Wiki: Message Templates

High-Level Overview

How to

General

What are message templates?

This topic is inspired by Wikipedia:Template messages. Message Template (or simply a “template” for short) is a standardized block of text that points to a specific characteristic of an article. You can put a template to any article if you want to draw reader's attention to some specific feature of the topic. Feel free to add and remove templates from your articles but please do not change template wording unless specifically directed to do so by template usage guidance.

NOTE: For examples of each sign, click the tag related to the template. It is located after the code of each template (see below).

ISSUE: One issue is that by putting these at the top of your article, that's the intro text grabbed for scenarios like search results (Google, Bing, TechNet Wiki search), RSS feed summaries, and when an article is featured. So you might want to start with an intro paragraph or sentence first.

How do I use a message template?

To put a template to an article page please do the following.

Go to this page.
Chose the template you need.
Locate the HTML code for the template. It is directly below the template example.
Select and copy the entire code snippet.
Go to the page that needs the template.
Open the article in “Edit” mode.
- NOTE: For more information on how to use the Edit mode, please see Wiki: Using the Editor.
Click Edit HTML Source.
In the HTML Source Editor window, move your cursor to the very beginning ot the HTML source.
Paste the code of the template (that's what you copied in step 4).
Click Update to close the HTML Source Editor windows and go back to the WYSIWYG editor mode.
Check that the template is now present in the top of the article and all the text below it is okay.
Click Save.

Template short form

Every template also has a “Short form” version. It does not show the template message until you hover your mouse over its picture or title. It may be useful to save space when there are a lot of templates (3+) placed on one page and you prefer to place tham one-by-one instead of stacked. This type of template is a bit harder to use because you would need basic HTML skills in order to place each template as a separate cell in one table (that unites all the templates).

Note: a template means a tag!

Here is one very important thing about templates: every template is meant to have a related tag. The template does not replace the tag! It just adds a visualization and clarity. When placing a template in an article—please, please, please don't forget to add the template tag to the list of other tags (it is located below the WYSIWYG editor box). When removing the template—please remove the tag as well.

How do I edit these templates?

If you wish to change something in existing templates, please avoid editing this page (either code or samples), if you are not completely, absolutely sure what are you doing. (Hint: you will need significant HTML editing skills for it!). If in doubt whether you could edit a template correctly please leave a comment to this page or participate in the templates discussion at TechNet Wiki Forums. Thanks in advance!

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Content type templates

Discussion

This topic is a discussion.
There's no best practice that suits all environments. This article presents different options and points of view. If you disagree with some point — do not delete. Add your own thoughts and considerations instead. If they conflict with what was already written by others — mark yours as an “Alternate opinion”.

Template code

<table align="center"

style="background-color: #eee; width: 80%; border: #aaa 1px solid;">

<tbody>

<tr>

<td>

</td>

<td>

<strong>This topic is a <em>discussion.</em></strong><br />

There's no best practice that suits all environments. This article

presents different options and points of view. If you disagree with some

point — <strong>do not delete</strong>. Add your own thoughts and

considerations instead. If they conflict with what was already written by

others — mark yours as an “Alternate opinion”.

</td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

Short form (one message view example)

Discussion

Template code

<tr>

<td>

</td>

<acronym style="cursor: help;"

title="There's no best practice that suits all environments. This article presents different options and points of view. If you disagree with some point — do not delete. Add your own thoughts and considerations instead. If they conflict with what was already written by others — mark yours as an “Alternate opinion”.">

<table align="center" style="background-color: #eee;

border: #aaa 1px solid; width: 100%;">

<tr>

</td>

<td>

<strong>Discussion</strong>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

</acronym>

</td>

<td>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

The tag related to this template is Discussion.

NOTE: Click the tag to see examples of this template.

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High-level Overview

This topic is a high-level overview.
Here we discuss theory and general concepts. Do not be too specific. Avoid referencing specific product names or procedures (except as required for examples).

Template code

<table align="center"

style="background-color: #eee; width: 80%; border: #aaa 1px solid;">

<tbody>

<tr>

</td>

<td>

<strong>This topic is a <em>high-level overview.</em></strong><br />

Here we discuss theory and general concepts. Do not be too specific.

Avoid referencing specific product names or procedures (except as required

for examples).

</td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

Short form (two messages view example)

High-Level Overview

Template code

<tr>

<td>

</td>

<acronym style="cursor: help;"

title="Here we discuss theory and general concepts. Do not be too specific. Avoid referencing specific product names or procedures (except as required for examples).">

<table align="center" style="background-color: #eee;

border: #aaa 1px solid; width: 100%;">

<tr>

</td>

<td>

<strong>High-Level Overview</strong>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

</acronym>

</td>

<acronym style="cursor: help;"

title="Here we discuss theory and general concepts. Do not be too specific. Avoid referencing specific product names or procedures (except as required for examples).">

<table align="center" style="background-color: #eee;

border: #aaa 1px solid; width: 100%;">

<tr>

</td>

<td>

<strong>High-Level Overview</strong>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

</acronym>

</td>

<td>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

The tag related to this template is High Level.

NOTE: Click the tag to see examples of this template.

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How to

This topic is a how to.
Please keep it as clear and simple as possible. Avoid speculative discussions as well as a deep dive into underlying mechanisms or related technologies.

Template code

<table align="center"

style="background-color: #eee; width: 80%; border: #aaa 1px solid;">

<tbody>

<tr>

</td>

<td>

<strong>This topic is a <em>how to.</em><br />

</strong>Please keep it as clear and simple as possible. Avoid

speculative discussions as well as a deep dive into underlying mechanisms

or related technologies.

</td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

Short form (three messages view example)

How to

Template code

<tr>

<td>

</td>

<acronym style="cursor: help;"

title="Please keep it as clear and simple as possible. Avoid speculative discussions as well as deep dive into underlying mechanisms or related technologies.">

<table align="center" style="background-color: #eee;

border: #aaa 1px solid; width: 100%;">

<tr>

</td>

<td>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

</acronym>

</td>

<acronym style="cursor: help;"

title="Please keep it as clear and simple as possible. Avoid speculative discussions as well as deep dive into underlying mechanisms or related technologies.">

<table align="center" style="background-color: #eee;

border: #aaa 1px solid; width: 100%;">

<tr>

</td>

<td>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

</acronym>

</td>

<acronym style="cursor: help;"

title="Please keep it as clear and simple as possible. Avoid speculative discussions as well as deep dive into underlying mechanisms or related technologies.">

<table align="center" style="background-color: #eee;

border: #aaa 1px solid; width: 100%;">

<tr>

</td>

<td>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

</acronym>

</td>

<td>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

The tag related to this template is How To.

NOTE: Click the tag to see examples of this template.

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More to do

(please add your suggestions here or post in forum)

This topic is a Stub.
This topic is a Link Collection.
This topic is for Troubleshooting.
This topic is a Reference Table.
This topic is a Knowledge Base list.
This topic is a Deep Dive.

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Content style templates

Vendor-agnostic

This topic is vendor-agnostic.
Here we talk about theory that applies to any hypervisor. For specific implementation and technical details please refer to other topics, for example those tagged “Hyper-V” and “How To”.

Template code

<table align="center"

style="background-color: #eee; width: 80%; border: #aaa 1px solid;">

<tbody>

<tr>

</td>

<td>

<strong>This topic is <em>vendor-agnostic.</em></strong><br />

Here we talk about theory that applies to any hypervisor. For specific

implementation and technical details please refer to other topics, for

example those tagged “<a

href="/wiki/contents/articles/tags/Hyper-V/default.aspx">Hyper-V</a>”

and “<a href="/wiki/contents/articles/tags/How+To/default.aspx">How

To</a>”.

</td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

Short form (one message view example)

Vendor-agnostic

Template code

<tr>

<td>

</td>

<acronym style="cursor: help;"

title="Here we talk about theory that applies to any hypervisor. For specific implementation and technical details please refer to other topics, for example those tagged “Hyper-V” and “How To”.">

<table align="center" style="background-color: #eee;

border: #aaa 1px solid; width: 100%;">

<tr>

</td>

<td>

<strong>Vendor-agnostic</strong>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

</acronym>

</td>

<td>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

The tag related to this template is Vendor-agnostic.

NOTE: Click the tag to see examples of this template.

Usage guidance

Please replace “hypervisor” with the name of actual discussion topic. Also edit the list of tags to make it more relevant to discussion topic.

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More to do

(please add your suggestions here or post in forum)

This topic describes troubleshooting.
This topic is related to:
- virtualization
- backup
- cryptography
- a specific product (name the product)
This topic has:
- code
- video
- anything else

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Temporary templates

Work in progress

This topic is work in progress.
Please abstain from editing it right now. You're welcome to contribute here in a couple of hours or days, though!
Please remove this sign if there are no changes made in last 48 hours.

Template code

<table align="center"

style="background-color: #eee; width: 80%; border: #aaa 1px solid;">

<tbody>

<tr>

</td>

<td>

<strong>This topic is <em>work in progress.</em></strong><br />

Please abstain from editing it right now. You're welcome to contribute

here in a couple of hours or days, though!<br />

<em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Please remove this sign if there

are no changes made in last 48 hours.</span></em>

</td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

Short form (one message view example)

Work in progress

Template code

<tr>

<td>

</td>

<acronym style="cursor: help;"

title="Please abstain from editing it right now. You're welcome to contribute here in a couple of hours or days, though! (Please remove this sign if there are no changes made in last 48 hours).">

<table align="center" style="background-color: #eee;

border: #aaa 1px solid; width: 100%;">

<tr>

</td>

<td>

<strong>Work in progress</strong>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

</acronym>

</td>

<td>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

The tag related to this template is In progress.

NOTE: Click the tag to see examples of this template.

Usage guidance

As the template says, place the template when you want to “check out” the article and politely ask the others to not edit it in order to avoid conflicts. Please remove the template as quickly as you finish your work. If you don't introduce any changes for a long time, be ready for someone to remove the template and edit the article him- or herself. Don't use this template if you just want to edit the article someday. Use it only when you are actually working on content or just took a little break.

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More to do

(please add your suggestions here or post in forum)

This topic needs work (to encourage the others to contribute).
This topic has questions (when you can't paint the whole picture yourself due to lack of knowledge in specific nuances).
This topic needs more:
- details
- sample code
- reference links
- anything else

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