Template:This is a redirect/Comparison

Because of a software modification, text can now appear on WikiDevi's redirect pages. Therefore, they all have the capability to display other readable text in addition to the redirect arrow and target page title, which had been the sole, displayable content prior to the software modification.

This page compares how text appears in accordance with project endeavors to categorize redirects using redirect category (rcat) templates. In particular, the style comparisons on this page display examples that show how rcats are rendered when the Redirect category shell (Rcat shell), which appears exactly the same as template This is a redirect (Redr), is used:

in contrast to how text appears when rcats are added to redirects individually, such as:

Learning curve
With both the Rcat shell and the Redr templates, the learning curve for inexperienced editors, who want to learn the details of redirect categorization, can be greatly enhanced. If an editor has no idea where to start and wants to learn, they just have to add or  to the third line of a redirect's edit screen, and someone will "come a runnin to add rcats to the redirect.  If they keep track of where they left a shell template, then they will learn how to categorize from more experienced editors.  As their learning grows, they are not abandoned.  If an editor knows that one or two rcats are needed, but they are unsure if any more should be added, all they need do is leave the very first parameter empty.  Just as before, other editors will come a runnin' to double check their good work.  This ability to help new and inexperienced editors is not available to individually applied rcats.  More details may be found on the documentation pages of the templates.

Protection detection
Another good reason to consider the use of Redirect category shell (Rcat shell) or This is a redirect (Redr) instead of using individual rcats on redirects is that those shell templates, in addition to the learning curve and standardized text, are capable of detecting the protection level(s) of a redirect. When an administrator protects a redirect, either edit-protected, move-protected or both, and if either the Redirect category shell or the This is a redirect template has already been used to tag the redirect, then they automatically sort the redirect into appropriate protection categories. If and when protection is lifted, raised or lowered, then the protection tags and categories are automatically removed or adjusted accordingly. If you add one of them to an already protected redirect, then please be sure to remove any manually placed protection rcats that won't be needed. This automatic protection sensing is not available to individually applied rcats.

Style comparison

 * Templates used
 * The rcat templates used in this example are:





Incorrect namespace
Also noted is how these will appear if an rcat is used to tag a redirect in the wrong namespace. R from plural is an rcat that is only used in article mainspace, and this is a template page, so:

or ...

if used individually...

Note 1: If R from plural or any template is used in a different namespace than it should be used, the editor may note that both the above error message and a different categorization than expected is generated. The page will not be sorted to the expected category, and will instead populate Category:Pages with templates in the wrong namespace.

Note 2: When the error box shown above is seen on "preview" or after the edit has been saved, be sure to correct the error by removing the rcat that should only be used in another namespace. In this case the R from modification rcat, which may be used in any namespace, can be used instead of R from plural:

or ...

...

Edit notes

 * Always double check your edits even after you have previewed and saved them. Some edits may appear differently in different browsers and skins, so it's good to be prepared and to check those edits with different browsers and in different skins.  Also, a few edits may appear differently after saved than when they were viewed on preview.


 * If your edits fail to appear after you've saved them, be sure you have enabled your ability to see "hidden categories". You can make this choice very easily:
 * Go to
 * Scroll down to 
 * Check the box 
 * Click
 * You may need to purge your browser cache to ensure that you can see hidden cats in the future.


 * There is another way the text can be seen and checked to see if the correct rcat has been added. When an editor begins to edit a redirect, the edit screen is brought up that gives the ability to change the page.  If the redirect is disabled for preview and not saved, the editor can see the text of the rcat(s) added by clicking on  .  Once the editor has determined that the correct rcats have been added, the redirect can be re-enabled before being saved.  One easy way to disable a redirect is to type a number or letter in the upper left of the edit field, to the left of the "#REDIRECT", as in "4#REDIRECT".  Be sure that the "4" is removed before the  is clicked.


 * The above "preview trick" works for other templates as well, such as Reflist or its shortcut, RE. Place one of those beneath a paragraph of an article section and click on  to give you a "test reflist" with which to check citation edits.  If you forget to remove the test reflist and save the page with it, just be sure to double check the edit and correct your mistake.  Others will understand because we've all made the same or similar errors.

Bug note
There are two closed bugs and one open Phab ticket that dealt/deal with the appearance of text on redirects: Until the first two were resolved, the above texts only appeared at Rfd, because only then was a redirect disabled (by the Rfd template). Only when a redirect was disabled would text appear on redirects.
 * same bug description only for file image redirect pages
 * same bug description only for file image redirect pages
 * same bug description only for file image redirect pages