Namespaces

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  1. Namespaces in MediaWiki

Introduction

MediaWiki, the software powering Wikipedia and countless other wikis, utilizes a powerful organizational system called *namespaces*. Understanding namespaces is fundamental to effectively navigating, contributing to, and managing a wiki. They provide a method for categorizing content, preventing naming conflicts, and structuring a wiki's information architecture. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of namespaces, covering their purpose, types, how they work, and how to use them. This is geared towards beginners, so we will avoid overly technical jargon where possible. If you are already familiar with basic wiki editing, this will serve as a solid reference.

What are Namespaces?

Imagine a large library. Books aren't just randomly shelved; they are organized into sections like "Fiction," "History," "Science," and "Reference." Namespaces in MediaWiki function similarly. They are essentially containers that categorize pages and provide a logical grouping for different types of content. They prevent pages with the same name from colliding – for instance, you can have a page titled "Help" about general wiki usage *and* a page titled "Help" providing assistance on a specific Template.

Without namespaces, every page title would need to be unique across the entire wiki. This would quickly become unwieldy and make organization extremely difficult. Namespaces allow you to have multiple pages with the same title, each residing in a distinct category. Think of it as adding a prefix to the page title to differentiate it.

Types of Namespaces

MediaWiki comes with a set of predefined namespaces, and administrators can create custom ones to suit the specific needs of their wiki. Here's a breakdown of the standard namespaces:

  • **Main:** (Namespace number: 0) This is the primary content space of the wiki – where articles and main informational pages reside. Most of the content users encounter will be in the Main namespace. This is where you'll find articles on Technical Analysis or Trading Strategies.
  • **Talk:** (Namespace number: 1) Associated with every page in every other namespace. Talk pages are used for discussions about the content of the corresponding page. For example, the talk page for "Help:Contents" is "Talk:Help:Contents." These are crucial for collaborative editing and resolving disputes.
  • **User:** (Namespace number: 2) Contains pages related to individual users, such as user profiles, preferences, and user talk pages. Each user has a dedicated page within this namespace (e.g., "User:ExampleUser").
  • **User Talk:** (Namespace number: 3) Used for leaving messages on user talk pages. This is how users communicate with each other.
  • **Project:** (Namespace number: 4) Used for pages related to the wiki's administration and policies, such as guidelines, FAQs, and project-level discussions.
  • **Project Talk:** (Namespace number: 5) Talk page for pages in the Project namespace.
  • **File:** (Namespace number: 6) Stores uploaded files, such as images and documents. All files must be uploaded into this namespace (e.g., "File:ExampleImage.jpg").
  • **File Talk:** (Namespace number: 7) Talk page for files in the File namespace.
  • **MediaWiki:** (Namespace number: 8) Contains pages related to the MediaWiki software itself, typically used by administrators and developers.
  • **MediaWiki Talk:** (Namespace number: 9) Talk page for pages in the MediaWiki namespace.
  • **Template:** (Namespace number: 10) Stores reusable templates that can be included on multiple pages. Templates are powerful tools for streamlining content creation and maintaining consistency. Consider a template for displaying Candlestick Patterns.
  • **Template Talk:** (Namespace number: 11) Talk page for templates in the Template namespace.
  • **Help:** (Namespace number: 12) Contains help pages, documentation, and guides for using the wiki. This is where you'd find articles like this one!
  • **Help Talk:** (Namespace number: 13) Talk page for help pages.

Administrators can create additional custom namespaces (numbered 14 onwards) to further organize content based on the wiki’s specific requirements. For example, a wiki dedicated to Forex Trading might create a "Strategy" namespace to house detailed trading strategies.

How to Specify a Namespace

There are several ways to specify a namespace when creating or linking to a page:

  • **Using the Namespace Prefix:** The simplest method is to include the namespace prefix followed by a colon (:) in the page title. For example:
   *   `Help:Contents` refers to the "Contents" page in the Help namespace.
   *   `File:ExampleImage.jpg` refers to the image file "ExampleImage.jpg" in the File namespace.
   *   `User:ExampleUser` refers to the user page of "ExampleUser" in the User namespace.
  • **Using the `namespace` Parameter in Links:** You can explicitly specify the namespace number using the `namespace` parameter in a wiki link. This is less common but can be useful in certain situations, particularly within templates or scripts. For example:
   *   `[[{{{1}}}:ExamplePage|Link Text]]` where `{{{1}}}` would be a variable representing the namespace number.
  • **Using the `fullpagename` Function:** This MediaWiki function allows you to construct a full page name, including the namespace. This is often used in more complex template logic.

Practical Examples and Use Cases

Let's look at some practical examples of how namespaces are used:

  • **Article and Discussion:** An article about Moving Averages resides in the Main namespace (e.g., "Moving Averages"). The corresponding discussion about the article takes place on the Talk page (e.g., "Talk:Moving Averages").
  • **User Pages:** A user named "TraderX" has a user page at "User:TraderX" where they can share information about themselves. Other users can leave messages on TraderX's talk page at "User Talk:TraderX".
  • **Templates:** A template for displaying a table of Bollinger Bands parameters is stored in the Template namespace (e.g., "Template:BollingerBandsTable"). This template can then be included on multiple pages related to Bollinger Bands.
  • **File Management:** An image illustrating a Head and Shoulders Pattern is uploaded to the File namespace (e.g., "File:HeadAndShoulders.png").

Navigating Namespaces

  • **Using the Sidebar:** Most wikis have a sidebar that provides links to key namespaces, such as Main Page, Help, Community Portal, and Recent Changes.
  • **Using the Search Function:** When searching, you can specify a namespace to limit the search results.
  • **Using the Page History:** The page history will show the namespace of the page being viewed.
  • **Prefix Search:** You can use a prefix search to find pages within a specific namespace. For example, searching for "File:Example" will find all files starting with "Example".

Custom Namespaces

Wiki administrators have the ability to create custom namespaces to better organize the wiki's content. This is particularly useful for wikis with a very specific focus. For instance:

  • **A Wiki about Stock Trading:** Might create namespaces like "Strategy", "Indicator", "Stock", and "News".
  • **A Wiki about a Video Game:** Might create namespaces like "Character", "Item", "Location", and "Quest".

The creation of custom namespaces is typically done through the MediaWiki configuration file (LocalSettings.php) and requires administrative privileges. The administrator defines the namespace name and the corresponding namespace number.

The Importance of Talk Pages

Talk pages are a critical component of wiki collaboration. They provide a space for:

  • **Discussing Content:** Debating the accuracy, neutrality, and completeness of articles.
  • **Proposing Changes:** Suggesting edits and improvements to pages.
  • **Resolving Disputes:** Working through disagreements and finding consensus.
  • **Seeking Feedback:** Asking for input on proposed changes or new content.

Always check the talk page of a page before making significant edits. It's good practice to leave a message on the talk page explaining your changes, especially if they are substantial. Understanding the principles of Risk Management and applying them to editing is also beneficial.

Avoiding Naming Conflicts

Namespaces are essential for preventing naming conflicts. Without them, it would be impossible to have multiple pages with the same title. For example, if you wanted to create a page about a specific trading strategy called "Breakout Strategy", you might also want to create a talk page for that strategy. Without namespaces, both pages would need unique titles. With namespaces, you can have:

  • "Main:Breakout Strategy" (the article about the strategy)
  • "Talk:Breakout Strategy" (the discussion page for the strategy)

This clear separation prevents confusion and ensures that each page has a distinct purpose. This also applies to linking pages - always ensure you are linking to the correct namespace. Proper understanding of Chart Patterns can help you avoid making incorrect assumptions about content.

Advanced Namespace Considerations

  • **Subpages:** Namespaces can have subpages. For example, "Help:Contents/Introduction" is a subpage of "Help:Contents". Subpages are useful for organizing large amounts of information within a single namespace.
  • **Interwiki Links:** Namespaces do not directly affect interwiki links (links to other wikis). However, the target wiki might have its own namespace structure.
  • **Categories:** Categories are used to group pages across namespaces. A page in the Main namespace can be categorized alongside pages in other namespaces. For example, a page about Fibonacci Retracements might be categorized under "Technical Indicators" regardless of its namespace.
  • **Permissions:** Administrators can set different permissions for different namespaces. For example, they might restrict editing access to the MediaWiki namespace to prevent unauthorized changes to the wiki's core configuration.
  • **Magic Words:** MediaWiki provides "magic words" that can be used to dynamically display information about the current page, including its namespace. For example, `` will display the name of the current namespace. Understanding Market Sentiment is as important as understanding the technical aspects of namespaces.

Troubleshooting Namespace Issues

  • **Incorrect Links:** If a link doesn't work as expected, double-check that you've specified the correct namespace.
  • **Page Not Found:** If you're trying to access a page and get a "Page not found" error, make sure you're using the correct namespace prefix.
  • **Conflicting Titles:** If you're trying to create a page with a title that already exists, check if the title is already in use in another namespace.
  • **Template Issues:** If a template isn't displaying correctly, ensure that it's using the correct namespaces for any included pages. Consider the impact of Economic Indicators when reviewing templates.

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