Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2008 June 2

= June 2 =

creating article lead section that is not included in article outline
My question is the following: How do I create an article title and lead section without them being included in the article outline?

There is a lot of information on wikipedia on the style, content, and format that a lead section should have. However, I can find nothing on how to create a lead section. For example, if I use the sectioning syntax (=, ==, ===, etc.) to create a title, then this title will be included in the article outline. Using the "edit this page" tab does not help as it does not show the source for the lead section. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Koures (talk • contribs) 01:10, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Click "edit this page" and write the lead at top of the edit box before the first section heading == ... ==. The article title is automatically the name of the edited page and is not written in the edit box. By the way, the list of linked section names is called the table of contents. PrimeHunter (talk) 01:29, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * And see: WP:SECT and WP:SECT. I will look at WP:LEAD and make sure it tells how to edit the lead section. --Teratornis (talk) 02:39, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Amazingly, it appears that WP:LEAD does not tell anywhere how to edit the lead section. It just talks about what the lead section should contain. Obviously that could confuse a new user who reads WP:LEAD before reading WP:SECT. I will fix that later this evening, unless someone else beats me to it. I'm thinking to add a small section: WP:LEAD that will summarize this: WP:SECT. --Teratornis (talk) 02:44, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Actually there were a few sentences in WP:LEAD that mentioned how to edit the lead section, but they were probably not clear to new users, so I expanded them into WP:LEAD. I added some section shortcuts to it (for example, WP:LEAD). --Teratornis (talk) 02:46, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

problem with search bar
Recently there has been a change in the response I get from the search bar.Instead of getting a list of previous enteries starting with the same letters I get a long alphabetic list of subjects I had never entered.This list covers the Go and Search options so all I can do to get to a page is press the enter key.How can I get back to the previous enterie list? 24.251.64.139 (talk) 03:08, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * If you have an account, you can click on "My Preferences", then click on the "Search" tab, then click on the checkbox labelled "[] Disable AJAX Suggestions". This will allow your browser to fall back to its original behavior (which is actually a browser function).  -- ShinmaWa(talk) 04:50, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Need help
I'm looking for some help to prepare for this:

Specifically, I need someone who knows how to edit images.

Please contact me on my talk page.

The Transhumanist 07:20, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Left user a note to contact me.  Jaakobou Chalk Talk  15:01, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Page listing
Is there a way to get a list of pages I have created? Clarityfiend (talk) 07:49, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Right here.  « Gonzo fan2007 (talk ♦ contribs) @  '' 07:52, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Thanks. Clarityfiend (talk) 15:42, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Sort user contributions
How do I get a list of a particular user's contributions sorted by the number of characters they added in each contribution? Thanks! --Pascal666 (talk) 09:50, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * That's an interesting question. Special:Contributions does not seem to display the number of characters per edit at all. I guess that information is only in the history of a given page. Most likely, to generate this kind of information for a given user, you would have to figure out the links under WP:EIW. I haven't gotten that far myself, so unfortunately I can't help you yet. However, the Help desk gets a steady trickle of requests for reports that evidently could only come from SQL queries on Wikipedia's database. Therefore, it would be nice if we had a good answer for these types of questions, as in actually being able to run the queries ourselves. You might try asking again on WP:VPT where there are usually more technically-inclined people. --Teratornis (talk) 16:25, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

User Box
How to make user boxes on the right side of the page like the one used in Jimbo Wale’s Page Tyw7, formerly Troop350 (talk) 09:41, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * That requires you to use a certain userbox template. I use it on my userpage too. Put this into the edit window of your userpage;




 * And then copy & paste your userboxes inbetween them. See how that works, & tell me if you get stuck. :-)  Lra drama 10:22, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

mars moon   was it eclipsed
mars  moon   was it eclipsed   I have seen  a flying  saucer   and  it left some information  in  my head (downloaded)  now sounds  Nuts  now  THE INFORMATION LEFT  WAS  MY RETURN  TO EARTH    as  they left  vision  of  leaving a golden  planet   then  over  orange planet  (pressumed Mars )then  the moon dazzling  bright   now sceptic  myself   as  they even  shown  me  my mother  bearing  me   as young  woman  now  if faulse  as most people  I would  say   well who  is playing  games  now  this occured  over 14 years  ago    now if true proves  I have  returned  from  another  planet   if faulse  I am man enough  to   understand  what ever  came  was some kind  of  joke   well  laugh  as I   will  as  unlike many   whom  dont question  things  I  want to find  the truth   as a family man  father  of 4  children  logic  would say  keep mouth  shut  keep marching   now   on the other hand  proves  life continues beyond  our realms   and futher more  flying saucers  do exist  and of course  I am from Fyegoir  a golden  planet  in another universe     that  would be a big  surprise  indeed     anyway  where  the planets eclipsed  in  May 1958     or  maybe time conception  as who would know   as  time of entery  to the body  now I seen  my enterey  my  birth  this is  really questionable phenomina      now please  respect  my privacy  as a family man   some things  are sensitive   as     many say in questioning  we learn   life is but a question  unfolds  the days we live our lives  whom  has the answers  is indeed questionable within  its self  as we are all learning  beings  on  the learning  planet  for the wise ones  make it too the higher worlds     for the greater knowlage we  must  question  as the truth is out there ! so it is said ! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 59.100.198.131 (talk) 11:43, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Wow - that's just one massive sentence...rather confusing...erm...  Lra drama 12:24, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Hello. You may not realize it but your stream of consciousness post appears to be just shy of word salad to outside readers. The subject also, shows a lack of touch with reality. I know you believe what you are saying to be true and you already stated that it may "now sounds Nuts"— well I wouldn't have put it that way—but I hope you will give at least some consideration to seeing a mental health professional.--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 13:07, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

referencing my edit to the article on Carmenere wine
Hi I'm a grower of this grapevine and yesterday made a change to the text to correct an error (about why the grapevine has a name derived from the french word for crimson). I attempted to reference this to myself - essentially a personal (though well qualified) comment - with a link to our website. The source of the information I was trying to reference to was our website page (http://www.amietta.com.au/nbspnbspnbspnbspnbspWines/AngelsShareCabernetblend/tabid/64/Default.aspx).

The change to the text has remained, but the reference and link have gone. So now the author of the incorrect data is referenced as the source of the corrected data. My ego isn't troubled - it's just that it's not an accurate reference. If you think it's worth changing, perhaps you could let me know how to do it. Regards Nicholas Clark Amietta Vineyard and Winery www.amietta.com.au —Preceding unsigned comment added by 58.179.170.135 (talk) 13:20, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Looking at the article history, it was removed as a spam link. Please discuss this with concerned editors at Talk:Carménère.  --——  Gadget850 (Ed)  talk  -  13:50, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Sort table by numbers
I can't seem to get sorting by number of deaths to work at List of events named massacres. Any ideas how to fix it? Thanks! --Pascal666 (talk) 13:25, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I think you want Help:Sorting. Algebraist 13:44, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * You can use nts to do this. The problem is that you are sorting number, ranges of numbers and text.  --——  Gadget850 (Ed)  talk  -  13:46, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Request for welcome message
Where would I go to request a welcome message for a new user? Here's his/her talk page: User talk:Jain puneet. He/She seems really keen and I'll help with the specific requests regarding WP:Verifiability but it would be nice to put up a welcome note. Also, who determines whether a new user receives a welcome message? Zain Ebrahim (talk) 15:32, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * You can use any of the templates listed at Welcoming committee/Welcome templates. Any user can be given a welcome note, and although there is a welcoming committee, there's nothing to stop any user welcoming. Best, PeterSymonds (talk)  15:39, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Thanks, Peter! Zain Ebrahim (talk) 15:45, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

The template in question could be  Mr.  Green  Hit Me Up   Userboxes  15:51, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * I find WP:Friendly a useful tool. --——  Gadget850 (Ed)  talk  -  16:19, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Speedy deletion of Vladimir Pak
--123FM (talk) )
 * Whay do you deleted Pak Vladimir??--123FM (talk) 16:25, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Vladimir Pak has not been deleted, but it should be. See Notability.  --——  Gadget850 (Ed)  talk  -  16:40, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Whay??--123FM (talk) 16:41, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * There is no assertion of notability. Who is he?  What makes him important?  He is the mayor of Nevelsk, but that is another article with similar issues.  --——  Gadget850 (Ed)  talk  -  16:49, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I added back the speedy tag and cautioned 123FM about removing it. – ukexpat (talk) 16:54, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Missed that. Its gone now.  --——  Gadget850 (Ed)  talk  -  16:57, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

matlab problem with nonlinear curve fitting
Hi I made two functions

--- gaussian_rational.m

function [f]=gaussian_rational(q,p) An=[-0.0013 0.0136 -0.0550 0.1002 -0.0067 1.0000]; Bn=[-0.0091 0.0882 -0.3080 0.4143 0.0002 0.4364]; Cn=[-0.0071 0.0636 -0.1946 0.1961 0.0268 0.3036]; f=(polyval(An,p)+polyval(Bn,q))/(1+q*polyval(Cn,p));

transmittance.m

%funtion for calculating the transmittance function output=transmittance(coeff,z) %some other necessary data Imax=0.5787;leff2=1;leff3=1;z0=447; output=pfun((sqrt(2*coeff(1)*Imax^2*leff3))/(1+(z/z0)^2))*qfun((coeff(2)*Imax*leff2)/(1+(z/z0)^2))*gaussian_rational(((coeff(2)*Imax*leff2)/(1+(z/z0)^2)),((sqrt(2*coeff(1)*Imax^2*leff3))/(1+(z/z0)^2)));

---

then i used the second one in my main program

%loading input data load D:/B-62.5um-60-220uw-T200uw-1.dat zinp=B_62(:,1);tinp=B_62(:,2); tmax=max(tinp); tinp=tinp./tmax; figure plot(zinp,tinp,'r.'); figure tinp=smooth(tinp); [tmin,tposmin]=min(tinp); temp=zinp(tposmin);

for i=1:length(zinp) zinp(i)=zinp(i)-temp; end

plot(zinp,tinp,'.') XLABEL('Z in micro meters'); YLABEL('Transmittnce');

%some other necessary data Imax=0.5787;leff2=1;leff3=1;z0=447;

%initial guess coeff0=[0.064 12.5]; [newcoeff,error] = lsqcurvefit(@transmittance,coeff0,zinp,tinp);

figure

I am getting the following error.

--

??? Error using ==> lsqncommon at 101 LSQCURVEFIT cannot continue because user supplied objective function failed with the following error: Error using ==> mpower Matrix must be square.

Error in ==> lsqcurvefit at 182 [x,Resnorm,FVAL,EXITFLAG,OUTPUT,LAMBDA,JACOB] = ...

Error in ==> program1 at 39 [newcoeff,error] = lsqcurvefit(@transmittance,coeff0,zinp,tinp);

---

can somebody please help me out............
 * Have you tried Wikipedia's Reference Desk? They specialize in knowledge questions and will try to answer any question in the universe (except how to use Wikipedia, since that is what this Help Desk is for). Just follow the link, select the relevant section, and ask away. I hope this helps. Gtstricky Talk or C 18:35, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Does this page need wiki cleanup?
The English on this wikipedia page is quite bad, and seems a bit stilted. But I don't know how to mark it for cleanup. Do you a) agree it needs cleanup, and b) if so, mind putting the tag in? Thanks - andrew. --212.183.134.210 (talk) 19:05, 2 June 2008 (UTC) THe page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soci%C3%A9t%C3%A9_%C3%A0_responsabilit%C3%A9_limit%C3%A9e
 * copyedit certainly looks appropriate there. I'll add it for you. --ais523 19:16, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Ah, someone else already tagged it (with the stronger cleanup-rewrite) while I was writing that. --ais523 19:18, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * (edit conflict)I added cleanup-rewrite, as I couldnt even make sense of a lot of it. I'd imagine this has been translated (poorly) from French. Fribbler (talk)
 * Administrations,Whay did you poorly translated from French?--123FM (talk) 20:51, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * For future reference: Template messages/Cleanup. --——  Gadget850 (Ed)  talk  -  20:14, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

outdent - I will try to clean it up a little tomorrow when I have more time. – ukexpat (talk) 00:08, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

Becoming a wikipedia page patroler
How? Do you become a wikipedia page patroler 142.58.81.157 (talk) 21:29, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * All you have to do is monitor Special:Newpages. Also, you can add to your user page. Just mark the pages as patrolled (there's a link in the bottom right) as you look at them. Good luck!  TN ‑ X - Man  21:33, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Well that might have been throwing the new guy into the fire :-) Your first step is probably to create an account - see here - and then read up on the Recent Changes Patrol instructions/guidelines. You will also want to familiarize yourself with applicable Wikipedia policies - start here. Let me know if you have any more questions! Tan  |  39  21:40, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Fire, schmire. Just kidding. Tan39 is absolutely correct, though. Read up on the guidelines and create an account, but always feel free to jump in! If you have any questions, there's plenty of people willing to help out. Cheers!  TN ‑ X - Man  00:47, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

Superhero boxes
Hello. I am new to wikpedia and I believe there is something reffered to as "Superhero Boxes". They show the stats of superheroes and villains and whatnot. However I don't know how to make them. Help me please? Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by Techno^Punk (talk • contribs) 21:56, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Welcome to Wikipedia. I believe what you are referring to is what we call an "infobox".  Infoboxes provide a standardized way to enter in summary data about an article's subject.   We have dozens, if not hundreds, of infoboxes for all kinds of things, from politicians to plant species to comic book characters.   The infobox you are probably interested in is infobox superhero.   Also, please look at our information on templates on how to use all kinds of templates, including infoboxes, on Wikipedia.   Lastly, you might be interested in Wikipedia's project on comics.   The people there should be happy to assist you with comics/superhero-specific questions.  Good luck!  <font style="font-variant: small-caps;">-- ShinmaWa(talk) 22:10, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Usually an infobox appears in the lead section of an article, and sometimes this confuses new users, who don't see an obvious way to edit the text at the top of an article. See WP:LEAD for tips. --Teratornis (talk) 02:49, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

Changing Template?
Hi. I've uploaded the SVG version of an image on Commons.

now I see the "SVG image needed..." template can be changed with "SVG image available..." but I really can't work out how to do that.

can anybody help? thanks

this is the page I would like to edit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Germanen_50_n._Chr.png —Preceding unsigned comment added by Qiovanni (talk • contribs) 14:43, 2 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Thank you for your contribution to Wikipedia. You might be having problems changing the template because the image is actually not on Wikipedia, but on commons at commons:Image:Germanen_50_n._Chr.png.   From here, you can click on "Edit", then just replace   with    <font style="font-variant: small-caps;">-- ShinmaWa(talk) 22:39, 2 June 2008 (UTC)