Template:Template link code/doc

Purpose and naming

When a template name with braces {{ }} is to be shown in documentation, the braces have to be escaped in some way so it doesn't become an actual call to the template. Instead of using <nowiki></nowiki> tags you can write it more simply and concisely by using the {{tlc}} template.

This template works similarly to {{tl}} and {{tlx}}, but doesn't make the template name into a link (template link cleared). When writing documentation you might want to avoid a lot of unnecessary links, since they can decrease readability. So on the first occurrence of a template name use {{tl}} or {{tlx}}, and then use {{tlc}} thereafter.

The name was based on {{tl}} template link, despite the fact that, unlike the actual {{tl}} template, these templates don't include an actual link.

Basic operation

The template looks like this (code is to the left; actual rendering to the right): {{tlc|name|parameters}} → {{name|parameters}}

Documentation

Functional details

• This template takes another template-name and some associated pipe-tricked (numbered) parameters (or 'pass parameters'), and displays them as an 'example demonstration' of how the template-name template could be coded, literally. Its primary use is in instruction and documentation.
• It shows a template name and up to eight parameters, including empty parameters.
• It prevents line wraps in its output.

Usage

{{Tlc|Template|first_parameter|second|third|...|eighth}} → {{Template|first_parameter|second|third|fourth|fifth|sixth|seventh|eighth}}

Examples

Code	Result	Comment
{{tlc}}		Shows its own syntax.
{{tlc|name}}	{{name}}
{{tlc|name|one}}	{{name|one}}
{{tlc|name|one|two}}	{{name|one|two}}
{{tlc|name|a|b|c|d|e|f|g|h|i|j}}	{{name|a|b|c|d|e|f|g|h|i|j}}	Shows up to eight parameters. The rest are dropped.
{{tlc|name|||three|four}}	{{name|||three|four}}	Also shows empty parameters.
{{tlc|name|||three}}	{{name|||three}}	Even shows empty parameters that come in the end.
{{tlc|name|one=a|two=b}}	{{name}}	The use of equal signs is a problem, but there is a fix; see next row.
{{tlc|name|oneTemplate:((=Template:))a|twoTemplate:((=Template:))b}}	{{name|one=a|two=b}}	Use {{=}} in place of an equal sign, so that it gets rendered properly.
{{tlc|name|Template:Tlf|two}}	{{tlc|name|Template:IPA|two}}	Nested template calls also cause problems ...
{{tlc|name|{{tlf|IPA|/tʃ/}}|two}}	{{tlc|name|Template:Tlf|two}}	... but there are ways to get around this issue, also.
{{tlc|name|{{((}}IPA{{!}}/tʃ/{{))}}|two}}	{{tlc|name|Template:Tlf|two}}	... another way to do the same thing, using {{((}}, {{!}} and {{))}} to insert literal {{, | and }}, respectively.

An alternative to using constructs such as {{=}} and {{tlf|...}} to prevent characters from getting interpreted syntactically is to use <code><nowiki>...</nowiki></code>, which will prevent all characters from being interpreted. For example, in place of

{{tlc|name|one{{=}}{{tlf|IPA|/tʃ/}}|two}}

you can use

<code><nowiki>{{name|one={{IPA|/tʃ/}}|two}}</nowiki></code>

Both render as

{{name|one={{IPA|/tʃ/}}|two}}

If a vertical display with parameters on their own lines is desired, this can also be laid out manually in this manner, or more rapidly done with <pre>...</pre>.

Here is the code to emulate {{tlc}} using <nowiki>:

Using templates:	Using <nowiki>:	Rendered result:
{{tlc|name|one{{=}}a|two{{=}}b}}	<code><nowiki>{{name|one=a|two=b}}</nowiki></code>	{{name|one=a|two=b}}

Limitations

As documented at Help:Template, template arguments starting with one of the four MediaWiki magic characters : ; * or # are interpreted as if they were at the beginning of a line, and are formatted as HTML lists. To avoid this, references to {{*}} or {{#expr}} must have the first character escaped. You can either use <nowiki /> or an escape like #.