View source for Template:Talkback/doc

{{Documentation subpage}}
<includeonly>{{Intricate}}</includeonly>
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{{high-use|61,000+}}
{{Friendly standard installation}}
{{shortcut|WP:TBACK}}
{{notice|For registered users, this template is obsolete as it has been superseded by [[Wikipedia:Notifications]] and [[Template:Reply to]].}}

==Purpose==

In simplest terms, talkback allows a user (''user1'') to direct the attention of another user (''user2'') to a discussion on a specific talk page.

One benefit of this tool is to maintain the flow of a discussion on a single user's talk page, rather than having to switch back and forth between talk pages in order to make sense of the conversation. 

Two examples of the use of this template are:  

* If you receive a message from a user, you can notify the user that you have responded to his/her message on your own talk page.
* If you create a topic on your talk page, you can notify a user that the discussion might need his/her attention. 

==Usage==

In this discussion, it is assumed that you (the sender) are ''user1'' and that ''user2'' is the recipient.

===First message===
Place this template under a new section at the bottom of ''user2'''s talk page.<ref>Originally, this template was meant to be placed on top of ''user2''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s talk page.</ref> To use this template to direct the attention of another Wikipedian to your talk page:

#Go to the recipient's talk page. User talk pages start with "User talk:" prefix.
#On the top of the page, click on "New Section" button/link. It should look like this:<br/>[[File:New section small.png|border]]
#In the "Subject/headline" box, type "Re: " and the subject of the original discussion.
#In the message section, enter one of the following (remember, you are ''user1''):
#*Simple form: This is the simplest way to use this template:<blockquote>{{tlx|{{BASEPAGENAME}}|''user1''}}</blockquote>.
#*More accurate form: This form has an additional parameter but takes the reader right to the section in which the discussion is in progress:<blockquote>{{tlx|{{BASEPAGENAME}}|''user1''|''section''}}</blockquote>
#*Recommended form: This form is complete and recommended. It adds a timestamp:<blockquote>{{tlx|1={{BASEPAGENAME}}|2=''user1''|3=''section''|4=ts = <nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki>}}</blockquote>Instead of five tildes (<nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki>), you can enter any date and time.
#Save the page.

Wikipedia will notify ''user2'' of having a new message in his/her talk page. When (s)he visits his/her talk page, (s)he should see your notice and (hopefully) follow the link to your user talk page.

====Example====
For example, this code:
<blockquote>
<pre>
== Re: Testing on Wikipedia==
{{Talkback|Sandbox|Testing on Wikipedia|ts = ~~~~~}}
</pre>
</blockquote>

Generates:
<blockquote class="toccolours">
{{Fake heading|Re: Testing on Wikipedia}}
{{Talkback|Sandbox|Testing on Wikipedia|ts = 12:49, 13 April 2012 (UTC)}}
</blockquote>
'''''NOTE:''''' This example says "Hello, Talkback" only because ''this page'' is for Talkback. In real use it would have the name of the recipient: "Hello, ''user2''".

====Shortcut====
Instead of manually typing out the username parameter, you may use {{tlxs|Mytalk}}, which automatically inserts your username.

===Second message===
So, what if you had another reply for the same user in the same topic? In case you think that the recipient has not visited your user talk page since you inserted the {{tld|{{BASEPAGENAME}}}} notice, simply do nothing. On the other hand, if the discussion continued and you think the recipient must once again read what you have posted, you can simply do one of the following:
#Do nothing. Most of the time, Wikipedians keep their correspondents' user talk pages in their watchlists and will see when another reply is posted.
#Update the <tt>ts</tt> parameter. Simply edit the recipient's user talk page and replace the time and date in the <tt>ts</tt> parameter with a new time and date (or with <nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki>). This will notify the user.
#Add another {{tld|{{BASEPAGENAME}}}} in the same section under the first one. However, the recipient user might find this obtrusive.

===Pointing to other talk pages ===
To have the links point to a '''non'''-user talk page, you must include the full talk page link.

*{{tld|1={{BASEPAGENAME}}|2=Talk:<Page name>|3=[Section title]|4=ts=<nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki>}}
*{{tld|1={{BASEPAGENAME}}|2=Category talk:<Page name>|3=[Section title]|4=ts=<nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki>}}
*{{tld|1={{BASEPAGENAME}}|2=File talk:<Page name>|3=[Section title]|4=ts=<nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki>}}
*{{tld|1={{BASEPAGENAME}}|2=Template talk:<Page name>|3=[Section title]|4=ts=<nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki>}}
*{{tld|1={{BASEPAGENAME}}|2=Wikipedia talk:<Page name>|3=[Section title]|4=ts=<nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki>}}

===Notes===
* Do not [[Wikipedia:Template substitution|substitute]] this template!
* Do not insert this template in a section header; use it on a line by itself

==Redirects==
*{{tlx|Tb}}

==Announcing your conversation policy==
If you are going to use this template, please consider putting {{tlx|Usertalkback}} on the top of your own talk page. It generates:
{{Usertalkback}}

You may also use {{tlx|1=Usertalkback|2=you=watched}}, which tells your visitors not to use {{tld|{{BASEPAGENAME}}}}. It generates:
{{Usertalkback|you=watched}}

'''''NOTE:''''' These examples say "<nowiki>{{Talkback|Talkback}}</nowiki>" only because ''this page'' is for Talkback. In real use they would show your own username: "<nowiki>{{Talkback|</nowiki>''user1''<nowiki>}}</nowiki>". Where the first example says "<nowiki>{{Talkback|</nowiki><u>''your username''</u><nowiki>}}</nowiki>", it would appear just like that: The "you" there is addressed to the person reading the notice that the <code><tt>Usertalkback</tt></code> template will put at the top of your User Talk page.


You might, however, like to make a custom message using {{tl|mbox}} or {{tl|notice}}.

<templatedata>
{
  "description": "A template for notifying users that they have messages waiting on other pages",
  "params": {
    "1": {
      "label": "User name",
      "description": "The username of the recipient.",
      "required": true,
      "type": "string"
    },
    "2": {
      "label": "Status",
      "description": "The linked page or page section",
      "required": false,
      "type": "string"
    }
  }
}
</templatedata>
==See also==
{{Talkback see also}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

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[[Category:User namespace templates]]


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