Adding To The Wiki Tutorial 2021

 

Tutorial 3

Hello!

Booooy has it been a while!  A lot has changed everywhere!  Are you doing more sewing at home?  I hope so!  

Would you like to add listings to the Vintage Patterns Wiki?  A lot has changed there, too!  My previous tutorials are less than helpful these days.  So I thought I would write you a new one!

Here's my previous ones:  (Note:  They are not entirely accurate now but may still be useful)

*  Adding Links to the Vintage Pattern Wiki (Part 1)

*  Adding Patterns to the Vintage Pattern Wiki  (Part 2)

While adding links is more or less the same (I'll go over what's changed), adding patterns is a LOT different.  It's become more labor intensive, but it is really NOT very much more complicated.  This is going to be a LONG tutorial, but I'm sure you can get something out of it.

First things first:  This is written for people using the CHROME browser in WINDOWS on a PC.  I don't know if it will work the same in every other browser, or with other operating systems.  I do not recommend using a phone or a tablet to do this.  I recommend you use a PC.  

I DON'T RECOMMEND THIS FOR COMPLETE COMPUTER BEGINNERS.  If this looks too scary for you, well, I still believe you can do it, but maybe practice a little first. :)  If you have used and made edits to the Wiki before, you can probably do this no problem.

The first step is to make sure the pattern you want to add isn't already in the wiki.  If it is, well, you don't need to add it!   Let's go over again how to do that.

First, load the Wiki.  After the part that says "wiki" in the address bar, type in your pattern name.  The format is  "Brand Name Underscore Pattern Number"  If that pattern exists in the Wiki, it'll load that page.

In some cases, that won't be the pattern you're looking for... in that case add "underscore A," "underscore B," etc., until you find the one you're looking for.  If you don't find the one you're looking for, you have to add it!  In this case, I'm looking for a 1920s Butterick pattern.  When you're ready to add, click "create this page."

A blank source editor will pop up.

MEANWHILE, in another tab, open a pattern wiki page that already exists.  It doesn't matter what it's called or what page it is, just so long as the formatting is correct.  We're going to use this to transfer the format over to our listing.  DON'T CLOSE THE TAB of the page you're creating.

Again, we're just going to use a previously-published pattern to use the formatting for a new listing.  So, it doesn't matter which listing it is... we just need the formatting since the old way of using a template is gone.  We're basically making our own template.

On this page, click the purple arrow on the right.  Click "EDIT SOURCE"

Edit source is here!

When you open that page, RIGHT CLICK anywhere where the text is.  Then click "SELECT ALL."

Like this.

Now, while everything is highlighted, right click again and select "COPY."  (Note:  You can also type "Ctl+C.")

This is very VERY important.  HIT CANCEL.  DO NOT SAVE.  HIT CANCEL.

Now, switch back over to the "create listing" tab you started earlier.  You're going to paste in the information from the listing you just copied.

In the blank listing you have started, right click, and click "PASTE." 

(Note:  You can also type "Ctl-V.")  This will paste in that information from the other listing.

Now, you have to remove what you don't need.  You want to keep the formatting, but get rid of all the information about the other pattern.  Keep headings and stuff that is the same in every listing.  Delete everything else.  Delete other vendors, links to blogs, etc.  But MAKE SURE you keep those category headings.

For example

Delete this stuff.  We'll add categories back later.  (Again, DON'T delete headings and important stuff.)

Next, the first thing you want to do is add your picture.  Assuming you have taken a picture or scanned one in of the pattern you want to add.  Put your cursor in the spot indicated in the picture, and click the little button that looks like a picture.

When you click, a pop-up occurs.  Don't freak out!

The pop up will ask you if you want to use a picture that's already been uploaded.  This is pretty annoying, since you probably don't want to do that!  Ignore those pictures and click "Upload."  

(Note:  If your pattern already exists (which you should have already checked,) the picture might be there.  Make SURE the pattern isn't already in the Wiki.

Another box will pop up.  Agree to the terms by clicking on the box, and then click "Select File."  Pick the picture of the pattern you want to add.  Or, you can drag it to the grey box, either way.

After you do that, ANOTHER screen will pop up.  Put in a brief description... (it can be as simple as the name of the pattern,) and then click "SAVE."

Now, yet another window will pop up.  It should show the image you just uploaded.  Click "USE THIS IMAGE."

Yet another annoying window will pop up.  Just ignore it and click "Insert."

Now the image is inserted as Wikitext code.  You need to edit it a little bit.  You need to make sure you add "|align=left|"  and "|400px"  You might want to make it 350 px if your image is especially large.  

This tells the code where to put the image (on the left side of the page) and how big it should be (400 pixels.)  If you don't do this, the default is all wrong and will mess up the listing.

Now you want to add your pattern's description.  One space under the picture code, but above "links to reviews/blog posts," write the description of your pattern.

The usual format is "name of pattern (semicolon) ca. date of pattern (semicolon) title of pattern (period) pattern description."

If you're confused, just look at other listings or the picture above about how writing the description works.

Next, scroll down to the "add categories" section.  It goes one space under the "wishlist" part.  (I usually add my shop link later, more about that in a bit.)

The format is "(two left brackets) Category (colon) Name of category (two right brackets)"

Look at the picture above.  When you start to type a category, it should pop up and you can just click it and it'll finish the category entry for you.  Add as many categories as you want.  You can always add more after you publish the listing.  (*Or Tarna will often add more for you.)

When you've added all the categories you want, your listing is more or less done!  We want to check it to make sure nothing looks wrong.  Click "preview" and you can make sure it looks ok before you publish it.  If you just want to give up (I hope you don't!) click "Cancel."

It'll pop up a window of the way your entry looks.  If it looks good, great!  You can click "Save Changes."  If something looks wrong, click "Resume Editing" and you can fix it.

Then your listing is officially published!  YOU DID IT!

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NOW.  I bet you're wondering how to add your shop to the listing.  This part is easy.  You can do it on a listing you made, or any listing in the Wiki that's already there.

This is MUCH easier.

Click on "Edit Source" next to "Sources/Vendors."

If there's other shops already listed, make sure you put yours last.

The format is listed above. "*[[Your shop link your shop name]]"

You can preview to make sure it looks okay, or click "save."

And that's it!

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I hope you found this helpful.  If you have any questions, please feel free to drop them in the comments.  Please visit all the Pattern Patter Team shops by searching "PPTP" or "Pattern Patter Team" on Etsy.

Let's Add Patterns To The Vintage Pattern Wiki!

Hello pattern fans!

Here comes another addition of our tutorial series.  Maybe you read our last article about ADDING LINKS to the Vintage Pattern Wikia.

Now it's time to step up and learn how to add a whole new pattern entry.  You can do it, I believe in you!

Again, this is for the CHROME browser, I don't know if it will work the same in every other browser, but it should be similar.  I recommend using a PC and not your phone or tablet.

Let's get started.

Okay, the first step is to make sure that the pattern isn't already in the Wiki.  (For more information on that, please see the previous tutorial.)  Once you've confirmed the pattern doesn't already exist, it's time to add it yourself!

In the above case, Vogue 8449 and Vogue 8449 A were not the pattern for which I was looking.  So, I needed to make "Vogue 8449 B" and add the pattern myself.  First off, click on "Create article [Your Pattern Name]"

That will pop up a window that looks like the one above.  You want to start with adding a photo.  Click "Add a photo."

Click "Choose File" and select your picture of the pattern.  It shouldn't be sized too large.  Also, give it a unique name, so it won't have the same name as any other photo in the library.  If it does conflict, it will tell you, make sure you don't write over anyone else's photo.

After you've selected your file, click "Upload."

An "uploaded photo" page will pop up.  Size the photo to 350 pixels.  You can type it in, or use the slider.   Then click the dot to make sure the pattern picture gets aligned on the left.  Then click "Add photo."

After you upload the photo, it will appear in the main Wiki listing editing page.  The little green thing there is a "notice."  It instructs you to switch to "source mode" which will make it easier to carefully edit the listing.  Click on "source" in the tab to the upper right.

This is what "source mode" looks like.  It looks a little intimidating, but don't be afraid!

Okay, we have to do a lot of things here.  First, you can delete the notice.  Just backspace over it or highlight it and delete it.  See the [[File...]] part?  That's the code that is your pattern picture.  Write the description of the pattern directly under that piece of code.

The method the Wiki likes to use is "[Pattern Brand Name] [Pattern Number]; ," followed by ca. [Pattern date]; followed by [Pattern Title] and [Pattern Description]  (Don't type the brackets.)  If you don't know the exact date, just put "1950s", or "1960s."  If the pattern has a date on it, put that date.

 Read some other pattern listings to get a feel for the format.

Since we aren't adding links to blogs or shops here, you can remove the parts next to the pink asterisks.  Make sure you don't delete the headings.

You can ignore everything else.

Here's what it looks like after I typed in my description.  See how I added the description?  Also, note how I deleted the links to blogs/vendors.

At this point I usually switch back to "Visual" mode to make sure nothing looks weird.

If everything looks good, you can move on.  Adding a few categories is usually a good idea.  "Vintage Sewing Pattern" is in every entry.  You should also use the brand of the pattern as a tag, and the year or decade it was made.  The category suggestions will pop up as you type. You don't need to add too many categories.  A moderator will add more to make sure everything gets put in the right place.  Of course, if you think a category should be added that doesn't already exist, go ahead and add it, but don't be offended if a moderator removes it.

Here's me adding some categories.

Alright, we're almost done!  It's not finished until you click "Publish."

And that's that!

A couple of things:

-  If you mess up, don't freak out... a moderator can probably fix something if you can't figure it out.
-  I know it looks intimidating, but after a few tries it will be second nature.
-  Be careful not to add a pattern that already exists.
-  Remember not to add any patterns that are from after about 1990.

If you have any questions, I can try to help, but I'm no expert!  I hope you'll give it a try, as the Wikia is such a great resource for us all.

Let's Add Links To The Vintage Sewing Patterns Wikia: A Tutorial For Beginners

So, you want to know how to add links to the Vintage Sewing Patterns Wikia, but it seems kind of complicated!  Not to worry, I can help.  It's not as scary as it seems.

Let me give you a simple tutorial on adding your pattern link to the Wikia.

First, of course you have to go to the Vintage Sewing Patterns Wiki at http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page or by clicking HERE.

NOTE: These are instructions when using the CHROME browser.  I don't know if all of these will work in other browsers, but it should be just about the same.

It's probably a good idea to have the pattern you want to add opened in one tab, and the Wikia opened in another.  Then you can easily flip back and forth between them.

Next, you want to find the pattern to which you want to add your link.

In this case, I was looking for Vogue 1015, a pattern designed by Bill Blass.  If a pattern is already in the database, it will pop up.  You can highlight either the Vogue 1015 or Vogue 1015 A and hit "Enter,"  Make sure you use the search bar on the main Wikia homepage.

In this case, Vogue_1015 was the correct pattern I was looking for.  But if it wasn't, you can add an "underscore" plus "A" to the end of the address and hit "Enter" again to look at the next entry in the Wikia.

This is me hypothetically typing the "_A" to check the next Wiki article.  But since it was the correct entry on the first try, we don't have to do that.

So, now we'll scroll down to add our link!

See that little "Edit" next to "Sources/Vendors"?  Click there. :)

Now in this case, some people have already added links.  That's good, because it's easier for you.  Put your cursor at the end of the last link, and hit "Enter."  This will give you a new line with a new block next to it.

Now, you want to click on that funny looking button up there.  That's the "Add Link" button.

This new window will pop up.  It looks kind of scary, but don't be afraid.  You can do this!

Where it says "Target page or URL" you copy/paste the link to the pattern in your shop.

Where it says "Text to display" you type the name of your shop.

Then you need to hit "OK" to save it.

Now, if you want to add a size next to the name of your shop... you can do that now.   Don't add it as part of the link, write it after you've added the link.   Then when you're done, make sure you hit "PUBLISH" to save it.

THAT'S IT!!!

So, we looked at what to do if links are already there.. but what if they aren't?  Don't worry, it's not much different.

See, no links!  What should you do?  Well, click the edit button just like last time.

This time, we're going to edit in "Source Mode"  This is the better way to edit Wikia.  Click the "Source" button.

This time, you're going to type in your link manually.

-  First, type an asterisk.
-  Next, type a left bracket like this:  [
-  Then, copy/paste the link to your listing.
-  Then, type one space
-  Then, type the name of your shop
-  Then, type the right bracket like this: ]

Then, you can hit publish.  If you want, before publishing, you can switch back to visual mode by clicking the "Visual" button to check to make sure everything looks okay.

Either way, make sure you hit "PUBLISH" or it won't save.

And that's all!!!!

Later, we'll talk about adding a whole new pattern listing to Wikia.  It's a bit more complicated but we'll give it a go, right? :)