Forum:Importing templates from Wikipedia, some don't work properly

Related wiki: http://manga.wikia.com

First off, when I do import a template it looks like this: http://manga.wikia.com/wiki/Template:Citation/core instead of what it looked like on the Wikipedia as this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Citation/core
 * Difference here is you have not copied the /doc sub page (I.e the actual documentation) but see notes/warning below. !!! - BulldozerD11 17:09, August 20, 2010 (UTC)

Second problem is that the templates don't always work. There are some which cause minor problems, and others which are just a mess. Notice the absolute mess at http://manga.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Vampire_Knight_chapters#Volume_list where I end up with an unreadable article. How do I make that template work right? I hit the edit tab on an article, and it shows me all the templates used on that article page, so I know I have imported all of them. I imported thousands of manga related articles from Wikipedia, and looking through every single one of them and then fixing those affected by hand, isn't realistic. Is there a bot to go through and convert the information to something that'll load up properly, or preferably a way to make the necessary templates work? Please help.  D r e a m Focus  09:47, August 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * Copying wikipedia templates isn't ideal - as they reference a lot of other wikipedia templates, and also may rely on extentions that your wiki doesn't have installed. Have a look at templates that have been designed for Wikia before you copy a Wikipedia template. (Your wiki, doesn't have a span class of citation, or a Template:AuthorSep). Also, ask yourself if you need this template (do you need a complex citation template, or would a simple link to the citation be enough?) -- Random Time  10:06, August 20, 2010 (UTC)


 * When you import them you need to remove all the interwiki links and alot of the internal links. As Randomtime says do you really need them. I made the mistake of importing aload before I understood how they (templates) worked fully (and some still dont) and it spirals out of control importing more and more to try to fix the problem. Some wikipedia code has problems with unclosed items that their MediaWiki version is more tolerant of & so the code displays OK on Wikipedia but not on Wikia.


 * Having checked the "Cite Web" template appears to be working on My wiki so It could be the missing class or a minor error i.e a space or return corrupting the code (or it may have been updated since i copied it & have change on wikipedia). Not all the Wikipedia templates i coped do yet (but as you found it is a pain fixing them - I asked some of ther original creators to help and got some tips but they are generally too buisy building even more complex one for wikipedia to replace lots of simple ones with an all singing all dancing meta version). Your PP-templates doc page is missing the border to the Box of related templates which is created by a entry in the common.css file. My PP-template (suite) displayed an error message that i have gave up trying to tracking down after several goes on every page it is used on. BTW Wikia now has a version of this template a the templates wiki as it is a waste of time coping the whole suite which is over complex as all it dose is put up an icon on protected pages. Just remove {PP-xxxxx} from all imported pages. I messed several templates up by adding  to disable it which them caused allsorts of problems in the templates as in some cases i put it after the  section which then gives a hidden 'newline' which can effect the Pharser working to process the code and pas it to the next template in nested ones !!


 * One template that is missing from your example page is Wikipedia to cite the source of the imported page as being from Wikipedia and attribute it under the CC / GFDL licences.


 * Most wikipedia templates also add loads of categories that need modification to match your wiki. At the minimum for a doc page as you have the {docuentation} template is to put aback link to the wikipedia doc page rather than copying the doc over (The docs add a need for even more templates and too many red links i found). On the Doc page add a note that the template is based on the WP one so other editors know were to look for updates & solutions to issues with the code in future. - BulldozerD11 17:04, August 20, 2010 (UTC)