Template:Infobox concept

1. Template:Infobox concept

This article explains the concept of Infoboxes within the MediaWiki environment, geared towards beginners. Infoboxes are a powerful tool for standardizing and presenting key information about a topic in a visually appealing and consistent manner. This guide will cover their purpose, creation, usage, customization, and best practices. We will also touch upon some advanced features and potential pitfalls.

What is an Infobox?

An Infobox is a standardized, often right-aligned box appearing within an article that summarizes vital information about the article's subject. Think of it as a quick-reference guide. They are crucial for maintaining consistency across articles, especially within a large wiki like Wikipedia or a specialized knowledge base. For example, an article about a country might have an Infobox displaying its capital, population, area, official language, and government type. An article about a stock might contain an Infobox with its ticker symbol, current price, 52-week high/low, and market capitalization. Infoboxes enhance readability and allow readers to quickly grasp the core facts.

They are implemented using Templates, which are reusable blocks of wiki markup. This reusability is key to their power. Instead of copying and pasting the same information framework into multiple articles, a single template is created, and then *transcluded* (included) into each relevant page. Changes to the template are immediately reflected in all articles that use it. This makes maintenance significantly easier.

Think of a template as a form. The template defines the fields (e.g., "Capital," "Population"), and when you use the template on an article, you fill in the form with the specific data for that article.

Why use Infoboxes?

Several benefits drive the use of Infoboxes:

• **Consistency:** They ensure a uniform presentation of data across multiple articles. This is crucial for readability and ease of comparison.
• **Readability:** They present key information in a concise and visually distinct format. The structured approach helps readers quickly find the information they need.
• **Maintainability:** Changes to the Infobox structure only need to be made in one place – the template itself. This avoids the need to update numerous articles individually. Consider a change in required fields; a template update instantly propagates that change.
• **Data Extraction:** The standardized format facilitates data extraction for reporting and analysis. Tools can be used to automatically gather information from Infoboxes across the wiki. This is important for Data Mining.
• **Visual Appeal:** Infoboxes break up large blocks of text and make articles more visually engaging. This can improve user experience and encourage readers to stay on the page longer.
• **Navigation:** They often include links to related articles, enhancing the wiki's internal linking structure. This is vital for Intermarket Analysis.

Creating an Infobox Template

Creating an Infobox involves defining a template with specific parameters. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. **Template Namespace:** All Infobox templates reside in the "Template:" namespace. This means the template page’s title will begin with "Template:". For example, `Template:CountryInfobox`. 2. **Template Structure:** The template itself is written in wiki markup. It typically uses a table structure to create the box-like appearance. 3. **Parameters:** Parameters are placeholders for the actual data that will be inserted into the Infobox when it's used on an article. They are defined using the `{{{parameter_name}}}` syntax. 4. **Default Values:** You can provide default values for parameters using the `|default=value` syntax within the parameter definition. This ensures that the Infobox still displays something even if a particular parameter isn't filled in. 5. **Conditional Statements:** You can use parser functions like `#if:` to display different content based on the value of a parameter. This allows for greater flexibility and customization.

Here's a very basic example of an Infobox template (Template:SimpleInfobox):

```wiki

{{{title}}}
Scope:	Unknown
Created:	Not specified
Notes:

```

In this example:

• `{{{title}}}` is a required parameter for the title of the Infobox.
• `{{{scope}}}` is a parameter with a default value of "Unknown".
• `{{{created}}}` is a parameter with a default value of "Not specified".
• `{{{notes}}}` is a parameter with no default value.

Using an Infobox in an Article

Once the template is created, it can be used in an article by transcluding it using the `Template:Template name` syntax. You must provide values for all required parameters.

For example, to use the `Template:SimpleInfobox` in an article, you would add the following code:

```wiki Template:SimpleInfobox ```

This would render an Infobox with the title "My Great Article," scope "Project Scope", created date "2023-10-27", and the notes "This is a test infobox."

Customizing Infoboxes

Infoboxes can be customized in several ways:

• **CSS Styling:** The appearance of Infoboxes can be controlled using CSS styles. The `class="infobox"` attribute in the template allows you to apply styles defined in the wiki's common CSS files. You can also add custom CSS classes to the template to create unique styles. Consider using CSS for controlling Trend Following visual indicators.
• **Parameters:** Adding, removing, or modifying parameters allows you to tailor the Infobox to the specific needs of the subject matter.
• **Parser Functions:** Parser functions like `#switch:` and `#ifexist:` can be used to create more complex and dynamic Infoboxes.
• **Modules (Lua):** For very complex Infoboxes, you can use Lua modules to handle the logic and formatting. This is an advanced technique but offers greater flexibility and performance. Lua allows for complex calculations related to Technical Indicators.
• **Categories:** Infoboxes can automatically categorize articles using the `` syntax within the template.

Advanced Techniques

• **TemplateData:** TemplateData is a JSON-based format that describes the parameters of a template. It allows the wiki's editing interface to provide helpful guidance to users when they are filling in the Infobox parameters. This greatly improves usability.
• **Modules (Lua):** Integrating Lua modules allows for complex calculations, data validation, and dynamic content generation within the Infobox. For example, you could use Lua to calculate the Body Mass Index (BMI) based on height and weight parameters.
• **Subtemplates:** Breaking down a complex Infobox into smaller, reusable subtemplates can improve maintainability and readability.
• **Hidden Parameters:** You can create hidden parameters that are used internally by the template but are not displayed to the user. These can be useful for storing metadata or performing calculations.
• **Error Handling:** Implement error handling to gracefully handle missing or invalid parameters. This can prevent the Infobox from breaking or displaying incorrect information. Consider using error messages to guide users.
• **Using `#property`:** The `#property` parser function can be used to access properties of linked pages, such as their population or area. This can automate the population of Infobox parameters.

Best Practices

• **Consistency:** Follow established naming conventions and formatting guidelines.
• **Documentation:** Clearly document the template's parameters and usage. Provide examples.
• **Simplicity:** Keep the template as simple as possible while still meeting its requirements. Avoid unnecessary complexity.
• **Accessibility:** Ensure that the Infobox is accessible to users with disabilities. Use appropriate HTML tags and ARIA attributes.
• **Testing:** Thoroughly test the template before deploying it to a live wiki. Test with different parameter values and edge cases.
• **Maintainability:** Write the template in a way that is easy to maintain and update. Use comments and clear variable names. Consider the implications of changes on existing articles.
• **Avoid Redundancy:** Don't duplicate information that is already present in the article's body. The Infobox should summarize key information, not repeat it verbatim.
• **Consider Elliott Wave Theory when organizing parameters:** Think of the Infobox as having distinct "waves" of information, prioritizing the most important data first.
• **Use a consistent Fibonacci retracement approach to parameter ordering:** Arrange parameters in a logical sequence that reflects their relative importance and dependencies.
• **Monitor Bollinger Bands for template usage:** Track how frequently the template is used and identify potential issues or areas for improvement.
• **Analyze Relative Strength Index for content trends:** Identify which parameters are most frequently used and adjust the template accordingly.
• **Follow Moving Average Convergence Divergence for template updates:** Implement changes gradually and monitor their impact on article quality.
• **Reflect Ichimoku Cloud principles in template structure:** Create a comprehensive and interconnected framework that provides a holistic view of the subject matter.
• **Apply Japanese Candlestick Patterns for data visualization:** Use visual cues and formatting to highlight key information and patterns.
• **Consider Volume Spread Analysis for parameter relevance:** Prioritize parameters that have the greatest impact on understanding the subject matter.
• **Utilize Harmonic Patterns for template design:** Create a visually appealing and balanced structure that enhances readability.
• **Implement Gann Angles for parameter alignment:** Align parameters in a way that reflects their relationships and dependencies.
• **Monitor Market Profile for data distribution:** Analyze how data is distributed across the Infobox and adjust parameters accordingly.
• **Apply Wyckoff Accumulation/Distribution principles for information flow:** Organize parameters in a way that reflects the natural flow of information.
• **Use Point and Figure Charts for concise data representation:** Simplify complex data and present it in a clear and concise manner.
• **Analyze Renko Charts for trend identification:** Highlight key trends and patterns in the data.
• **Implement Kagi Charts for volatility assessment:** Assess the volatility of the data and adjust the Infobox accordingly.
• **Utilize Heikin Ashi Charts for smoothing data:** Smooth out noisy data and present a clearer picture.
• **Apply MACD Histogram for momentum analysis:** Analyze the momentum of the data and highlight key changes.
• **Monitor Stochastic Oscillator for overbought/oversold conditions:** Identify potential overbought or oversold conditions and adjust the Infobox accordingly.

Potential Pitfalls

• **Overcomplexity:** Creating a template that is too complex can make it difficult to maintain and use.
• **Parameter Conflicts:** Using the same parameter name in multiple templates can cause conflicts.
• **Circular Dependencies:** Creating templates that depend on each other in a circular fashion can lead to errors.
• **Performance Issues:** Using too many complex parser functions or Lua modules can slow down page rendering.
• **Accessibility Issues:** Failing to consider accessibility can make the Infobox unusable for some users.
• **Lack of Documentation:** Poorly documented templates are difficult to use and maintain.

Help:Templates Help:Categories Help:Editing Help:Wiki Markup Template:Documentation MediaWiki Parser Functions Lua (programming language) CSS Help:Table

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