Help:Editing pages

It's very easy to edit the contents of a wiki:

1. Click the "Edit" page tab at the top of the page. Clicking "edit" opens the normal source editor.
   • The WikiEditor has syntax hightlighting, which can be enabled by clicking on .
2. Make changes to the text.
3. Click the "Save page" button.

Simple as that!

Editing rules, editing conventions, and formatting

The number one rule of wiki editing is to be bold. Go ahead - make changes. Other people can correct any mistakes you make, so have confidence, and give it a try! There are all kinds of editing conventions, rules, and philosophies for the editing of wiki pages, but the "be bold" rule is the most important of these! But all rules have exceptions, and you should take care when editing templates, as this can affect hundreds of pages. In this case, you should ask the community first unless you fully understand the implications - but don't worry about editing regular wiki pages.

An edit can contribute whole new paragraphs or pages of information, or it can be as simple as fixing a typo or a spelling mistake. In general, try to add or edit text so that it is clear and concise. Most importantly, make sure you are always aiming to do something which improves the contents of the wiki.

When you need to use some type of formatting, such as for a new headings or bolding of text, you do this using wiki syntax (also called wiki markup) or the buttons in the edit toolbar above the editing zone. See Formatting for some of the common types of formatting used.

Remember you should always aim to improve the overall contents of the wiki with your edits.

Edit summary

Before you save a change, you can enter a short note in the "Summary:" box describing your changes. Don't worry too much about this, or spend too much time thinking about it: just put in a short description of what you just changed. For example, you might say "fixed typo" or "added more information about game mechanics".

This summary gets stored alongside your edit, and allows people to track changes in the wiki more effectively.

Preview

It's a good idea to use either the "Show preview" button at the bottom of the page to see what your change will look like, before you save it. This is also related to tracking changes, because every time you save this is displayed to others as a separate change. This isn't something to worry about too much, but it's good to get into the habit of eliminating mistakes in your own work, by using a preview before saving, rather than saving, then having to do another edit just to make one or more minor corrections.

Show changes

Another option is the "Show changes" button, which allows you to see the differences between the current version and your edited version. This might take some getting used to for contributors who are not familiar with "diff"-type formatting, but spending a little time getting familiar with that type of display can pay off in the long run.

Discussion

Every article has its own "talk page" where you can ask questions, make suggestions, or discuss corrections.

Protected pages

Some pages are protected so that only certain users can edit them. Pages may be protected for a variety of reasons, such as due to vandalism or being a high traffic page, such as the main page. They can also be protected at a variety of lengths and levels. If you cannot edit a page because it is protected, it is best to post a request on the talk page of the article in question for someone to make the edit you think needs making. Usually, someone with the privileges to edit that page will see the post and make the edit. Other times, you may need to make a post at the admin noticeboard or contact individual admins. In the case of the main page, you can make suggestions in an editcopy version. These may then be approved and used on the actual main page.

Good luck, colonist!