Template:Annotated link

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Usage

Typically to be used in lists to provide an annotated link using the short description for the linked page. For example: in See also sections "editors should provide a brief annotation when a link's relevance is not immediately apparent, when the meaning of the term may not be generally known, or when the term is ambiguous".

By default, the short description of the linked page will be derived from the {{short description}} template responsible for setting the short description for that page. If a template is not transcluded in the page, the description will be blank. This behavior can be manipulated and other formatting options allow for the presentation of useful annotations even without a short description, which may still become available and therefore displayed at a later date.

Information in article titles should generally not be repeated in the short description. Therefore, the display text of annotated links should usually retain any parenthetical disambiguation.

Limitations

Some pages are assigned short descriptions by automatic methods; templates that generate short descriptions include infoboxes that use the data provided to its parameters to create a suitable short description, which may overrule other short descriptions that exist for or on the page. The module responsible for fetching the description is currently not able to detect or determine this type of dynamically created short description.

This template should not be used for annotating links on disambiguation pages. The relevant discussion is at Wikipedia talk:Disambiguation/Archive 50 § Use of annotated links and concludes:

• They contain formatting that is not in line with the long-established formatting for disambiguation entries at MOS:DAB.
• The text of the descriptions is frequently not optimal for disambiguation pages, as it may be neither distinguishing nor succinct.
• They would remove control of the text from the disambiguation page itself, and allow disambiguation pages to be modified without appearing in the edit history of the page itself, or in notifications relating to the page. (This reason is not fixable, and is sufficient reason not to use the template or any modification thereof.)

Basic

The most basic usage is:

Markup: {{Annotated link|Wikipedia}}

Result: Wikipedia – Free online crowdsourced encyclopedia

The text shown for the link may be piped if desired or required (such as for adding italics to the names of works):

Markup: {{Annotated link|Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines|Policies and guidelines}}

Result: Policies and guidelines

Markup: {{Annotated link|Mona Lisa|''Mona Lisa''}}

Result: Mona Lisa – Painting by Leonardo da Vinci

Foreign language formatting options are available for the link text; see below.

If the list format is unsuitable for dash separation of the link from the description, it may be replaced with something suitable:

Markup: {{Annotated link|Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines|Policies and guidelines|,}}

Result: Policies and guidelines

The examples above use unnamed parameters 1–3. The parameters can also be named or explicitly numbered:

Markup: {{Annotated link|name=Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines|display=Policies and guidelines|dash=,}}

Markup: {{Annotated link|1=Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines|2=Policies and guidelines|3=,}}

There are many possible configurations beyond this; as described below, and most parameters have aliases.

Extended

There are many available parameters, broken down into the following sections:

Template links

Links to templates will be automatically formatted as would be expected by {{template link}}:

Markup: {{Annotated link|Template:Annotated link}}

Result:

Formatting as would be expected by {{template link expanded}} may be applied by adding |template_link=code:

Markup: {{ Annotated link | Template:Annotated link | template_link=code }}

Result:

If this formatting is determined to be inappropriate for the circumstance; use |template_link=no to disable it:

Markup: {{ Annotated link | Template:Annotated link | template_link=no }}

Result:

If the template link formatting is disabled; use the second parameter, |2= or |display= to affect the text display:

Markup: {{ Annotated link | Template:Annotated link | Annotated link | template_link=no }}

Result:

Quoting link titles

Some titles of works, such as song titles, should be double quoted; this formatting may be applied using |quote=yes:

Markup: {{ Annotated link | The Partisan | quote=yes }}

Result: "The Partisan" – 1943 song by Anna Marly and Emmanuel d'Astier, popularised by Leonard Cohen in 1969

Additional abbreviation

A parenthesized abbreviation may be added following the link using |abbr= if desired:

Markup: {{ Annotated link | London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art | abbr=LAMDA }}

Result: London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) – Drama school in Hammersmith, London

A title for the abbreviation may be provided with |abbr_title= if suitable:

Markup: {{ Annotated link | London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art | abbr=LAMDA | abbr_title=London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art }}

Result: London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) – Drama school in Hammersmith, London

Additional alternative name

An alternative name for the linked entity may be added following the link (and abbreviation if also added) using |aka= if desired; the alternative name will be prepended with ", also known as":

Markup: {{ Annotated link | Royal National Theatre | aka=the National Theatre of Great Britain }}

Result: Royal National Theatre, also known as the National Theatre of Great Britain – Theatre in London, England

Foreign language formatting options are available for this parameter; see below.

Additional information

Even more information may be wedged in between the previously stated information and that of the potentially following description; use |wedge= to add it is desired:

Markup: {{ Annotated link | Grape | wedge=can be used to make wine }}

Result: Grape, can be used to make wine – Fruit growing on woody vines in clusters

Foreign language formatting options are available for this parameter; see below.

Foreign language text

Foreign language text should be formatted in accordance with MOS:OTHERLANG; this template provides all the necessary options to control the formatting. The module invoked by this template, uses Module:Lang (the module powering {{lang}}) to do the formatting, and all the options are fully described on their documentation pages.

If the link text is of a foreign language (editor discretion determines if this is appropriate); control the formatting with: |link_lang=<language code>, |link_lang_italic=, |link_lang_nocat=, |link_lang_size=, |link_lang_cat= and |link_lang_rtl=

If the |aka= text is of a foreign language (again; editor discretion); control the formatting with: |aka_lang=<language code>, |aka_lang_italic=, |aka_lang_nocat=, |aka_lang_size=, |aka_lang_cat=, |aka_lang_rtl=

If the |wedge= text is of a foreign language (again; editor discretion); control the formatting with: |wedge_lang=<language code>, |wedge_lang_italic=, |wedge_lang_nocat=, |wedge_lang_size=, |wedge_lang_cat=, |wedge_lang_rtl=

This template invokes Module:Annotated link, which in turn uses Module:GetShortDescription to (as the name suggests) get the short description.

Controlling the fallback for a short description

Further information: Module:GetShortDescription/doc

If a |fallback= value is provided, and no description is found by the expressed route, the appended description will be the stated fallback value.

Markup: {{ Annotated link | Example | only=explicit | fallback=a fallback description }}

Result: Example – a fallback description

Controlling the case of the first character of a short description

Short descriptions on the English Wikipedia should be formatted with an uppercase first letter. By default, the short descriptions retrieved by this template are displayed as they are typed in the page from which they are extracted, but this may be overridden if required using |desc_first_letter_case=upper or |desc_first_letter_case=lower.

Parameters

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Annotated link in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for Annotated link

Table of all template parameters, aliases, expected and required values

a link created and annotated using a short description and other optional additions

Template parameters[Edit template data]

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Page name (including namespace)	1 name title	Title of the page to be linked and annotated	Page name	required
Link display text	2 display disp	The text to be displayed in the link Default name	Line	optional
Separator	3 dash comma	Replace the dash with something else Default – Example ,	Line	optional
Template link formatting	template_link template-link tl	Disable special formatting of links to pages in the Template namespace Suggested values no code	Line	optional
Quote links	quote quote_link quote-link ql	Double quotation of the link Suggested values yes	Line	optional
Abbreviation	abbr abbreviation	Abbreviation to be displayed in parentheses after the link	Line	optional
Abbreviation title	abbr_title abbr-title abbreviation_title abbreviation-title at	Provide a title for an abbreviation	Line	optional
Also known as	aka	Alternative names to display after the link (and abbreviation if provided)	Line	optional
Additional information	wedge insert extra	Additional information to display after the link (and abbr and aka if provided)	Line	optional
Description first letter case	desc_first_letter_case desc-first-letter-case desc_case desc-case case	Control to case of the first letter of a short description Suggested values upper lower Default lower	Line	optional
Categorisation of spaceless descriptions	space_cat space-cat	Disable categorisation of pages displaying descriptions containing no space characters Suggested values no	Line	optional
Limit description search	only	Dictate the only source for a short description Suggested values explicit wikidata	Line	optional
Description preference	prefer	Suggest a prefered source for a short description Suggested values explicit wikidata Default explicit	Line	optional
Description fallback	fallback	Provide a fallback description in the event no other is available	Line	optional
Link text foreign language code	link_lang link-lang ll	Provide a language code for foreign language link text Example ja	Line	optional
Link text foreign language italics	link_lang_italic link-lang-italic lli	Control the italic presentation of foreign language link text Suggested values yes no unset invert default	Line	optional
Link text foreign language categorisation	link_lang_nocat link-lang-nocat llnc	Dictate the categorisation of foreign language link text Suggested values yes y true t on 1	Line	optional
Link text foreign language categorisation	link_lang_cat link-lang-cat llc	Dictate the categorisation of foreign language link text Suggested values no n false f off 0	Line	optional
Link text foreign language size	link_lang_size link-lang-size lls	Control the size presentation of foreign language link text Example 1.5em	Line	optional
Link text foreign language rtl	link_lang_rtl link-lang-rtl llr	Control the rtl presentation of foreign language link text Suggested values no yes Default no	Line	optional
Aka text foreign language code	aka_lang aka-lang al	Provide a language code for foreign language aka text Example ja	Line	optional
Aka text foreign language italics	aka_lang_italic aka-lang-italic ali	Control the italic presentation of foreign language aka text Suggested values yes no unset invert default	Line	optional
Aka text foreign language categorisation	aka_lang_nocat aka-lang-nocat alnc	Dictate the categorisation of foreign language aka text Suggested values yes y true t on 1	Line	optional
Aka text foreign language categorisation	aka_lang_cat aka-lang-cat alc	Dictate the categorisation of foreign language aka text Suggested values no n false f off 0	Line	optional
Aka text foreign language size	aka_lang_size aka-lang-size als	Control the size presentation of foreign language aka text Example 1.5em	Line	optional
Aka text foreign language rtl	aka_lang_rtl aka-lang-rtl alr	Control the rtl presentation of foreign language aka text Suggested values no yes Default no	Line	optional
Additional information foreign language code	wedge_lang wedge-lang insert_lang insert-lang extra_lang extra-lang wl	Provide a language code for foreign language wedge text Example ja	Line	optional
Additional information foreign language italics	wedge_lang_italic wedge-lang-italic insert_lang_italic insert-lang-italic extra_lang_italic extra-lang-italic wli	Control the italic presentation of foreign language wedge text Suggested values yes no unset invert default	Line	optional
Additional information foreign language categorisation	wedge_lang_nocat wedge-lang-nocat insert_lang_nocat insert-lang-nocat extra_lang_nocat extra-lang-nocat wlnc	Dictate the categorisation of foreign language wedge text Suggested values yes y true t on 1	Line	optional
Additional information foreign language categorisation	wedge_lang_cat wedge-lang-cat insert_lang_cat insert-lang-cat extra_lang_cat extra-lang-cat wlc	Dictate the categorisation of foreign language wedge text Suggested values no n false f off 0	Line	optional
Additional information foreign language size	wedge_lang_size wedge-lang-size insert_lang_size insert-lang-size extra_lang_size extra-lang-size wls	Control the size presentation of foreign language wedge text Example 1.5em	Line	optional
Additional information foreign language rtl	wedge_lang_rtl wedge-lang-rtl insert_lang_rtl insert-lang-rtl extra_lang_rtl extra-lang-rtl wlr	Control the rtl presentation of foreign language wedge text Suggested values no yes Default no	Line	optional
Foreign language description formatting	desc_lang_no desc-lang-no dlno	Dictate if foreign language description text should be formatted Suggested values yes	Line	optional
Foreign language description italics	desc_lang_italic desc-lang-italic dli	Control the italic presentation of foreign language description text Suggested values yes no unset invert default	Line	optional
Foreign language description categorisation	desc_lang_nocat desc-lang-nocat dlnc	Dictate the categorisation of foreign language description text Suggested values yes y true t on 1	Line	optional
Foreign language description categorisation	desc_lang_cat desc-lang-cat dlc	Dictate the categorisation of foreign language description text Suggested values no n false f off 0	Line	optional
Foreign language description size	desc_lang_size desc-lang-size dls	Control the size presentation of foreign language description text Example 1.5em	Line	optional
Foreign language description rtl	desc_lang_rtl desc-lang-rtl dlr	Control the rtl presentation of foreign language description text Suggested values no yes Default no	Line	optional

Preview warnings and maintenance categories

Module:GetShortDescription may create warnings about detected issues with {{short description}} configurations, that show above the preview content during editing. These warnings are not about the page being edited, but about the pages for which the annotated links are being created. If any preview warnings are shown; please consider visiting the indicated pages to analyse and possibly fix the issues.

It may also show alarming messages (they're red but not necessarily errors) about its function. If it is not clear how to fix the problem indicated; don't continue trying to annotate the link with this template as the messages will be visible to all readers of Wikipedia. If any alarming messages are displayed on saved pages as a result of issues, the page showing those messages will be added to the maintenance Category:Pages displaying alarming messages about Module:GetShortDescription.

Module:Annotated link may also show alarming messages about its function and in much the same way will add pages to Category:Pages displaying alarming messages about Module:Annotated link.

Several other maintenance categories exist for potential issues with the annotations:

• Category:Pages displaying short descriptions with no spaces via Module:Annotated link will be populated by pages where the module has been invoked to provide annotations that include a description with no spaces. If a page in this category is analysed by an interested editor, and it is determined that the description is appropriate for use; add |space_cat=no to the {{annotated link}} to disable the categorisation. If the description is not appropriate; the interested editor can either try to fix it at the source, use |only= to potentially select another description, or remove the use of this template and create a custom annotation for the link manually.
• Category:Pages displaying short descriptions matching their page name via Module:Annotated link will be populated by pages where the module has been invoked to provide annotations contain descriptions that have (case insensitive) equality with the name of the linked page i.e. "Wikipedia article" with a short description of "wikipedia article". Please consider reviewing the instances.

A handy tool for finding category intersections is available.

See also

• {{AnnotatedListOfLinks}} – wraps {{Annotated link}} around multiple links at once
• {{Annotated biography link}} – a version of this template designed for biography lists
• {{laal}} – displays an article's pagelinks alongside its short description
• Wikipedia:Short description – general information about short descriptions
• WP:HOWTOSD – detailed guidance on writing short descriptions

The above documentation is transcluded from Template:Annotated link/doc. (edit | history)
Editors can experiment in this template's sandbox (edit | diff) and testcases (edit) pages.
Add categories to the /doc subpage. Subpages of this template.