Wikipedia:Userboxes 

This page documents an English Wikipedia guideline. It is a generally accepted standard that editors should follow, though it should be treated with common sense and the occasional exception. When editing this page, please ensure that your revision reflects consensus. When in doubt, discuss your idea on the talk page.
Shortcuts:
WP:UBX
WP:USERBOX
WP:USERBOXES
The following guidelines apply equally to all user templates (including any userbox or userbox-like markup), regardless of where the code resides; and regardless of whether they have been transcluded, substituted, or written from scratch. Such templates which fail to meet these guidelines may be subject to deletion.
Skip to Userbox gallery #Gallery

For the WikiProject collaboration on userboxes, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes.
For an alternative to userboxes, see also WikiProject Keep It Simple.
A userbox is a small rectangular box that looks like this. Below are more examples.
Userboxes can come in many different styles and colors.
Userboxes can have one or two sideboxes.

A userbox (commonly abbreviated as UBX) is a small colored box (see examples to the right) designed to appear only on a Wikipedian's user page as a communicative notice about the user, in order to directly (or even indirectly) help Wikipedians collaborate more effectively on articles.

The first userboxes were introduced to support the Babel inter-language effort, to indicate users' skills in other languages.

Contents

Using existing userboxes

Userboxes are for the use of users on their own user pages. It may be considered uncivil to place userboxes on other users' pages without their permission. However, userboxes may be placed on non-mainspace talk/discussion pages by anyone. (See also Wikipedia:Talk page.)

Syntax

The standard syntax for adding a userbox to your user page (also known as transclusion) is: {{user name_of_box}}.

Optional substitution

You may decide to substitute the template code onto your user page using the syntax {{subst:user name_of_box}}. The use of "subst:" will ensure that the template is always displayed in its form when you add it to your user page, i.e. it will not reflect subsequent edits to the template. This method will lead to large amounts of code on your user page.

Creating a new userbox

For help with these instructions, ask a question at Wikipedia:Requested templates.
If you wish to offer an idea for a userbox, do so on the ideas page.

If you have designed a userbox that you would like to make available to others, you may wish to first display it on the New Userboxes talk page for community comment.

Which namespace?

Should your userbox be prefixed with Template:, User:, or Wikipedia:?

Userboxes may only be created or displayed in the Template, User, or Project Namespaces. Userboxes in the Template and Project namespaces are expected to adhere more tightly with policies and guidelines, such as neutral point of view and what Wikipedia is. Traditionally, content in User: space is given more leeway than in other namespaces, so userboxes in User: space might not be as encyclopedic in nature as those in Template: or Wikipedia: namespaces.

Template:
In the template namespace, userbox names must begin with "User " (e.g. Template:User Brazil)
User:
In the user namespace, you may create a subpage of your own user page or User:UBX.
Wikipedia:
Userboxes in the project namespace are generally for WikiProject or task force membership. Simply create it as a subpage of the WikiProject.

Caution about image use

The Wikimedia Commons has a large range of icons for use within boxes. However, if you select an image from somewhere else, make certain the image license is free. Templates (which includes userboxes) or user pages may not contain any copyrighted content not under free license; so, for example, "fair use" images are explicitly forbidden. This is interpreted strictly and without exception. See Wikipedia's fair use policy guidelines for more details.

Caution about user categories

Main article: Wikipedia:User categories
See also: Wikipedia:Overcategorization/User categories

Content restrictions

Simply: If content is not appropriate on a user page, it is not appropriate within userboxes.

Content examples

The following section is not to be considered all-inclusive. As such, other word combinations (both appropriate and inappropriate) are obviously possible.

Typical userbox content:

Typical verbs:

Additional examples, using the linking verb is:

Potentially divisive words

Avoid verbs (often followed by the word "that") which may be used to suggest negative comparison and would thus be potentially divisive, such as:

Avoid negative verb phrases which can be potentially divisive, such as:

Also avoid compound sentences which are positive and negative, such as:

Essentially: Express what you do like, rather than what you don't like. Express who you are, rather than who you aren't. Express what you do, rather than what you don't.

Constructing a userbox

How to construct the box

There are a number of box types to select from when deciding to make a userbox. The most commonly used design is the "Standard box". It has one square shaped area on the left ("id") and a rectangular area on the right ("info").

For ease of use, userboxes are made using maker-templates that have a number of parameters. Once the maker-template is saved, it is automatically transformed to HTML.

Template Parameters Meaning Value type
border-c The border color of the userbox. CSS color value (#hex or color name)
border-s The border size of the userbox. Width in pixels
id-c The background color of the id box. CSS color value
id-s The font size of the id box. Size in PostScript points
id-fc The font color of the id box text. CSS color value
id-p The distance between border and content of id box. CSS padding width value. px, pt
id-lh The distance between text lines of id box. CSS relative line height/length value. em
info-c The background color of info box. CSS color value
info-s The font size of info box. Size in PostScript points
info-fc The font color of info box. CSS color value
info-p The distance between border and content of info box. CSS padding width value. px, pt
info-lh The distance between text lines of info box. CSS relative line height/length value. em
id This is the content of the id box. Free-form
info This is the content of info box. Free-form

The id and info boxes can include text, links, and images using the usual Wikipedia syntax. Generally, the id box will contain a few letters or a 43px image, while the info box will contain a sentence with a link or two.

Userbox types
Code Appearance
Standard box
{{Userbox |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id-c=#fff |id-s=12 |id-fc=#000 |info-c=#039 |info-s=8 |info-fc=#fff |id=ID |info=Content}}

or {{Userbox |side-box colour |main box colour |side-box content |main box content}}
ID Content
Reverse box
{{Userbox-r |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id-c=#fff |id-s=12 |id-fc=#000 |info-c=#039 |info-s=8 |info-fc=#fff |id=ID |info=Content}}

or {{Userbox-r |side-box colour |main box colour |side-box content |main box content}}
Content ID
Double box
{{Userbox-2 |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id1-c=#fff |id1-s=12 |id1-fc=#000 |id2-c=#000 |id2-s=12 |id2-fc=#fff |info-c=#039 |info-s=8 |info-fc=#fff |id1=ID 1 |id2=ID 2 |info=Content}}

or {{Userbox-2 |side-box 1 colour |main box colour |side-box 1 content |message |side-box 2 content |border colour |side-box 2 colour |main box font-colour |box border thickness}}
Note: If omitted, border colour and side-box 2 colour default to the same colour as side-box 1, and font colour is black. Default border thickness is 1.
ID 1 Content ID 2
Mini box
{{Userbox-m |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id-c=#fff |id-s=12 |id-fc=#000 |id=ID}}

or {{Userbox-m |box colour |box content}}
ID

Userbox sampling templates

To make it easier to quote the generation code for a userbox in a uniform format, a template {{Userbox sample compact}} has been made available, which produces a picture of the userbox along with the code necessary to create it. To use it, just give it exactly the same parameters you would give the {{Userbox}} template. You must use subst:, or the template will not work properly. An example is shown below:

{{subst:Userbox sample compact|id=UBX|id-c=red|info=This is a '''[[WP:UBX|Userbox]]'''.}}

Produces:

{{Userbox | border-c = #999 | border-s = 1 | id-c = red | id-s = 14 | id-fc = black | info-c = #EEE | info-s = 8 | info-fc = black | id = UBX | info = This is a '''[[WP:UBX|Userbox]]'''. | float = left }}
UBX This is a Userbox.

There are not yet any similar templates available for userboxes created by the templates Userbox-r, Userbox-2 and Userbox-m.

Grouping userboxes

Using the Userboxtop template

Example 1
This user is a member of WikiProject Userboxes.
This user is interested in ancient Rome.
This user wants to be your friend.

As with the Babel box, there is a box to group userboxes together. Just make a list of userboxes with {{Userboxtop|box-name}} at the top, followed by your list of userboxes, and {{Userboxbottom}} at the bottom. For example, the box to the right is created using the following list:

{{Userboxtop |Example 1}}
{{Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes/Userbox}}
{{User:UBX/Rome}}
{{User:Nihiltres/Userboxes/Friendly}}
{{Userboxbottom}}

Using the boxboxtop template

If you wish an expandable list of userboxes you may try:

{{boxboxtop|Example2}}
<div class="NavFrame" style="padding:0;border-style:none;">
<div class="NavFrame" style="border-style:none;padding:0;">
<div class="NavHead" style="background:#EDF1F1;text-align:left;text-style:normal">
Caption
</div>
<div class="NavContent" style="display:none;">
Place your userboxes here...
</div></div></div>
{{boxboxbottom}}


(Of course you can put more than one such section inside a userbox, see Example 2 at right.)

Example2
My yellow userboxes
My purple userboxes

You may also change the alignment by using 'right' or 'left' as the second parameter, or explicitly using parameter align. Thus, it is possible to create the same box on the right, but positioned on the left side of the page, by changing the first line from {{Userboxtop |Example 1}} to {{Userboxtop |Example 1|left}}.

Using the Babel grouping system

Similar results can be achieved with either of the following:

{{Babel-X |header=Example 1 |footer= |align=left |Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes/Userbox |Rome |:Nihiltres/Userboxes/Friendly}}

{{UBX-X |header=Example 1 |Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes/Userbox |Rome |:Nihiltres/Userboxes/Friendly}}

The older Babel grouping system can also be used, e.g. {{Babel-3|sv|no-4|rome}}. However, it only works for user boxes with the "User" prefix, which must then be dropped for the arguments. Also, boxes that need arguments of their own (such as {{User:UBX/Monty Python}}) cannot be used with Babel.

Using tables

A fourth alternative would be to table your userboxes. For example:

{| style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
| {{User:AusTerrapin/Box:Jazz Fusion}} {{User_USAFo5}}
|-
| {{user helper}} {{User:The Raven's Apprentice/Userboxes/User Warm}}
|}


would produce the following:

This user enjoys jazz-rock fusion.
This user is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force.
This user helps out newcomers.
This user prefers warm weather.

To center one userbox use this coding:

{| style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
| {{User:Saoshyant/Userboxes/User oops}}
|}

which produces:

This user tries to do the right thing. If they make a mistake, please let him or her know.

Combining tables and the boxboxtop template

A fifth method of grouping boxes is done by combining Examples 2 and 4 together. Example 2 breaks DHTML interoperability. It works as intended on Internet Explorer; however, it does not work well with Firefox and Opera when additional hide/show sections are added. This solution provides proper rendering on all three web browsers and scales much better when it comes to the number of groups you want to have. The table property can be adjusted by adding width="100%" (adjusting its percentage or by using a pixel width multiple of the userbox) to add more than one column. Another property align="right" can be changed to place the userboxes left, right, or center of the page.

My yellow userboxes
My purple userboxes
My green userboxes

{|align="right" width="160px" style="background-color: transparent;"
|-
|<div>
{{boxboxtop| }}
<div class="NavFrame" style="padding: 0; border-style: none;">
<div class="NavFrame" style="border-style: none; padding: 0;">
<div class="NavHead" style="background: #edf1f1; text-align: left; text-style: normal;">
Caption</div><div class="NavContent" style="display: none;">
Place your userboxes here...
</div></div></div>
{{boxboxbottom}}
Place additional userbox groups here...
</div>
|}

Gallery

Languages

Interests and tastes

Life, status, and situation

Wikipedia-related


Others/Misc.


See also

External links

v • d • e
WikiProject Userboxes
Language
Interests
Media
Life
Location

Africa (Egypt) · Americas (Argentina • Brazil • Canada • Chile • Mexico • USA) · Asia (Iran • Japan) · Europe (EU) · Oceania
Time
Wikipedia
Other
See also Userbox migration · Userbox policy · New userboxes · Make userboxes