Rules for Categories
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Contents
Introduction
Categories, a software feature of MediaWiki, provide automatic indexes that are useful as tables of contents.
The “Category” namespace contains categories, dynamic lists of other pages. To facilitate this, linking directly to a category page does not output an inline link, but instead includes the page into the associated category page. So the code [[Category:Foo]] causes a category link to appear at the bottom of the page (at the bottom in the box marked “Categories”). Clicking on that link takes you to the category page, where this page is visible in the category list.
To create an inline link to a category page, you need to add a colon to the front of the namespace: [[:Category:Foo]] produces Category:Foo.
Usage
Each of the pages in the Category namespace represents a so-called category, a grouping of related pages, and contains an index for the pages of its category. When a page belongs to one or more categories, these categories appear at the bottom of the page.
The category pages themselves contain 2 parts:
- at their beginning, an optional part may contain text that can be edited, like any other page,
- at their end, an ever present, automatically generated, alphabetical list of all pages in that category, in the form of links. In fact, in the Unicode sort order.
Managing the category hierarchy
Categories may belong to other categories in a hierarchy. Since category pages are much like any other page, a Category tag may be added to the bottom of a category page.
It is a good idea to organize all categories into a hierarchy with a single top level category. The category structure can take the form of a tree with separate branches, but more often will have a graph structure. Generally, there should be a contiguous chain of parent-child links between each category and the top level category.
Rule for this Wiki
We know, that the following rules are not full applied yet. But we work on it.
Some category names refer to Erics naming for Software Station and Update Station. These again seems to be related to railroad stations. So we follow this thread.
- The top level category is connected to the Main Page and is named
Category:Main Station - The second and the third level should be named Central Station Foo. Central stations lead to other central stations, with other words: Central stations are pages with list of further lists.
- The next level of category is chosen as Category:Station. A station contents lists of applications, like a "passenger list". We use the Category:Station only in connection with application lists. In relation to other tasks we may choose more task related names.
- If you like to describe a special application, than this category should named after its function, special tasks, like: Category:Game, Category:Office Category:Foo and so on.
- All categories should be connected in this way.
- All pages, templates, images, categories should be marked with category names. The images and icons should be categorized after its source, were a picture comes from.
- The editing area of all categories should describe the function or task of this category and has to be categorized as well.
- With this we get a category hierarchy. No page, no application, no tip and trick get lost and we get a simple way to find information we and all users are interested in.
- Please: Don't forget to categorize a page. And if you have chosen a category make a note about this category and categorize it as well.
- It is a good Idea to name a category page not according its own title but according the page that links to it. If you create a new page with [[New Page]] on a page Foo, than should the category on the New Page be: [[Category:Foo]]. If you goes later to the Category:Foo, you can see which pages are connected to Foo.
More Examples:
- The package caribou is listed on the page Accessibility. Therefore it belongs to the Category:Accessibility. The Category:Accessibility do not exist yet, but it could be in the future, if someone starts to work on its applications.
- The Category:Accessibility belongs to the Category:Station
- The Category:Station belongs to the Category:Central Station Application
- The Category:Central Station Application belongs to the Category:Main Station
Addition If someone finds a category that is not in the right order, please help to get it right. We are people with "bugs";-)
Further Information
You will find some help on the Wikimedia page Help:Categories
