Template:Tmbox/doc

This is the {{tmbox}} or talk page message box meta-template.

It is used to build message box templates for talk pages.

This template works similarly to {{ambox}} and uses the same parameters.

The styles of talk page message boxes and the usage of this template are currently being standardised and discussed on the talk page of this template. Thus don't use this meta-template for real message boxes yet, but feel free to use it for testing. (The discussions that led to the creation of this template is available at the talk page of imbox.)

A number of alternative suggestions for the styles of this template (and thus for all talk page message boxes) are now shown at Template:Tmbox/styles with a special talk page to discuss the different designs.

These are the colours and styles that this meta-template currently produces. When this template is used to build actual message boxes they should contain the same (long) texts as before, with links to explanations and they can use more specific images than the default images shown here.

Note that the vast majority of talk page message boxes are expected to use the "notice" type and thus will look the same as they did before.

type=speedy – Speedy deletion templates.

type=delete – Deletion templates.

type=content – Major warnings and problems.

type=style – Minor warnings and problems.

type=notice – Notices and messages of any kind, both permanent and temporary.

type=move – Merge, split, rename and transwiki messages and proposals.

type=protection – Protection templates.

A number of alternative suggestions for these styles are now shown at Template:Tmbox/styles with a special talk page to discuss the different designs. Discussion about this meta-template is also ongoing at its talk page.

Simple usage example:

{{tmbox | text = Some text.}}

Some text.

Complex example:

{{tmbox
| type      = style
| image     = [[Image:Emblem-question-yellow.svg|40px]]
| style     = width: 400px; 
| textstyle = color: red; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;
| text      = The message body text.
}}

The message body text.

List of all parameters:

{{tmbox
| type  = speedy / delete / content / style / notice / move / protection
| image = none / [[Image:Some image.svg|40px]]
| imageright = [[Image:Some image.svg|40px]]
| style = CSS value
| textstyle = CSS value
| text  = The message body text. 
}}

type

If no type parameter is given the template defaults to type notice. That means it gets a gray border.

image

No parameter = If no image parameter is given the template uses a default image. Which default image it uses depends on the type parameter.

An image = Should be an image with usual wiki notation. 40px - 50px width are usually about right depending on the image height to width ratio. (But the message box can handle images of any size.) For example:

image = [[Image:Crystal package settings.png|40px]]

none = Means that no image is used.

imageright

No parameter = If no imageright parameter is given then no image is shown on the right side.

An image = Should be an image with usual wiki notation. 40px - 50px width are usually about right depending on the image height to width ratio. (But the message box can handle images of any size.) For example:

imageright = [[Image:Nuvola apps bookcase.png|40px]]

Anything = Any other object that you want to show on the right side.

style

An optional CSS value used by the entire message box table. Without quotation marks " ". For example:

style = margin-bottom: 0.5em;

textstyle

An optional CSS value used by the text cell. For example:

textstyle = text-align: center;

text

The message body text.

This template currently uses hard coded styles. Later it will use CSS classes enabling it to be skinned.

If you need to use special characters in the text parameter then you need to escape them like this:

{{tmbox
| text  = <div>
Equal sign = and a start and end brace { } work fine as they are. 
But here is a pipe {{!}} and two end braces <nowiki>}}</nowiki>. 
And now a pipe and end braces <nowiki>|}}</nowiki>.
</div>
}}

Equal sign = and a start and end brace { } work fine as they are. But here is a pipe | and two end braces }}. And now a pipe and end braces |}}.

Internally this meta-template uses HTML markup instead of wiki markup for the table code. That is the usual way we make meta-templates since wiki markup has several drawbacks. For instance it makes it harder to use parser functions and special characters in parameters.

For more technical details see the talk page. Since this template works almost exactly like {{ambox}}, {{imbox}}, {{cmbox}} and {{ombox}} their talk pages and related pages might also contain more details.

There are several meta-templates in the mbox family:

• {{ambox}} – For article message boxes.
• {{tmbox}} – For talk page message boxes.
• {{imbox}} – For image page message boxes.
• {{cmbox}} – For category message boxes.
• {{ombox}} – For other pages message boxes.
• {{mbox}} – Has namespace detection, for message boxes that are used on several types of pages and thus need to change style depending on what page they are used on.

Other pages:

• Wikipedia:Talk page templates – The guideline specifying the styles for talk page message boxes.