Help:Linking

Links are basically words enclosed by square brackets. A valid link, i.e., a link to an existing page, is blue, while an invalid link is red.

Regular Linking
Regular linking means that you just enclose the name of the article in the square brackets, and that is then the way it will be presented in the article.
 * User:Squallinoa_08  links to User:Squallinoa_08

Labels
A label is a text-string added to a link, so that one can link to an article, but have the link say something other than the name of the article. There are basically two ways of labeling; Piped Labeling and Add-On Labeling.

Piped Labeling
Piped Labeling is done by adding a pipe between the actual link and the label you wish to present.
 * Bryson  links to User:Squallinoa_08, but the label appears as Bryson, i.e., it ends up looking like this: Bryson

Piped Labeling can contain symbols and multiple words.
 * Bryson is @ the $-makers' house called WebCam-a-lot (example of multiple words and symbols)

Add-On Labeling
Add-On Labels is text "added on" to the link. It is written directly after the two closing square brackets of a link.
 * User:Squallinoa_08   pqrs links to User:Squallinoa_08, but the label appears as User:Squallinoa_08 Xpqrs, looking like User:Squallinoa_08pqrs.

However, Add-On Labeling is, due to its restrictions, usually only used for adding plural "s"es or "ing" suffixes to a link, i.e. writing Dingos instead of Dingos or Petrifying instead of Petrifying. The restrictions are that any symbol, even uppercase letters, can break the label.
 * User:Squallinoa_08pqRs (case of an uppercase letter breaking the label)
 * User:Squallinoa_08's page, User:Squallinoa_08-alot, User:Squallinoa_08is@home (cases of a symbol breaking the label)

Mixing
It is possible to mix both types of labeling, but there really is no point, since what is written as the Add-On Label might as well be a part of the Piped Label.
 * Brysonpqrs (code is Bryson    pqrs )
 * Brysonpqrs (code is Brysonpqrs   )

Mixing links with other coding
It is possible to mix links with other coding. Most coding can be done like with regular text, while others (HTML based codes) must be mixed with the Piped Label.

External Linking
To make an external link, just write the URL. Please note that this means that the http:// part is needed. Simply starting the link with www. will not work.
 * http://deadoralive.wikia.com/ automatically turns into http://deadoralive.wikia.com/

However, if you wish to label the link, you must enclose it in single square brackets and write the label after a space as opposed to after a pipe. It has the same properties as a Piped Label though.
 * [ http://deadoralive.wikia.com/  DOAWiki main page  ] (note the space between the URL and the label) becomes DOAWiki main page

Add-On Labeling is not possible with external links.
 * [ http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/  DOAWiki main page  ]  blah gives DOAWiki main pageblah (note that "blah" is not part of the label)

Subpages
Subpages, can be linked to like regular articles, as long as the entire path is there.
 * User:Squallinoa_08/Sandbox  gives User:Squallinoa_08/Sandbox

It is likewise possible to label them as regular links.

Section linking
Sections of a page are determined by the use of "="s as headers in a page. In order to direct a link towards a certain section of a page, the "#" symbol must be used inside the link. To do this, link to a page as normal, but immediately after the page name, insert an # and the name of the section desired.


 * Ein gives Ein

Piped linking is usually utilized when linking to sections of a page in mainspace articles.


 * Ein  gives Ein

Pipe Trick
The Pipe Trick is a variation of normal piped linking. It serves to cut down the amount of piping needed for linking to disambigs, other spaces and titles with colons or commas. For example, if you wished to link to the page Dead or Alive (series) and show it as Dead or Alive, you can type Dead or Alive. Using the pipe trick, you would only need to type Dead or Alive (series). When saved, the MediaWiki software automatically expands the latter example to the former. This saves a lot of time and effort if you're fixing a lot of links.

Please note that the pipe trick does not cut down on actual content, it simply reduces typing. The link expands automatically when the page is saved. If you have any difficulties or questions, please contact me or read this page.