Template:Tlx/doc

{tlx|tlx}} — an acronym for template link expanded — is a sort of more useful sister to. It allows you do demonstrate templates more fully, by letting you show not just the template name, but also the parameters. It's almost always preferable to use than  — even when you're not demonstrating parameters — because it automatically converts to a highly readable monospaced font.

Although our template pages automatically display mono-spaced fonts, no other commonly-used namespace does. Look at the difference in display:

Clearly, is much more readable. That's not to say there are no uses for, but is often the clearest thing. And, perhaps more importantly, it's the only one of the two that will allow the demonstration of parameters.
 * This uses : Tl
 * This uses :

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.
 * Specifics: Up to 10 pass parameters (numbered or nowiki-keywords) for the specified template are displayed as 'placeholders', and over 10 parameters can be displayed using a coded vertical-bar (as in " &amp;#124; ..."). A keyword parameter can be used with equals code &amp;#61; or = or in nowiki-text: "&lt;nowiki>size=10&lt;/nowiki>" or all parameters as a string in " " tags; see Examples at bottom. For more details, see |this talk page.
 * Exceptions: If the intended template lists numerous parameters, then perhaps this template should really not be used, and just hardcode the usage with, for example: . 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.
 * Comparatively, will not take or display additional parameters, and for minor technical reasons, may be preferred for mere listing and referencing in long pages involving a lot of template expansions.
 * has a named parameter subst. Setting this parameter to any string of length 1 or greater will place the string "subst:" before the template name, linked to . This is useful to indicate when a template should be substituted. For example will display.
 * Additionally, Tlx will take a 'named' parameter 'SISTER' to link interwiki to other sister projects such as one of these examples: '|SISTER=W:', 'Tlx|SISTER=M:', 'Tlx|SISTER=Q:', 'Tlx|SISTER=S:', allowing documentation or discourse about a template across interwiki boundaries.
 * {&#123;Template:&#125;} is a generalisation of x, x, etcetera with arguably better readable output. This depends on the browser, but too narrow uses of "{", "|", "}" in conjunction with links can be hard to read.

Usage

 * {&#123;|template name&#125;}
 * {&#123;|template name|param&#125;}
 * {&#123;|template name|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10&#125;}
 * {&#123;|template name|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10&amp;#124;more&#125;}
 * {&#123;|template name|param&amp;#61;value&#125;}

Up to 10 placeholders for parameters of the specified template