Hi, folks! We're currently in the middle of an extended wiki development project that will add some nifty tools to the moderation kit (and some bells and whistles for tropers as well). While a full list of what's coming is outside the scope of this topic, there is one very specific thing that needs community involvement and feedback: the namespace configuration system.
In a Nutshell
We're changing namespaces from informal components that anyone can add (you can make an article in the "Glurkbrgl" namespace if you want, just by editing it) to a formal list of allowed values. This list can be added to and offers additional controls, such as the ability to set which style sheet is used by articles in the namespace, which page type is the default, the icon for the namespace tab bar, and how editing and article creation work.Namespace Configuration System
- Namespaces will be itemized in a database table.
- There will be a php page where anyone can view the list and the settings for each namespace, and mods can edit them.
- The configuration system will have (roughly) the following attributes:
- Name: (Main, YMMV, etc.) This will include the canonical capitalization of the namespace (see below).
- Editing Status: This will be a selection from a list of possible restrictions, from "Open" (anyone can edit/create articles) to "Require TLP" (article creation must go through Trope Launch Pad) to "Closed" (nobody can edit or create articles), and a few more.
- Page Type: The default page type to assign to articles in the namespace (a work, a creator, a trope, a subpage, etc.).
- Style: Main, Darth Wiki, Sugar Wiki, etc.
- Auto-Index: Whether the namespace behaves like normal or is automatically indexed, such as in Laconic Wiki.
- Icon: Choose the icon that appears in the namespace tab bar in the header of wiki articles.
- When anyone requests a wiki article (HTTP GET to pmwiki.php), the namespace part of the URL will be checked and forced to the proper capitalization. This will prevent things like "Ymmv", which break wiki functionality.
- When anyone tries to create or edit an article, the namespace configuration will be checked to determine if that action is allowed. If creation is blocked, a suitable message will be displayed. If editing is blocked, then the article will display as locked.
What We Need
What we need from the community is agreement on which namespaces should be kept and which should be discarded. The wiki has accumulated a lot of cruft due to the free-for-all nature of namespace creation, and we want to start with as clean a slate as possible.For reference:
- The formal namespace list is here: Namespace.
- The complete list of namespaces may be viewed with this tool: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/articlecount.php
- The full list of articles in any particular namespace may be seen here, except that it won't work for Main: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/namespace_index.php?ns=YMMV.
How This Will Work
If we decide not to keep a namespace, any articles in it should either be cut or moved to a more suitable namespace. Any such namespaces that have remaining articles when the new system goes live will be set to "Closed", so that nobody can make new ones and the existing ones will be automatically locked.For all remaining namespaces, we need to populate the initial settings: page type, editing status, and style. Note that many of these are already known and configured, so we'll carry those over — there's no need to renegotiate the status of Main or YMMV, for example. I'm mainly talking about the odder ones like, say, Castle.
After the system goes live, if anyone tries to add an article that isn't in an approved namespace, the attempt will be blocked. Requesting new namespaces would be done in the Locked Pages topic or some other topic we create specifically for that purpose.
Rules and Procedures
- The working list of namespaces to load into the configuration system will be stored in Namespace Cleanup Project.
- Any user may bring up a namespace that they think should be removed or given special handling.
- If there is significant immediate consensus, we'll approve it and any required actions (cleanup, transplants) can begin.
- If consensus is not clear, then we will use a crowner to collect votes.
We will also answer general questions about the system in this topic, but we will keep it focused specifically on the namespace project. Off-topic thumps will be used if needed.
- Q: Are we changing any media namespaces (Film, Western Animation, Manhua, etc.)?
A: No, we are not. That's not in the scope of the project; the intent is to configure all media namespaces as they currently exist. - Q: What are we doing with examples subpages (like Castle.Tropes Ato D)?
A: We want to clean those up. Check out this post to see some ideas, and this Google Drive doc for a list of all such articles.
Note: We can't just merge them back together, as most were hard split for size to begin with. - Q: So what should we focus on?
A: That's a great question! We're looking mainly at namespaces that have fewer than 40 articles in them, and that are not medium namespaces. In other words, let's start from the bottom of the list. In particular, let's get rid of one-off namespaces that aren't being used for actual trope content. - Q: Is there a list of all namespaces that are being used for trope example subpages?
A: Thanks for asking. Yes, it's here. Note that some media namespaces were caught in the query.
Edited by nombretomado on Jan 5th 2020 at 11:39:34 AM
Curious (and not doubting you): Is this your personal opinion, or Word of Mod?
CM Dates; CM Pending; CM DraftsThat was meant to be my opinion. I personally think it's easier to go by whatever the films are namespaced under. That just sounds like the easiest solution. I don't know if there was ever a verdict when it comes to sorting films like this.
Edited by MacronNotes on Mar 12th 2023 at 7:31:38 AM
Macron's notesGot it. Sorry about that—jumped the gun a bit there.
TRS Queue | Works That Require Cleanup of Complaining | Troper WallI agree, much simpler that way.
Edited by Twiddler on Mar 12th 2023 at 4:37:33 AM
I think it should be under Live-Action myself, for the record.
TRS Queue | Works That Require Cleanup of Complaining | Troper WallHonestly, it feels like that's a case where there could be a whole new namespace... I'm just not sure what it would be.
CM Dates; CM Pending; CM DraftsWould there be enough pages for one? We've been cutting a lot of unnecessary namespaces lately and I'm not sure creating a namespace specifically for Roger Rabbit Effect-type movies would be a good idea.
TRS Queue | Works That Require Cleanup of Complaining | Troper WallSince the character in question, Thrax, only directly appears in the cartoon half of Osmosis Jones, wouldn't it make more sense to class the entry under Film — Animated?
It's still (primarily) a live-action film.
I had a dog-themed avatar before it was cool.Seems 3 pages have been added to the Synopsis namespace, which is deprecated. I'll take them to the cutlist.
SoundCloudThat's probably going to keep happening as long as Synopsis is still listed in the Create New dropdown. But that's admin-level work as far as we know, and there's already an entry on Query Wishlist, so. I guess we just keep our eyes out for now.
Edited by wingedcatgirl on Mar 22nd 2023 at 2:44:46 PM
Trouble Cube continues to be a general-purpose forum for those who desire such a thing.Not sure if this is the right place to mention, but WesternAnimation.Felix The Cat The Movie and Animation.Felix The Cat The Movie are now separate pages, even though they are about the exact same work and the two pages are nearly identical. One of them should be turned into a redirect.
Because SMG4fan made the Animation one recently. I'd ask in Ask The Tropers.
TroperWall / WikiMagic CleanupTearJerker.DC Comics has only 4 pages listed, while TearJerker.The DCU seems to be the main "DC Comics" Tearjerker page and has a lot more, on par with TearJerker.Marvel Comics. Can their contents be merged?
The Protomen enhanced my life.Did you mean to post here?
TroperWall / WikiMagic CleanupYeah; thanks!
The Protomen enhanced my life.Advertising.Victory By Computer is a Superman comic book (as opposed to, say, a 1-page ad for Hostess Fruit Pies), so should it go in the Comic Book namespace or stay in Advertising?
Edited by lalalei2001 on Jul 30th 2023 at 7:28:56 AM
The Protomen enhanced my life.I still maintain that it has no reason to be split from the broader ComicBook.Tandy Computer Whiz Kids page.
Currently Working On: Incorruptible Pure PurenessIs this the right forum to bring this up? Because i wanna say that Duolingo should be in Website/ as that's what it started out as.
Yeah, I think Website/ is a more appropriate place. Plus, I don't consider it a game.
I do wanna ask, what in the world happened to the google docs link in the OP? It seems to be restricted access. Art Museum Curator and frequent helper of the Web Original deprecation project
Has anyone tried messaging for access
Is Docs even necessary? It's less convinient, but this lists such suboages.
TroperWall / WikiMagic CleanupAgreed, this is very useful. Though, is kinda hard to read on mobile.
Art Museum Curator and frequent helper of the Web Original deprecation projectShould the default page type for the Derivative Works/ namespace be "index"? Unless it has a "common tropes in adaptations/derivative works" trope list section?
Art Museum Curator and frequent helper of the Web Original deprecation project
Thanks Macron. Posted over there.
TRS Queue | Works That Require Cleanup of Complaining | Troper Wall