Template talk:R to user namespace

Change of text display suggested
I appreciate this template's implementation of relevant categories, but what it displays as text is excessive. At a soft redirect page, what is displayed, roughly is:

From the template soft redirect: "This page is a soft redirect"

From this template R to user namespace:

"This is a redirect from a page outside the user namespace to a user page (not to a user talk page). This redirect page must be outside the user namespace. For more information follow the category link."

"Remember that user talk pages are not in the "user" namespace, they are in a talk namespace. This rcat should never be used to tag redirects to user talk pages – use R to talk page instead."

"Note: If this page is in the user namespace, then it will populate Category:Pages with templates in the wrong namespace instead."

except that in the display some of the above words or phrases are wikilinks, or are sized differently. (Feel free to improve the represnentation.)

In my view this is excessive, especially at soft redirect pages. It is rambling on with information not relevant for the editor user arriving at a soft redirect page, with stuff that might be directed to the admin/editor of the soft redirect, within documentation in this template's /doc page. I raised this at a new soft redirect, wp:Kaffeeklatsch, that was outcome of an RFD. (See Wikipedia talk:Kaffeeklatsch.) For a regular redirect page, it does not matter as much, but is still excessive, and the info

I suggest the text be cut down to simply: "This page is a redirect from outside the user namespace to a user page."

in small font. Okay? Simply that, although perhaps part of the phrase could be a wikilink to R to user namespace where the /doc info is displayed. -- do ncr  am  03:37, 20 February 2015 (UTC)


 * In the past there were occasions when this rcat was used to tag user-space redirects mistakenly, so to deal with that, the extra text was added. Not sure what you need as per soft redirects, as you tagged wp:Kaffeeklatsch directly with categories as you should, and not with this rcat, which mustn't be used to tag soft redirects, anyway.  I'm also not sure if editors are ready for a more concise version, but would be willing to make it more concise if you really think it needs it (again keeping in mind that this template should never be used to tag soft redirects). – Paine EllsworthC LIMAX ! 11:21, 20 February 2015 (UTC)
 * I agree that the text is excessive, although most readers won't ever see it. It is probably enough to use doncram's suggestion. Could the template be coded to display the supplemental text as an error if placed in the wrong namespace? Ivanvector (talk) 22:26, 20 February 2015 (UTC)
 * It possibly could, however I've corrected enough of these similar errors (by monitoring CAT:WRONG) to know that many editors don't even look back at what they've done to see if they've made a mistake, and this kind of error actually does appear when the edit is previewed before saving, and they still don't catch themselves. Those editors just edit and quickly move on.  Also, while most "readers" won't ever see the redirect text, many readers who also edit will see it, and it hopefully helps them to remember when they edit redirects that many of these rcats are used only in one namespace.  Perhaps a compromise is called for, because the part in the text about categorization to CAT:WRONG has been used only on those rcats that were most "abused" by editors.  We can try removing that, and I'll continue to monitor to see if there is any adverse effect. – Paine EllsworthC LIMAX ! 07:53, 21 February 2015 (UTC)

The two bottom-bulleted notes have been removed from redirect pages. – Paine EllsworthC LIMAX ! 08:02, 21 February 2015 (UTC)


 * Thanks, all! Right, I did not notice that instructions stated the template should not be placed on soft redirects, and that resolves the issue for the wp:Kaffeeklatsch soft redirect.  Good to reduce the text for regular redirects, though.  To close the loop, in this diff, I added instructions to Soft redirects to cover "Categories to add for cross-namespace soft redirects".  Help revising those instructions would be appreciated.
 * has questioned whether Category:Unprintworthy redirects and Category:Noindexed pages accomplish anything or not, so I did not give any advice to include those. Thanks, -- do  ncr  am  23:17, 21 February 2015 (UTC)


 * It's a pleasure! and just FYI, both the and  categories are reserved for use only in mainspace.  Please see Printability for more information. – Paine EllsworthC LIMAX ! 20:00, 22 February 2015 (UTC)

RfC on categorizing redirects to the same namespace
Please see: Template talk:R to project namespace

— SMcCandlish ☏ ¢ 😼  19:22, 24 December 2020 (UTC)