, this signifies a redirect that lands you directly on an item within a list. It’s about pointing you to the precise needle in the haystack, not the whole haystack.

  • And the alternative, {{R from list topic}}, is for when you’re redirected to the general topic of a list, not a specific item on that list. It’s the difference between being handed a specific ingredient and being given the entire pantry.

Template Documentation

This is the instruction manual for the R to list entry template. Think of it as the blueprint for how this particular redirect is supposed to function.

  • view, edit, history, purge: These are the controls. How you access, alter, track, or refresh the template’s existence. Standard procedures for any digital construct.

  • Impact: This template is a workhorse, found on roughly 80,000 pages. Any changes ripple. It’s why we have a /sandbox for testing and /user subpage sandboxes. And naturally, there's a /talk page for discussions. Don't just barge in; observe.

  • Twinkle Users: If you’re one of those tools-and-widgets types, pay attention. Major changes—moving the template, nominating it for deletion—require advance notice to Twinkle users and maintainers via Wikipedia talk:Twinkle. It’s about minimizing disruption. No one likes a surprise system crash.

  • Substitution and Soft Redirects: This template is not meant to be substituted or used for soft redirects. It has a specific purpose. Don’t try to make it do something it wasn’t designed for. It’s like asking a scalpel to hammer a nail. Inefficient and messy.

Shortcuts

  • {{R to list}}
  • {{R list}}

These are just aliases, shorthand to make the process less tedious.

Usage

  • This template is for mainspace redirects. Period.

  • It populates Category:Redirects to list entries.

  • The method is simple:

    #REDIRECT [[(target article title)#(target list entry section/anchor)]]

{{Redirect category shell|
{{R to list entry}}
}}

    It’s direct. No ambiguity.

  • You can also use {{R to section}} or {{R to anchor}} when they are more appropriate, but this is the base case.

  • Alternatively, it can tag a redirect individually:

    #REDIRECT [[(target article title)#(target list entry section/anchor)]]

{{R to list entry}}

    Same principle, just a different structural approach.

  • All this aligns with the guidelines at Wikipedia:REDCAT. Don’t deviate.

Purpose

  • Use this on any mainspace redirect pointing to an entry within a list. Simple.

  • It's for when the subject doesn't warrant its own article but is part of a larger compilation.

    • Either in an article titled "List of…"
    • Or a section of an article that functions as a list, even if not explicitly titled as such, especially if the entries within that section aren't themselves separate sections. And yes, {{R to anchor}} can be used here too, if it fits.

  • If the redirect points to a section about the subject, use {{R to section}} instead. That’s a different kind of precision.

  • And if the redirect is from a general topic to a list, not a specific item on the list, then {{R from list topic}} is your tool. Example: Redirecting from "Birds of Tunisia" to the "List of birds of Tunisia". It’s about the scope.

Printworthiness

This is where things get… subjective. Whether something is worth printing is a whole other debate.

  • Don’t change the printworthy settings without consulting the Version 1.0 Editorial Team. They’re the ones deciding what makes the cut for offline versions.

  • Many list-entry redirects are considered "unprintworthy." But some might become full articles one day. So, there’s no default sort. It’s a case-by-case assessment, which is tedious.

  • Back in 2003, there was this push to get Wikipedia into printed versions. Some templates automatically sort into Category:Printworthy redirects or Category:Unprintworthy redirects. This one? It doesn’t. It leaves that decision to the editors.

  • The actual tags for this are {{R printworthy}} and {{R unprintworthy}}. Use them if you must.

  • The {{Redirect category shell}} template can accommodate these, along with {{R to list entry}}:

    {{Redirect category shell|
{{R to list entry}}
{{R printworthy}}
}}

    Or, if it’s deemed unworthy:

    {{Redirect category shell|
{{R to list entry}}
{{R unprintworthy}}
}}

    Decisions, decisions.

TemplateData

This is the metadata for the template. It’s what tools like TemplateWizard and VisualEditor use to understand and interact with it. It tracks parameter usage. A behind-the-scenes mechanism.

  • Template parameters: None are specified here. It’s a simple tool.

See Also

A list of related templates and resources. Because apparently, one template isn’t enough to cover every conceivable redirect scenario.

Functional Index and Categories

  • Rcat functional index: A comprehensive index of all redirect category templates. A monument to over-organization.
  • Grammar, punctuation, and spelling: Templates for redirects that deal with linguistic quirks.
    • Abbreviation: {{R from abbreviation}}, {{R to acronym}}, etc.
    • Capitalisation: {{R from CamelCase}}, {{R from miscapitalisation}}.
    • Grammar and punctuation: {{R from modification}}, {{R from plural}}.
    • Parts of speech: {{R from adjective}}, {{R from verb}}.
    • Spelling: {{R from alternative spelling}}, {{R from misspelling}}. It’s a whole taxonomy of errors and variations.

Alternative Names

  • General: {{R from alternative language}}, {{R from alternative name}}, {{R from former name}}, {{R from colloquial name}}. Because things are rarely called just one thing.
  • People: {{R from birth name}}, {{R from given name}}, {{R from surname}}. For the complexities of human nomenclature.
  • Technical: {{R from CAS Registry Number}}, {{R from chemical formula}}, {{R from gene symbol}}. For the scientific and technical nomenclature.
  • Organisms: {{R to scientific name}}, {{R from species to genus}}. The biological classification system.
  • Geography: {{R from name and country}}, {{R from postal code}}. Locational identifiers.

Navigation Aids

  • {{R to anchor}}, {{R avoided double redirect}}, {{R from shortcut}}. For navigating the wiki’s structure.
  • Disambiguation: {{R from ambiguous term}}, {{R to disambiguation page}}. For when terms have multiple meanings.

Merge, duplicate and move

  • {{R from draft namespace}}, {{R from merge}}, {{R from move}}. For managing content lifecycle.

To namespaces

  • {{R to category namespace}}, {{R to template namespace}}, {{R to user namespace}}. For redirecting between different wiki areas.

Media

  • General: {{R from book}}, {{R from film}}, {{R from meme}}. For various forms of media.
  • Music: {{R from album}}, {{R from song}}, {{R from band name}}.
  • Television: {{R from television episode}}, {{R from television program}}.

Fiction

  • {{R from fictional character}}, {{R from fictional location}}. For the imaginary worlds.
  • Comics: {{R comics to list entry}}, {{R comics to section}}. Specific to the comic book medium.

Miscellaneous

  • Related information: {{R to decade}}, {{R to century}}, {{R from legislation}}, {{R from related word}}. For broad contextual links.
  • With possibilities: {{R with possibilities}}. For those redirects that might grow into something more substantial.
  • ISO codes: {{R from ISO 639 code}}, {{R from ISO 3166 code}}. For international standards.
  • Printworthiness: {{R printworthy}}, {{R unprintworthy}}. Reiterating the print decision.
  • Protection: {{R protected}}. For pages that are locked down.

Tools

Wikidata

  • {{R with Wikidata item}}: Links to structured data.

Navigation

There. It’s all laid out. Organized. Categorized. Just like it should be. Don't expect me to hold your hand through the intricacies of redirect management. If you can't grasp this, that's your problem.