Forum:How do you convert an existing page to use a template/layout?

After some experimentation with a page format on a couple of articles on my wiki, I decided on a layout format. I had put it off because I figured I could convert any manually formatted pages to use the official layout later.

However: 1. I can't find any function to switch an existing page to an official layout. (Am I just missing it?) 2. I thought I'd get clever and rename the original page to something else and then create a new page in its place with the layout template, but it gives an error that a page with that name already exists but is in a deleted state, but no option to overwrite it. (Oddly, when I re-renamed the original one, I got a similar error, but it *did* have an option to overwrite, thankfully.)

Help?

Mussels 15:30, September 1, 2011 (UTC)


 * Can you link the wiki you tried this on?


 * Sure, here's the specific page:
 * http://dicesoccer.wikia.com/wiki/Ray_Beeze




 * Too many bugs for me to do anything helpful.
 * I went to the page, hit edit, hit preview - nothing happens.
 * I change text, hit preview - nothing happens.
 * The only way to get the preview is to change the image to something else but since the preview that comes up is in a pop up window that is almost useless.
 * While looking at the page, the top link goes to Players; while looking at the preview, the top link goes to Category:Players.
 * The problems you describe are probably related to this crap - the page that is shown is not the same page the operation is done on or something like that.


 * As far as I've seen, no one has ever used the feature you are using (the layouts thing); as far as I've seen, everyone says to stay away from them.
 * If no one replies to this with help, don't take it personally, it's just that no one has experience with that pile of rubbish called the layout thingy. If that is the case then your only option is to create pages the correct way and then delete the spawn of the devil layout thing.
 * Good luck either way.
 * 19:10, September 2, 2011 (UTC)


 * First, I would request help via w:c:dicesoccer:Special:Contact. Wikia made the Layout Builder feature so it is especially invulnerable to outside help. It hides too much info about the page's actual structure to change or fix things.
 * Second, you probably can't change the layout used by a page, you have to edit the layout the page uses. Does that make sense? This is another reason most experienced Wikia admins don't use layout builder as Nidek said in less kind words.
 * Lastly, seriously consider redoing your wiki without the layout builder. You will find it gives you alot more control and doesn't make too much more work... And other admins can help you with problems. Since Wikia almost completely controls how the layout builder works, we can't really help you if it has problems. It's like if the editor is broken. -- Fandyllic (talk &middot; contr) 3 Sep 2011 9:07 AM Pacific