Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2010 May 12

= May 12 =

How to limit depth of ToC
Hello, at the moment I'm working on the article Vietnam Airlines. I see that the ToC of the article is quite lengthy, so i'm trying to limit it down. Could anyone tell me how to use the template ? I've tried replacing the 'n' with '5', but it doesn't work. Thanks Sp33dyphil  (Talk) (Contributions) 03:07, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * When you set "n" as a number, it will allow all subheaders up to, and including, that level to appear; it will remove any subheaders below that level. So if you set "n" as "5", level 5 subheaders will still appear; 6, 7, 8, and so on would not. To get your desired effect, you will need to set "n" as "4"; this will get rid of the level 5 and above subheaders in the TOC. ~Super Hamster  Talk Contribs 03:18, 12 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Thank you very much. I've found out that you have to but the template under the lead section, where you think the TOC is going to be, instead of what I have done is putting it right at the very top of the article's page. Thanks Sp33dyphil  (Talk) (Contributions) 07:21, 12 May 2010 (UTC)


 * The TOC will be placed wherever you place the template. It should be placed before the first section heading in articles as you have correctly done. PrimeHunter (talk) 13:22, 12 May 2010 (UTC)

Abusefilter
I'd liked to edit Vermonster, but the abusefilter had blocked my edit, and I couldn't report it, because the filter blocked the edit again. --188.23.96.168 (talk) 11:09, 12 May 2010 (UTC)


 * There apparently was a problem with that filter for a period of 6 minutes today. All your attempted edits were in that period which had ended when you posted here but you couldn't know that. Sorry about the problem. You can try editing again. PrimeHunter (talk) 13:08, 12 May 2010 (UTC)

needed to get new password but it wouldn't work, round 2
Follow-up from message of May 8th (I think). [PW inexplicably failed, requested new one, User name was recognized (obviously since PW was sent) but new PW didn't work.] Was unaware my user name was left out, it's JoeRose50 and yes, my connection is through en.wikipedia.org. As far as the password sent to me, I cut & pasted it so the case should not have changed from sending to application. I'm still unsure why I can't log-in, but appreciate the attention and will check back sooner. 74.72.15.207 (talk) 11:44, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * I have reset your password again, so you should get an email at the address which you have registered for the account . When you copy and paste the temporary password, please make sure that you do not include the quotation marks - for example, if it said that the password was "A1BCD23" then you would use A1BCD23 - obvious to many, these kinds of things do get misunderstood sometimes! --  Phantom Steve / talk &#124; contribs \ 12:09, 12 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Browsers can store a username and password for a certain site and some browsers may automatically change what you have written to what is stored when you click Log in. Can you try another browser or computer which wouldn't have a stored password for Wikipedia? PrimeHunter (talk) 12:55, 12 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Wikipedia usernames are case-sensitive, so if you're attempting to login as "joerose50" instead of "JoeRose50", that may explain the login issue. -- SoCalSuperEagle ( talk ) 19:56, 12 May 2010 (UTC)

How to write an email message to maury povick show
I am just writing to maury povick show to help me get a D N A test for a child that was born by one long time girl friend

My Name is Iredia Igbinoba From Nigeria But now a US citizen contact number —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.118.45.9 (talk) 18:12, 12 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Hello. I suspect, based on your question, that you found one of our roughly three million articles, and thought that we were directly affiliated in some way with that subject. Please note that you are at Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit, and this page is a help desk for asking questions related to using the encyclopedia. Thus, we have no inside track on the subject of your question. You can, however, search our vast catalogue of articles by typing a subject into the search field on the left hand side of your screen. If you cannot find what you are looking for, we have a reference desk, divided into various subject areas, where asking knowledge questions is welcome. Best of luck. – ukexpat (talk) 18:24, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Legal no.png We cannot offer legal advice. Please see the legal disclaimer. Contact your lawyer.   Fei noh a   Talk, My master 18:31, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * This is not even remotely a request for legal advice; it's a request for contact details for a TV show. A couple of mouse clicks reveal that people wishing to appear on Maury Povich's show should fill in the online application form here.  Google is your friend.  Ka renjc 18:34, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Well I saw the asking for information on how to get a DNA test for a child, and assumed that he wanted legal advice on the matter, which we cannot give.  Fei noh a   Talk, My master 18:38, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * No we can't, but they didn't ask us to. The section header sums their request up accurately.  Ka renjc 18:50, 12 May 2010 (UTC)

Deleted pages in user contribution
Am I correct that edits to pages which are subsequently deleted do not show up in one's user contributions? If that's correct, is there a way to get them to show up? Or is it just my imagination that they disappear? Best regards,  T RANSPORTER M AN  ( TALK ) 18:17, 12 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Correct and no, only admins can view deleted articles. – ukexpat (talk) 18:25, 12 May 2010 (UTC)


 * I'm an admin and can see your deleted contributions. Is there something you want to know about them? PrimeHunter (talk) 12:06, 13 May 2010 (UTC)

New subheading in existing article, problems with references not appearing from edit page
I am having trouble with references when I try to create a new subheading in an existing article. I enter ==History== for a new subheading at the end of the earlier subheading, for example geography. The new subheading appears in its proper place in the index: fine. From edit, I enter the new text and it appears complete with the numbers for the references. Then two proplems appear: 1) while the footnote numbers are present on the newly revised page and the references appear on the edit page, the references themselves do not appear in the revised article page; 2) Sometimes a secord problem appears: the existing article re-arranges itself in an odd way.

What do I need to do?

The problem does not happen when here is esisting material in an existing history section. In that case, the references themselves appear just as they were on the edit page and everything is just as it should be.

Elkmilok (talk) 18:46, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * I can help what page we talking about..?Moxy (talk) 18:51, 12 May 2010 (UTC)


 * My guess it's McLean, Illinois, Danvers, Illinois or Gridley, Illinois - I am working on the formatting issues. – ukexpat (talk) 19:19, 12 May 2010 (UTC)

Fixing my signature
I have tried and tried and tried to fix my signature but I cannot get it to work. Either I do this: Lova Falk which becomes: Lova Falk   - and as you can see, the link to my user page has disappeared,}}

or I try to copy the code of other user's signatures, exhanging with my name and preferences  Lova Falk  and then it gets like this:  Lova Falk   What do I do wrong? 19:18, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * You need to use wiki markup in addition to the font tags. So for example, the following code  Lova Falk   will produce the text   Lova Falk   which includes a working link to your userpage. I hope this helps. -- SoCalSuperEagle  ( talk ) 19:42, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Well, replace the HTML bold tags with  . And also, your signature should also link to your user talk page. So... how does this look:  Lova     Falk'''  ? If you like it, use this:  --Unionhawk Talk E-mail 19:51, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Thank you both SO MUCH!  Lova     Falk   19:49, 12 May 2010 (UTC) :)

Username or IP removed
I noticed something odd in a history page that I haven't seen before. Can someone please explain this Thanks 82.44.55.254 (talk) 19:38, 12 May 2010 (UTC)


 * WP:OVERSIGHT – ukexpat (talk) 19:43, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Thanks. Is showing where the deleted edits were a new feature, because I've never seen oversighted posts listed in the history page before. 82.44.55.254 (talk) 19:56, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * It's not a new feature, but oversight is not used that often. It is only used if personal information or defamatory information is required to be removed from a page's history. --  Phantom Steve / talk &#124; contribs \ 20:16, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * To be specific the new feature is called revision deletion, which allows oversighters to "suppress" any "bad content" (usually really stuff such as Libel, phone numbers, etc). More info on what qualifies is in the link I gave.  Fei noh a   Talk, My master 20:35, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Thank you. I know about oversight, I've requested things to be oversighted in the past myself. But I've never seen "Username or IP removed" in the edit history before. Is that new (presumably to give more transparency to the oversight process)? 82.44.55.254 (talk) 22:10, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Edits oversigthed with RevisionDelete have been marked in page histories since February 2009. See Village pump (technical)/Archive 57. "Username or IP removed" is a RevisionDelete option mentioned at Oversight. I think it's used relatively rarely. PrimeHunter (talk) 12:56, 13 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Thank you :) 82.44.55.254 (talk) 20:41, 13 May 2010 (UTC)

What is the template for an article overhaul?
I've seen a template on Wikipedia articles which says something along the lines of "This article will be undergoing a major overhaul over the next X days/hours". I want to use it, put can't for the life of me find it. Can someone point me in the right direction? Thanks, KingOfTheMedia (talk) 20:33, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Perhaps you are looking for the Under construction template?  Fei noh a   Talk, My master 20:37, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Or the others listed at Template messages/Maintenance - John of Reading (talk) 20:51, 12 May 2010 (UTC)

"Black Dolls"
To Whom It May Concern,

I regularly trawl your information pages hoping to find relevant and up to date fact. Unfortunately I was disgusted to find an article called "Black Dolls" written in hideous and racially offensive language. I am from England and as racism is open here, I dread to find anything as non-factual and opinionated.

I would like to request that the article is deleted.

Sywretta Bernard —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sywretta (talk • contribs) 20:36, 12 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Which part, in particular, do you find offensive? KingOfTheMedia (talk) 20:37, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * I would also be interested in knowing what parts of that article is written in "hideous and racially offensive language". Which parts are non-factual? Which parts are opinionated? If you want to discuss specific issues with the article (which has been around for about 3 years), then you can do so on the article's talk page here. If you mean "Why is there a page about black dolls, whereas there is not about white dolls", the reason should be reasonably obvious: the vast majority of dolls produced in the UK, America, Canada, Australia, etc, are white. They are covered in the Doll article. --  Phantom Steve / talk &#124; contribs \ 20:48, 12 May 2010 (UTC)

The place to request deletion of an article is at Articles for deletion, not here. 95j (talk) 20:42, 12 May 2010 (UTC)


 * I presume you are referring to Black dolls. I fail to see the issue— the article seems factual and fairly well written. If you have problems, please discuss on the talk page. ---— Gadget850 (Ed)  talk 20:53, 12 May 2010 (UTC)


 * I am from England. I myself can find nothing about the article that would be specifically offensive in an English context, and concur that the tone appears neutral and the article factual as far as it goes.  If the OP would point out what they regard as hideous and racially offensive language, it would be helpful.   Ka renjc 14:42, 13 May 2010 (UTC)


 * A related but separate question (that I will pursue on the article's talk page): why is there a separate article for black dolls? The Doll article is not too long and, unless I am missing something, black dolls do not appear to be a separate and distinct genre from white or other "ethnic" (sorry can't think of a better word) dolls. The content of black doll could easily be merged into doll. – ukexpat (talk) 17:09, 13 May 2010 (UTC)

How do I get rid of this big, empty box?
Sorry for the second question in a day, but how do I get rid of this big box here? Thanks in advance, KingOfTheMedia (talk) 21:34, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * No worries, there's no limit to the questions you can ask! Hopefully, that doesn't mean that we'll end up with hundreds a day from you! Seriously, the problem was the rowspan=2 which you used on every line. I'm not sure what you wanted to do with that - but it caused the problem (you also didn't close the table with |} either). Is the change I made what you wanted? --  Phantom Steve / talk &#124; contribs \ 21:44, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * That is amazing. Thanks very much! KingOfTheMedia (talk) 21:45, 12 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Glad to be of service! If you look at this diff, it will show you exactly what I did. --  Phantom Steve / talk &#124; contribs \ 21:50, 12 May 2010 (UTC)