Wikipedia talk:Twinkle

WT:TW

This page is for general discussion and questions related to Twinkle. It is also one possible venue for reporting bugs and requesting new features; although see Bugs and feature requests below.

Consider also checking Twinkle's documentation, which may answer your question.

Archives

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21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40
41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48

Other archives

Friendly talk archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Old Bugs page; archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Old RFA page; archive 1, 2

This page has archives. Sections older than 20 days may be automatically archived by .

Bugs and feature requests

Bugs and feature requests can be reported at https://github.com/azatoth/twinkle (you will need to have a GitHub account). This will probably result in the issue being noticed sooner, as an e-mail is sent to all Twinkle developers. Alternatively, start a new discussion on this page. Possibly slower service, but you will be able to gain consensus, etc., if you need to.

Go to user talk when reverting pending changes

When a page is reverted with the pending changes "Revert changes" button, Twinkle should give a nice link to go to the user's talk page with the page name pre-filled, like it does when "real" rollback is used. Jackmcbarn (talk) 04:35, 11 January 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I'll look into this. I only have reviewer rights on testwiki, so I hope our setup is not too different. — This, that and the other (talk) 02:17, 1 February 2014 (UTC)[reply]

@Jackmcbarn: Hm, I'm not quite sure what you are referring to here. When I clicked "Reject changes" I seemed to get sent back to the article itself. — This, that and the other (talk) 06:14, 15 February 2014 (UTC)[reply]

A link from the confirmation page, I mean. Jackmcbarn (talk) 23:03, 15 February 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Being hopelessly inexperienced with Pending Changes, I will need step-by-step instructions of every click you are making :) — This, that and the other (talk) 02:52, 16 February 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Jackmcbarn (talk) 18:31, 16 February 2014 (UTC)[reply]

So you want to see a talk page link even before you have made the revert? That seems like a strange order in which to do things. — This, that and the other (talk) 06:41, 18 February 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Yes. I know that's kind of strange, but after the revert is made, there's nowhere to put the talk page link. The other alternative is to make the user's talk page pop open in a new window after the revert, the way that it does when you use Twinkle's own rollback to revert someone. Jackmcbarn (talk) 13:27, 18 February 2014 (UTC)[reply]

@Jackmcbarn: Sorry Jack, I missed your reply. Yes, a popup wouldn't be a bad idea, although I'm hesitant to add another one. I'll see what is possible here and think about the best way to implement it. — This, that and the other (talk) 07:26, 3 March 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Threadcromancy, but I would suggest using popups to direct you quickly to their user talk page. You'll have to copy the page name manually, but it's nonetheless faster than clicking and clicking repeatedly. --k6ka (talk | contribs) 22:09, 28 April 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I don't want to see the vandal's talk page, but I would like this bot to automatically create a talk page for the vandal, if necessary, and post a notice on the vandal's talk page that they did something offensive. In my recent use of this bot, no notice was posted on the vandal's talk page; apparently because there was no existing talk page for the vandal. - Ac44ck (talk) 19:11, 3 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Stuff

...for lack of a better heading.

The preferences panel at Wikipedia:Twinkle/Preferences nowhere states that twinkle preferences are actually stored on a wiki page, and are hence public (unlike the mediawiki preferences). A js-savvy user could easily understand what they mean (and even a not-so-savvy user could copy-paste someone else's preferences and then go to the twinkle preferences panel). Also, the page doesn't mention that the prefs will be released under the default wikipedia license. (Not sure if there's a copyright/privacy violation in there anywhere, but you might want to look into this.)
Someone might want to take a look at this commit I did downstream back in 2012. It includes a function to softcode namespace names in regex creation for the unlink tool in morebits.js. Devs may want to properly implement that upstream. The benefit would be that the regex would work on any wikipedia without problem.
There's a script at hi:User:Siddhartha Ghai/twinkle.js which loads for me a personal version of twinkle from various user subpages. The only difference from the gadget version is that the header and footer have been kept separate. Devs might want to consider separating them again since using this script, changes in one module can be tested easily with the other live modules (i.e copy one module to your userspace, make some changes, use hi:User:Siddhartha Ghai/twinkle.js to load the default gadget, only replacing the changed module with the userspace subpage instead of the mediawiki page) and you can test the changes live!
Over the past 1.5 months I've done a lot of updates to the gadget at hi.wp (stuff dating from May 2012 to October 2013). I'm just giving a heads up since I may have to take a long wikibreak and if the gadget breaks there, someone might complain here. Anything that was implemented after mid-October hasn't been implemented there (including the mediawiki js deprecations removal)
Oh, and it seems that Jimbo uses Twinkle too, in case any of the devs ever want to do an April Fool's prank for users in the founder group ;) --Siddhartha Ghai (talk) 16:14, 27 April 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Wow, even Jimbo Wales uses Twinkle? Man, this is just reason enough to get all autoconfirmed users in good standing to get Twinkle, even if they're not planning on using it often. It's just an awesome tool. --k6ka (talk | contribs) 21:51, 28 April 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I'm considering adding a line to the top of the preferences panel saying "Note that your preferences will be released publicly as JavaScript code in a subpage of your user page." Thoughts? Eman235/talk 06:01, 1 September 2014 (UTC)[reply]

If you really want to do it, perhaps something less technical would be better: "Note that your preferences are stored in (a subpage of your user page). Only you (and Wikipedia administrators) can modify your preferences, but the settings you choose are visible to everyone." — This, that and the other (talk) 12:10, 1 September 2014 (UTC)[reply]

~~And now the {{-}} is boggling me. If this note is going to be put in I don't think I can do it.~~ Eman235/talk 00:38, 3 September 2014 (UTC)[reply]

*slaps self* never mind, figured it out. I made a slight change to the wording mention that it is JavaScript, not blatant text -- dunno what you think of that -- but yes, item one in this list is amended, kind of. Eman235/talk 00:48, 3 September 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Vandalism on top

Can you please move "Vandalism" to the top of the level 4 warnings? That would make it consistent with levels 1 through 3, as well as 4im.

"Vandalism" is the most common warning, and I'll often just select a level and immediately click on Submit, knowing that Vandalism is first. I've inadvertently issued Generic level 4 warnings because that's listed first. No big deal, but still.... MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 20:53, 22 January 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Any comments before this gets archived? It's certainly not an important feature request, but one which would provide a small bit of convenience and consistency. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 20:32, 10 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

This may have changed since your comment, but now when selecting Level 4 you are offered the vandalism warning by default, not the generic one. Even though generic is top of the list, as far as I can see it can only be selected by positive action: Noyster (talk), 21:12, 13 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

It hasn't changed; it still presents the Generic warning first for me. But now I see what's going on. If you're at a warning at any level (e.g. uw-vandalism1), then switch levels, it presents you with the same warning at the new level (e.g. uw-vandalism4) if that warning exists, or if it doesn't, then the first listed warning at that level. Users without custom warnings are presented with uw-vandalism1 first, so switching to level 4 gives you uw-vandalism4. However, users with custom warnings get their first custom warning first, which generally won't have a corresponding warning elsewhere, so switching to level 4 gives you the first warning listed there. Moving the vandalism warning to the top spot in level 4 would still provide consistency for everybody, as well as convenience for users with custom warnings. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 23:32, 13 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I checked the code and Mandarax is right. But, why is level 4 the only level to have a generic template. I wonder. Fixing this is easy but I guess TTO must have done it for a reason. --QEDK ♠ T ♥ C 08:27, 22 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I simply thought it would be more logical to put the generic one first. The symptoms Mandarax is noticing only appear in a narrow set of circumstances (when you set custom warnings or one of the single-issue groups as your default warning level at WP:TWPREFS, and then select level 4 from the warning level dropdown without having selected another level beforehand). It would be possible to alleviate this by moving uw-generic4 one spot lower, but that would make the layout of the level 4 warning dropdown less logical for all users... — This, that and the other (talk) 12:33, 22 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

It would be just as logical to have it last. After you've looked at the other choices, if none of them is appropriate, you'd come to the generic one. As I mentioned above, having vandalism first would make level 4 consistent with the other levels. I don't really see why uw-generic4 should be listed under "Common warnings" at all. From what I've seen, far from being common, it's very rarely used. Personally, I've never intentionally used it. MANdARAX • XAЯAbИAM 10:24, 23 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Prods

I've lately seen several situations in which the prodding editor notified the page's creator, even though it was created as a redirect. For example, Czar created Review of Education as a redirect, someone else converted it into a stub, and when a third editor prodded it using Twinkle, Czar was notified, but the converting editor wasn't. WP:PROD says Prodding an article via Twinkle will automatically inform the article's creator. Would it be possible to have Twinkle notify the first editor who made it a non-redirect? Nyttend (talk) 18:07, 2 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Twinkle currently doesn't have AI-enabled. We're still waiting for the moon juice and unobtainium supplies to arrive before we can work on it. The thing you're asking us to do requires human judgement. --QEDK ♠ T ♥ C 08:31, 22 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Alternative welcome talkback templates?

Does the community have any input on an idea for adding templates like {{talkbacktiny}} and {{whisperback}} to Twinkle? —George8211 / T 19:50, 10 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I honestly already think there are too many welcome choices by default in Twinkle. What I would suggest if you want those templates listed is to go to the Twinkle preferences page and add them to your list as custom welcome templates. — {{U|Technical 13}} ^{(e • t • c)} 20:08, 10 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]
- I meant talkback templates, oops. —George8211 / T 20:16, 10 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]
  - Adding a talkback template to your custom welcomes does work, incidentally. However, there is a rather obvious problem with doing this, as there is no option for custom edit summaries. See this test. Eman235/talk 21:16, 10 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]
  - I personally use custom WP:WikiLove scripts (User:Technical 13/Scripts/ACC WikiLove && User:Technical 13/Scripts/Teahouse WikiLove) for applying welcome messages. You can also put your TBs in the tag module as custom scripts. Alternatively, you could have a script written for you like User:Technical 13/Scripts/teahouseTalkbackLink.js that you can customize. — {{U|Technical 13}} ^{(e • t • c)} 22:40, 10 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]
    - Not done I don't think we need anymore. Although, it's easy, Twinkle is already bloated with features. Unless a lot of people need it, there's no point. And then if you really need it, you have the custom template module. --QEDK ♠ T ♥ C 06:36, 24 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Redlinked edit summary

I'm not sure how it caused this to render weird in the edit summary, but correctly on the page itself. — kikichugirl ^speak up! 09:02, 19 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Whoa! I think Twinkle is not expecting the user to type in the User talk: prefix. It doesn't appear to break the template, but it clearly doesn't do much good for the edit summary. This is something we can fix. — This, that and the other (talk) 11:23, 19 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

{{W-screen}} - what's happened to the bouncy ball

I like the bouncy ball in {{W-screen}}, but I've noticed it's been missing when I've added it to some user talk pages recently - eg User talk:Daxueshan. Is Twinkle quietly adding the "Static=true" parameter? If so, please can we have the original version as an option on the Twinkle menu. Was there any discussion as to whether editors choosing that template prefer it with or without the bouncy ball? PamD 16:19, 21 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I just checked and it seems, yes, we do add the static=true parameter. This is something we can fix. --QEDK ♠ T ♥ C 06:49, 22 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I'm sure there was discussion. Let me be clear, that bouncing ball is a horrible intrusion on the sanity of our new users - they are forced to watch it continually go up and down, up and down, etc. every time they view their user talk page! Unless they figure out how to remove it, of course, but they probably will have been put off editing by that point. I certainly won't be having anything to do with removing that static parameter - I'll leave the decision up to others. — This, that and the other (talk) 07:00, 22 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

There wasn't. I searched for the keyword, "bouncy ball" and the only related thread was [1]. I never use it so I'm fine either way. --QEDK ♠ T ♥ C 08:17, 22 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I've commented on the issue on GitHub. I don't think that |static=true should be removed from the way that Twinkle applies the template and if people want that option, they should simply add it as a custom welcome template or use one of the other available scripts that posts the template with the globe bouncing. — {{U|Technical 13}} ^{(e • t • c)} 21:59, 24 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I've got no idea what or where this "GitHub" is, to comment there. I don't see why the template should be applied by Twinkle in other than its default state. Please offer it as an option on Twinkle in its default state, with bouncy ball, as it used to be until a few weeks ago. I wouldn't know how to create a "custom welcome template" etc ... and doing so would mean that users I welcomed missed out on any updates or improvements to the W-screen template. Thanks. PamD 20:10, 2 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Looking at the discussion QEDK quoted above, I see that it was at my request that {{W-screen}} was included in Twinkle's menu, and This-that-and-the-other commented then that they didn't like the bouncy ball. But I do. In fact I nicked it from that welcome template to add to my user page. Someone has decided to add the "static" parameter, and I would like it to be removed, or made (non-technically) optional. PamD 20:15, 2 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Although I understand that you like the bouncy ball, Pam, I think there are more of us who prefer not to have it in the template, judging by comments here and at the template talk page. In any case, you are by all means free to add {{W-screen}} to your custom welcome templates using WP:TWPREFS so you may have it in Twinkle for your own use. I hope this helps you. — This, that and the other (talk) 06:59, 3 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

It's the new editors who receive this image who would benefit from having an easily found option to stop the bouncing. The senders never see it: Noyster (talk), 09:29, 3 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I'll say this one more time to be clear. It is easier to have it in Twinkle with the static parameter by default and to have it as a custom welcome template without the parameter (allowing the bouncy ball) and it would be very difficult for people to add it as a custom template with a parameter set (to disable the bouncy ball). Despite the fact that I like the bouncy ball version better (and why I use the bouncy ball version in my wikilove script), it is technically better for Twinkle to offer the no bouncy ball by default. If you need help setting it up as a custom welcome template, I'd be happy to help. — {{U|Technical 13}} ^{(e • t • c)} 12:54, 3 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

@Technical 13: Thank you for this clarity. I hadn't seen any statement that it was "easier" to have the static version in Twinkle, only that various people don't like the bouncy ball. I may need some help in adding it as a custom template but am still experimenting. PamD 13:27, 3 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

OK, I give up: how do I add the bouncing version to my Twinkle Preferences, please? PamD 13:40, 3 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

PamD, go to Wikipedia:Twinkle/Preferences#twinkle-config-section-12, click on Edit items, type W-screen in input box under "Template name (no curly brackets)" and something like {{W-screen}}: bouncy ball welcome under "Text to show in Welcome dialog", click Save changes, click Save changes. Then, to confirm that it was saved properly, go to your twinkleoptions.js page and make sure the following code is there:

//... some stuff here
  "friendly": {
    //... some stuff here possibly
    "customWelcomeList": [
      {
        "value": "W-screen",
        "label": "{{W-screen}}: bouncy ball welcome"
      }
      //... some stuff here possibly
    ]
//... some more stuff here maybe
// End of twinkleoptions.js

— {{U|Technical 13}} ^{(e • t • c)} 14:40, 3 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

@Technical 13: Thanks - Success! I think I got confused by the "Add" button within that "Edit items" dialogue, tried various variations but couldn't get it to work. Apologies for the clutter on your talkpage edit history, but I'm not aware of a "User:Sandbox" to use for testing stuff like welcome templates etc - is there anything? Thanks for your help. PamD 16:23, 3 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

PamD you could use User:ThisIsaTest. That's an account used in new admin school for blocking, but should be fine for testing twinkle as well. Martijn Hoekstra (talk) 16:25, 3 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Suggested extra warning

We haven't got anything ideal for those users who keep uploading copyright images. Thus I've "borrowed" the one from commons and fixed it for here, it would be nice to add it to the warning list. See Template:End of copyvios Ronhjones ^(Talk) 21:26, 21 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Support - Although I feel an onslaught of too bitey nay sayers :P Mlpearc (open channel) 21:37, 21 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

It's quite easy to add but then unless it has a lot of usage, there's really no point. You can load it in the custom welcome module if you really need it, anyway. --QEDK ♠ T ♥ C 06:54, 22 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Ah, not played with the custom templates - thanks - I'll do that. Ronhjones ^(Talk) 23:31, 22 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I think Twinkle should group inside {{Multiple issues}} when two issues supported by that template are selected, not three because it doesn't make sense. --ToonLucas22 (talk) 21:07, 24 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

@ToonLucas22: I think it could be because two amboxes are fine, but three is unsightly. That's just my guess though. —George8211 / T 20:18, 2 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Section level

Hi! When I use Twinkle do propose pages for deletion, those pages are logged by Twinkle to a deletion log in my userspace (User:Vanjagenije/Deletion log). Deletion log uses separate sections for every month. But, those are level 3 sections (===December 2014===). Is it possible to change this to level 2 sections (==December 2014==). I want the bot to archive my log, but bots cannot archive level 3 (sub)sections, only level 2 sections. Thanks! Vanjagenije (talk) 16:26, 26 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Well, the bots ought to be smarter :) Changing this is not trivial, because of the need to ensure compatibility with existing deletion logs using level 3 headers. — This, that and the other (talk) 10:53, 28 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Move {{uw-salt}} to "Single issue warnings"

{{uw-salt}} is currently in the "Single issue notices" section of the Warn thing on Twinkle, but I think it should be moved to the "Single issue warnings" section, because it looks more like a warning than a notice. --ToonLucas22 (talk) 19:37, 28 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Proposal for improvement

Currently Twinkle has a function to report an user that is edit warring. This works very well. However, more often than not an edit war occurs between multiple users. So I was wondering I if would be possible to change/add to the function so you that you could, if desired, report more than one user within the same edit war report. T v x1 20:04, 28 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]