Template:Lifespan

(⁠1975–2015⁠)

Template documentation

This template may be used to display a person's or entity's whole lifespan in years, and optionally their final age or duration, also in years. It is primarily intended for known, definite lifespans, but can also handle limited cases of approximate or ambiguous date spans, and the corresponding age range(s). All information must be provided by acceptable sources. Additional options affect presentation, and error messaging is available for several usage errors.

Presentation follows Wikipedia's Manual of Style, specifically MOS:YEAR and MOS:YEARRANGE (for date spans) and MOS:ERA (for the age component), with minor exceptions for programming simplicity and ease-of-use. The implied default calendar is the Gregorian calendar; although the template may be adapted to other calendars, such use is not supported programmatically. See MOS:OSNS for special cases where the default calendar (and hence this template) may or may not be adaptable or appropriate.

Usage

Full parameter set in horizontal format

Listed by importance {{lifespan |birth= |death= |suffix= |or= |birth2= |death2= |ca= |prefix= |age-yrs= |age-range= |age-label= |label= |brackets= |err= }} Listed by display order {{lifespan |err= |brackets= |label= |prefix= |ca= |birth= |suffix= |death= |or= |birth2= |death2= |age-label= |age-range= |age-yrs= }} See § TemplateData for a usage summary.

Syntax and presentation

For basic use, only the birth- and death-years (via parameters |birth= and |death=) are required; the years must be entered fully, with all digits.
The template handles Gregorian calendar information, rendering AD/CE era spans as the implied default; BC/BCE lifespans and most spans straddling eras may also be rendered (see § Era suffix). There is no special handling for astronomical dates.
The optional age component (the subject's age-at-death or duration, or the related age range) may be auto-calculated and displayed when feasible. The component is set to match the era configuration used by the date span.
Output is enclosed in brackets (parentheses) as the editable default; depending on the parameters used, other default presentation and formatting elements including static text, white space and additional punctuation may be displayed.
The template employs required, dependent, and conditional parameters. All parameters are named; most parameters and parameter options have short-form aliases. Parameter names and aliases must be entered in lowercase. Non-date (non-year) optional parameters are ignored when they are misspelled or unrecognized; they are also ignored when any prerequisite parameters or conditions are absent.
Usage errors may suppress related template elements and may add the edited page to a maintenance category (see § Errors and error messages). Error messages may display by default or depending on parameter type and user preference. To reduce complexity, some cases involving certain era-straddling or ambiguous date spans (and age ranges) remain unhandled exceptions (see Note and Note).
Copy a blank version from the box above to use. Insert the "|" (pipe) character between each parameter. Delete unused parameters.

Examples

No brackets [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |d=2015 |bkt=nb}}

1975–2015

Content label [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |d=2015 |l=lc}}

(⁠lifespan: 1975–2015⁠)

Year prefix [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |d=2015 |pfx=y}}

(⁠b. 1975 – d. 2015⁠)

Era suffix [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |d=2015 |sfx=ad}}

(⁠1975–2015 AD⁠)

Era straddle [info]

• {{lifespan |b=2015 |d=1975 |sfx=b-a}}

(⁠2015 BC – 1975 AD⁠)

Circa birth-year [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |d=2015 |pfx=y |sfx=ad |ca=born}}

(⁠b. c. 1975 – d. 2015 AD⁠)

Alternative birth-year [info]

• {{lifespan |pfx=y |b=1975 |d=2015 |or=born |b2=1980}}

(⁠b. 1975 or 1980 – d. 2015⁠)

Alternative death-year [info]

• {{lifespan |pfx=y |b=1975 |d=2015 |or=died |d2=2020}}

(⁠b. 1975 – d. 2015 or 2020⁠)

Ambiguous birth-year [info]

• {{lifespan |d=2015 |b=uncertain}}

(⁠uncertain – 2015⁠)

Unknown death-year [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |pfx=y |d=unknown}}

(⁠b. 1975 – d. unknown⁠)

Age component: age range [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |d=2015 |ar=y}}

(⁠1975–2015, aged 39–40 years⁠)

Age component: age range with era straddle and age label [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |d=2015 |ar=y |al=dur |sfx=b-a}}

(⁠1975 BC – 2015 AD, duration 3989–3990 years⁠)

Age component: age in years (death after birthday) [info]

• {{lifespan |b=2015 |d=1975 |sfx=bc |ay=abd}}

(⁠2015–1975 BC, aged 40 years⁠)

Age component: age in years (death before birthday) [info]

• {{lifespan |b=2015 |d=1975 |sfx=bc |ay=bbd}}

(⁠2015–1975 BC, aged 39 years⁠)

Complex example involving ranges [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |d=2015 |or=both |b2=2020 |d2=2020 |pfx=y |ar=y}}

(⁠b. 1975 or 2020 – d. 2015 or 2020, aged less than a year to 45 years⁠)

Complex example with all non-mutually exclusive parameters

• {{lifespan |birth=1975 |birth2=1980 |death=2015 |death2=2020 |or=both |ca=both |suffix=ce |age-label=aged |age-range=y |label=uc |brackets=age |err=y }}

Lifespan: c. 1975 or 1980 – c. 2015 or 2020 CE (⁠aged c. 34 to 45 years⁠)

Parameters

General notes

Dependent parameters and parameter options are described under their prerequisites. Parameter options must be entered in lowercase.
Incorrect usage of some parameters may suppress display of related template elements; see parameter descriptions below, and § Errors and error messages.

Requirements and constraints

• Parameters birth (or its alias b) and death (or its alias d) are required.
• Parameters birth2 (alternative birth-year, alias b2) and death2 (alternative death-year, alias d2) depend on parameter or (birth and/or death is either of 2 years).
• Parameters birth and death must be the earliest birth-year and death-year respectively when parameter or is used.
• Parameter's birth year value must be earlier than any other date parameter's, but may be equal to the death-year (parameter death).
• Parameter's birth2 year value must be earlier or equal to the alternative death-year (parameter death2).
• Parameter's death2 year value must be later than any other other date parameter's, but may be equal to the alternative birth-year (parameter birth2).
• Parameters age-yrs (age in years, alias ay) and age-range (range of ages in years, alias ar) are mutually exclusive.
• Parameters age-yrs cannot be used with parameter or.
• Parameter age-label (label for the age component, alias al) requires parameter age-yrs or parameter age-range.
• Parameters label (content label, alias l) and prefix (birth/death prefixes, alias pfx) should not be used concurrently.

Parameters and parameter options may have additional specific requirements, constraints and conditions.

Description

Date spans: birth- and death-year, alternative birth- and death-year

• birth, alias b: Required. Enter the subject's birth, start, or origin year numerically in full decimal notation according to century or millennium. When this parameter is omitted or misspelled an error message is displayed and all other template output is suppressed; [example]

Its year value must be chronologically earlier than the year value of any other date parameter, however it may equal a death-year; error messages are displayed otherwise.

Options: Provided for convenience. These options are not compatible with parameter ca (circa) when applied to the same date parameter; also not compatible with the age component. May require additional supporting information (WP:V).

• |birth=uncertain – may be used when the birth-year is disputed, is one of three or more years proposed in acceptable sources, is not yet determined, or is estimated within a period longer than circa; [example]
• |birth=unknown – may be used when the birth-year is unknown or cannot be determined; [example]

Note: Any other input for this parameter produces an error message, see § Errors and error messages.

• death, alias d: Required. Enter the subject's death, end, or final year as described under parameter birth above; this parameter has identical requirements and options, but distinct numerical constraints. Its year value must be equal to or chronologically later than the birth-year (parameter birth) and also, chronologically earlier than the alternative death-year (see parameters or and death2); error messages display otherwise, see examples under § Errors and error messages.

• birth2, alias b2: Optional alternative birth-year. Depends on parameter or, see there under Dependents.

• death2, alias d2: Optional alternative death-year, see above.

Approximate dates: "or" years, "circa" years

• or: Used for, and required by, the optional alternative birth- and/or death-year (see below). Select one of the following options; any other input is silently ignored. If error-handling parameter err is used, relevant error messages display when in error; [example]

Options:

• |or=born – required when the alternative birth-year (parameter birth2) is included; [example]
• |or=died – required when the alternative death-year (parameter death2) is included; [example]
• |or=both – required when both alternative years are included; [example]

Dependents:

• birth2, alias b2: Alternative birth-year, dependent on, and required when parameter |or=born or |or=both. Enter number in full decimal notation according to century or millennium – no other input is allowed. Its year value must be chronologically later than parameter's birth/b; when parameter |or=both it must be chronologically earlier or equal to parameter's death2. When in error, relevant messages are displayed; [example]
• death2, alias d2: Alternative death-year, dependent on and required when parameter |or=died or |or=both. Enter number in full decimal notation according to century or millennium – no other input is allowed. Its year value must be chronologically later than that of all other date parameters; when parameter |or=both it may be equal to parameter's birth2. When in error, relevant messages will display.

Note: or is not compatible with, and suppresses age-component parameter age-yrs; [example]

• ca: Use for circa dates (years) and the resulting age or range. Inserts the abbreviation/tooltip combination "c." followed by a non-breaking thin space before the relevant year (the tooltip link will appear only in the first instance of the abbreviation). Requires numerical year values for the birth and death parameters. Cannot be specified for alternative years. This parameter is passed to the age component when it is included; if parameter age-range is used, circa applies to the entire range regardless of the specific circa-year. Select one of the options below; non-valid input is silently ignored. If error-handling parameter err is used a message displays when in error.

Options:

• |ca=born – set for circa birth-year(s); [example]
• |ca=died – set for circa death-year(s).
• |ca=both – when both circa birth-year(s) and circa death-year(s) are used; [example]

Era suffix

• suffix, alias sfx: Use to display an era suffix preceded by a non-breaking thin space, after the entire date span or, when the span straddles eras, after both the birth and the death era. The implied default era is AD/CE across all dates. There is no handling of astronomical dates; BC/AD suffixes and BCE/CE suffixes display identical date spans. See Note below for an unhandled exception.

Options:

• |suffix=ad or |suffix=ce – set to explicitly state the default date span era as "AD" or "CE"; [example]
• |suffix=bc or |suffix=bce – set to display the date span era as "BC" or "BCE"; [example]
• |suffix=b-a – set when the date span straddles eras and the BC/AD notation is used. The birth-year(s) are followed by the suffix "BC"; death-year(s) are followed by suffix "AD"; [example]
• |suffix=b-c – set when the date span straddles eras and the BCE/CE notation is used. The birth-year(s) are followed by the suffix "BCE"; death-year(s) are followed by suffix "CE".

Note: Era straddles between birth years or between death years are not handled. For example, the span:
     [ 10 BC or 5 AD – 10 AD ]
cannot be rendered by the template.

Age component

Optional, requires all date parameters to have numerical year values. Consists of a text label and the mutually exclusive parameters age-range and age-yrs; when used the subject's final age or age range(s) is auto-calculated and displayed after the date span (or the suffix if any). Parameter age-label may be used to edit the component's label, while non-component parameter brackets may be set to enclose it in parentheses.
Preceding elements inserted: A comma ( , ) and space, and the editable static text "aged" as the component's default label; if the brackets are set around only the age component (|brackets=age) no comma is inserted. The trailing static text "years" is inserted before the closing bracket or as the last visible template element. When any birth-year is the same as a death-year, the static text "less than a year" is displayed instead of the numerical age/range. The component does not normally handle or display year "0" (zero); astronomical dates are not supported.
See Note below for a class of cases not handled by the age component.

• age-label, alias al: Use to edit or remove the default label "aged". Requires one of parameters age-range or age-yrs. Select one of the options below; any other input is silently ignored. If error-handling parameter err is used relevant messages will be displayed when in error.

Options:

• |age-label=aged – set to explicitly state the default; [example]
• |age-label=duration or the option alias dur – set to change the label to "duration"; [example]
• |age-label=nolabel or the option alias nl – set to remove the age component label altogether.

• age-range, alias ar: Set |age-range=y to display the subject's age range(s) – any other input is ignored or produces an error message (if error-handling parameter err is used). This parameter and parameter age-yrs are mutually exclusive; [example]

Default range:

• Two numerical values, with the low value signifying that the death/end date occurred before the subject's birthday/startday on the death/end year. Values separated by an en dash ( – ). Presumes no alternative years; [example]

Variations:

• When there are alternative years, and a singular era suffix (AD/CE or BC/BCE) or no suffix, the range is delimited by the minimum and maximum possible ages defined by the date spans; they are separated by the static text "to" surrounded by non-breaking spaces; [example]
• The static text "less than a year" is displayed as the minimum range value when there are alternative years and any death/end year is the same as any birth/start year; when there are no alternative years it displays as the only range value; [example]

Note: When the date span(s) have suffixes that straddle eras (BC-to-AD or BCE-to-CE) and alternative years, the range(s) cannot be rendered by the template.

• age-yrs, alias ay: Use when the subject's exact or circa age is known. Select one of the options below; any other input is ignored or produces an error message (if error-handling parameter err is used). Cannot be used with parameter or. This parameter and parameter age-range are mutually exclusive; [example]

Options:

• |age-yrs=abd – set when the death/end occurred after the birth/start day on the death-year; [example]
• |age-yrs=bbd – set when the death/end occurred before the birth/start day on the death-year; [example]

Presentation: brackets, label and prefix

• brackets, alias bkt: Brackets (parentheses) enclose the entire template output by default, as the first and last visible elements. Options below may either override or explicitly state the default; any other input is silently ignored.

Options:

• |brackets=age – set to display brackets around the optional age component only; [example]
• |brackets=full – set to explicitly state the default.
• |brackets=nb – set to remove all brackets; [example]

• label, alias l: Use to display the static text "lifespan: " (the term followed by colons and a space) as the label for the template's content. When included, it normally displays immediately after the opening bracket, or first if brackets are removed. This parameter is silently ignored when parameter prefix is used; non-valid input is also silently ignored. If error-handling parameter err is used, relevant messages are displayed when in error; [example]

Options:

• |label=lc – set to display label in lower-case; [example]
• |label=uc – set to display label with initial-letter upper-case; [example]

• prefix, alias pfx: Set |prefix=y to display the abbreviated prefix/tooltip combinations "b." and "d." followed by a non-breaking thin space before the birth- and death-year respectively, or before parameter ca (circa) when used. Any other input is silently ignored; use of this parameter suppresses parameter label. If error-handling parameter err is used, relevant error messages are displayed when in error; [example]

Error message handling

• err: Set |err=y (any other input will generate an error message) to display all error messages produced by non-date optional-parameter errors, including this parameter. Intended mainly for testing and debugging purposes. Handling of individual or per-parameter errors is not supported. Depending on the parameter(s) in error, using err may cause the relevant error message(s) to display before any other template output. See also § Errors and error messages.

Errors and error messages

Error messages generated by date parameter errors (including alternative year parameter errors) are always displayed, and the edited page is added to Category:Template Lifespan errors. If either of parameters birth and death is absent, mislabeled, or empty the error is fatal and will suppress all other template output.
Errors related to non-date (non-year) optional parameters are silent by default; parameter err may be used to display the relevant error messages when in error, including messages for err itself.
Error conditions and/or error messages may suppress display of related template elements.
There is no error handling for individual, non-date optional parameters; error messages display for all message-enabled optional parameters, or none.

Examples – date parameters

Missing death-year [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975}}

(⁠ ! {{lifespan}}: Parameter death/d is missing, mislabeled, or empty [⁠info⁠] ! ⁠)

Birth-year later than death-year (AD/CE) [info]

• {{lifespan |b=2015 |d=1975}}

(⁠2015 ! {{lifespan}}: Parameters birth/b, death/d, death2/d2: Birth-year must be earlier than or equal to death-year(s) [⁠info⁠] ! –1975⁠)

Birth-year later than death-year (BC/BCE) [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |d=2015 |sfx=bc}}

(⁠1975–2015 BC ! {{lifespan}}: Parameters birth/b, death/d, death2/d2: Birth-year must be earlier than or equal to death-year(s) [⁠info⁠] ! ⁠)

Birth-year later than alternative birth-year [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1976 |b2=1975 |d=2015 |or=born}}

(⁠1976 or 1975 ! {{lifespan}}: Parameters birth/b, birth2/b2: Please assign the later birth-year to parameter birth2/b2 [⁠info⁠] !  – 2015⁠)

Missing alternative birth-year [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |d=2015 |or=born}}

(⁠1975 ! {{lifespan}}: Parameter birth2/b2: Alternative birth-year is missing, mislabeled or has no value [⁠info⁠] !  – 2015⁠)

Alternative year(s) require parameter or [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |b2=1985 |d=2015 |d2=2020}}

(⁠1975 ! {{lifespan}}: Parameter birth2/b2: Alternative birth-year requires parameter or [⁠info⁠] ! –2015 ! {{lifespan}}: Parameter death2/d2: Alternative death-year requires parameter or [⁠info⁠] ! ⁠)

Examples – non-date parameters, error messages on

Parameter suffix: Non-valid input [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |d=2015 |sfx=none |err=y}}

(⁠ ! {{lifespan}}: Parameter suffix/sfx has invalid value [⁠info⁠] ! 1975–2015 ⁠)

Parameter label not compatible with parameter prefix [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |d=2015 |pfx=y |l=lc |err=y}}

(⁠ ! {{lifespan}}: Parameter label/l cannot be used with parameter prefix/pfx [⁠info⁠] ! b. 1975 – d. 2015⁠)

Age component: Non-valid input for parameter age-range [info]

• {{lifespan |b=1975 |d=2015 |ar=full |err=y}}

(⁠ ! {{lifespan}}: Parameter age-range/ar has invalid value [⁠info⁠] ! 1975–2015, aged ⁠)

Age component: Parameter age-yrs not compatible with parameters or and age-range [info]

• {{lifespan |b=2015 |d=1975 |b2=2016 |pfx=y |sfx=b-a |or=born |ay=bbd |ar=y |err=y}}

(⁠ ! {{lifespan}}: Parameter age-yrs/ay cannot be used with parameter or [⁠info⁠] ! ! {{lifespan}}: Parameters age-yrs/ay and age-range/ar are mutually exclusive [⁠info⁠] ! b. 2015 or 2016 BC – d. 1975 AD, aged  years⁠)

TemplateData

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

TemplateData for Lifespan

This template may be used to display a person's or entity's whole lifespan in years, and optionally their final age or duration, also in years; for details and examples see the template's documentation. Default parameter list order reflects relative importance.

Template parameters[Edit template data]

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Birth	birth b	The birth, start or origin year. Enter the full year with all digits, or	Unknown	required
Death	death d	no description	Unknown	required
Era suffix	suffix sfx	no description Suggested values ad bc bce ce b-a b-c Default ad	String	optional
Or	or	no description Suggested values born died both	String	optional
Birth2	birth2 b2	Alternative birth-year	Date	optional
Death2	death2 d2	Alternative death-year	Date	optional
Circa	ca	no description Suggested values born died both	String	optional
Prefix	prefix pfx	Birth/death prefixes Auto value y	Boolean	optional
Age (years)	age-yrs ay	no description Suggested values abd bbd	String	optional
Age (range)	age-range ar	no description Auto value y	Boolean	optional
Age label	age-label al	no description Suggested values aged duration dur nolabel nl Default aged	String	optional
Content label	label l	Label for the template content. Suggested values lc uc	String	optional
Brackets	brackets bkt	Parentheses, enclose output by default. Suggested values age nb full Auto value full	String	optional
Error message display	err	Displays all error messages related to non-date parameters; may suppress display of error-related template elements. Preset to 'y' (true). Deselect this parameter if not desired Auto value y	Boolean	optional

Footnotes

The above documentation is transcluded from Template:Lifespan/doc. (edit | history)
Editors can experiment in this template's sandbox (create | mirror) and testcases (create) pages.
Subpages of this template.