Template:Tlc/doc

This is the {{tlc}} template.

This page also provides the full documentation for the templates {{tld}} and {{tlf}}, which work almost exactly identically.

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}}, {{tld}}, or {{tlf}} templates.

These templates work similarly to {{tl}} and {{tlx}}, but don't make the template name into a link. 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}}, {{tld}} or {{tlf}} thereafter.

Template	Mnemonic	Format differentiation
{{tlc}}	Template link code	Uses the <code>...</code> tags meant for showing programming code.
{{tld}}	Template link dialup-host	Uses the <tt>...</tt> tags sometimes used for showing programming code. Essentially the non-linking equivalent of {{tlx}}.
{{tlf}}	Template link format-normal	Uses proportional-spaced font as is normal for regular text rather than a monospace font as typically used with programming code. Essentially the non-linking equivalent of {{tlp}}.

The three names were based on {{tl}} template link', despite the fact that, unlike the actual {{tl}} template, these three don't include an actual link. The mnemonics for {{tld}} and {{tlf}} were invented after the fact, since the template creator used the single letters still available rather than the preferred {{tlt}} (using <tt>) and {{tln}} (using "normal", non-coded text style) monikers.

Basic operation

Here is how these templates look. Code is to the left; actual rendering to the right:

{{tlc|name|parameters}} = {{name|parameters}}

{{tld|name|parameters}} = {{name|parameters}}

{{tlf|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.
• Specifics here???
• Features of {{tlc}}, {{tld}} and {{tlf}}:
  • They show a template name and up to eight parameters.
  • They also show empty parameters. (See examples below.)
  • They prevent line wraps in their output.

Usage

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

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

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

Examples

Note: Wikitables make the <code></code> tags transparent, unfortunately, so the "code colouring" is missing in these examples.

Code	Result	Comment
{{tlc}}	{{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}}	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|one=a|two{{=}}b}}	{{name|one=a|two=b}}	Use {{=}} in place of an equal sign, so that it gets rendered properly.
{{tlc|name|{{IPA|/tʃ/}}|two}}	{{tlc|name|Template:IPA|two}}	Nested template calls also cause problems ...
{{tlc|name|{{tlf|IPA|/tʃ/}}|two}}	{{tlc|name|{{IPA|/tʃ/}}|two}}	... but there are ways to get around this issue, also.
{{tlc|name|{{((}}IPA{{!}}/tʃ/{{))}}|two}}	{{tlc|name|{{IPA|/tʃ/}}|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 are the codes to emulate {{tlf}}, {{tld}} and {{tlc}} using <nowiki>:

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