Forum:(Simple?) Template Creation/Editing

I've been trying to make a simple, navbox-style template for some time now, but I've never been able to get it to work properly. I've tried copying the template code and editing the links, articles, and template name, which left me with a random crop of coding... I've tried making one from scratch (barely) and I've tried adding the links to the already-existing template.

Does anyone know of a simple, step-by-step guide to making a simple navbox? I've Googled it three times with no usable results. If not that, a simple template frame that will allow me to fill in links, titles, and subsections myself?

Here is an example of what I'm trying to use. Any help would be greatly appreciated. - Apocalypse 03:02, 23 February 2009 (UTC)


 * That Congress one is not the simplest. How simple do you want? Have you really studied Wikipedia:Template:Navbox to see how it works and how to ignore complex options? Have a look at the Genealogy version, which has been adapted for Wikia and seems to work pretty well. And see one of the smaller templates based on it. — Robin Patterson (Talk) 05:09, 23 February 2009 (UTC)


 * All I'm trying to accomplish is a table of links. Rows and columns. I tried using the Genealogy frame, and I ended up with the same result. This is what it keeps ending up as... the page is free to edit if you'd like to look at the code. Any idea what's wrong? - Apocalypse 07:20, 23 February 2009 (UTC)


 * It seems you have taken the code of the template from one place and the code you're using on the rocket series page from two different places. They don't match. 10:57, 23 February 2009 (UTC)


 * What do you mean? I copied the template from the Genealogy page I was given and changed the parameters to include the desired links... what exactly needs fixed, how do I create parameters, etc... ? - Apocalypse 12:19, 23 February 2009 (UTC)

Your source:


 * notice the "|group1= Overview" - this is a parameter, but the template you're using, has this:


 * there is no "" so "group1" is pretty much ignored. -- Sixorish 13:47, 23 February 2009 (UTC)


 * Where did that come from, and how can I add this parameter, or whatever needs to be added? What I'm looking to have answered is what exactly needs changed... if "" and so on need to be added somewhere, then how and where? - Apocalypse 13:55, 23 February 2009 (UTC)


 * Maybe you need to begin at the basis... Like this page. Then more advanced stuff. — TulipVorlax 15:19, 23 February 2009 (UTC)


 * Replacing your Template:Navbox with WPs should fix it, since you're using their exact parameters anyway. I'll go ahead and make the change -- Sixorish 15:30, 23 February 2009 (UTC)
 * All that is missing now is the CSS the template use. — TulipVorlax


 * ... does that mean there's still more to do before I can transclude it? I apologize for all this, but I have absolutely no prior or current experience with wikimarkup and only vague knowledge of HTML. I've only understood about half of what's been said thus far. - Apocalypse 00:18, 24 February 2009 (UTC)