This page documents an English Wikipedia guideline. It is a generally accepted standard that editors should follow, though it should be treated with common sense, and occasional exceptions may apply. When editing this page, please ensure that your revision reflects consensus. When in doubt, discuss your idea on the talk page.

Shortcuts: WP:UBX WP:USERBOX

The following guidelines apply equally to all user templates (including any userbox or userbox-like markup), regardless of where the code resides; and regardless of whether they have been transcluded, substituted, or written from scratch. Such templates which fail to meet these guidelines may be subject to deletion.

Skip to Userbox gallery

For the WikiProject collaboration on userboxes, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes. For an alternative to userboxes, see also WikiProject Keep It Simple. For userbox-like recognitions given by users to other users, see Wikipedia:Awards

A userbox is a small rectangular box that looks like this. Below are more examples.

Userboxes can come in many different styles and colors.

Userboxes can have one or two sideboxes.

A userbox (commonly abbreviated as UBX) is a small colored box (see examples to the right) designed to appear only on a Wikipedian's user page as a communicative notice about the user, in order to directly (or even indirectly) help Wikipedians collaborate more effectively on articles.

The first userboxes were introduced to support the Babel inter-language effort, to indicate users' skills in other languages.

Contents 1 Using existing userboxes 1.1 Syntax 1.2 Optional substitution 1.3 Displaying a random userbox 2 Creating a new userbox 2.1 Which namespace? 2.2 Caution about image use 2.3 Caution about user categories 2.4 Content restrictions 2.4.1 Content examples 2.5 Constructing a userbox 2.5.1 How to construct the box 2.5.1.1 Userbox types 2.5.1.2 Userbox sampling templates 3 Grouping userboxes 3.1 Using the Userboxtop template 3.1.1 Using collapsible tables 3.1.2 Using the NavFrame/NavHead/NavContent classes 3.2 Using the Babel grouping system 3.3 Using tables 3.4 Combining tables and the boxboxtop template 4 Gallery 4.1 Languages 4.2 Interests and tastes 4.3 Life, status, and situation 4.4 Wikipedia-related 4.5 Others/Misc. 5 See also 6 External links

[edit] Using existing userboxes

Userboxes belong on their user's pages. It may be considered uncivil to place userboxes on other users' pages without their permission. However, userboxes may be placed on non-mainspace talk/discussion pages by anyone. (See also Wikipedia:Talk page.)

[edit] Syntax

The standard syntax for adding a userbox to your user page (also known as transclusion) is: {{user name_of_box}}.

[edit] Optional substitution

You may decide to substitute the template code onto your user page using the syntax {{subst:user name_of_box}}. The use of "subst:" will ensure that the template is always displayed in its form when you add it to your user page, i.e. it will not reflect subsequent edits to the template. This method will lead to large amounts of code on your user page.

[edit] Displaying a random userbox

To limit the number of userboxes on display, you may consider using Template:Ubxdisplay/random (or Ubxrand for short) to display a random userbox from a given selection. See the template for full documentation. Example: {{Ubxrand|User en|User fr}} results in:

fr Cet utilisateur a pour langue maternelle le français. ubxrand · view ubx · random ubx

[edit] Creating a new userbox

If you wish to offer an idea for a userbox, do so on the ideas page.

If you have designed a userbox that you would like to make available to others, you may wish to first display it on the New Userboxes talk page for community comment.

[edit] Which namespace?

Userboxes may only be created or displayed in the User, Project, or Template namespaces.

So should your userbox be prefixed with User:, Wikipedia:, or Template:?

As content in User: space is traditionally given more leeway than in other namespaces, userboxes in User: space may not be as directly collaborative in nature as those in Template: or Wikipedia: namespaces, which are expected to adhere more tightly with policies and guidelines, such as neutral point of view and what Wikipedia is. (This should also be considered before moving a userbox from userspace to any other namespace.)

If in doubt, consider presenting the userbox at New Userboxes talk page for community comment.

User:

To host a userbox in the user namespace, simply create a subpage of your own user page or User:UBX.

Wikipedia:

Userboxes in the project namespace are generally for WikiProject or task force usage. Simply create it as a subpage of the WikiProject. (e.g. Wikipedia:VG/DAH!/userbox)

Template:

In the template namespace, userbox names must begin with "User " (e.g. Template:User Brazil or Template:User en)

[edit] Caution about image use

The Wikimedia Commons has a large range of icons for use within boxes. However, if you select an image from somewhere else, make certain the image license is free. Templates (which includes userboxes) or user pages may not contain any copyrighted content not under free license; so, for example, "fair use" images are explicitly forbidden. This is interpreted strictly and without exception. See Wikipedia's fair use policy guidelines for more details.

[edit] Caution about user categories

• User categories must be sub-categories of Category:Wikipedians.
• Names and descriptions of user categories are subject to the same rules and restrictions as userbox content.
• Userboxes should not automatically include categories.

[edit] Content restrictions

• All userboxes are governed by the civility policy.
  • Userboxes must not include incivility or personal attacks.
  • Userboxes must not be inflammatory or divisive.
  • Wikipedia is not an appropriate place for propaganda, advocacy, or recruitment of any kind, commercial, political, religious, or otherwise, opinion pieces on current affairs or politics, self-promotion, or advertising.

Simply: If content is not appropriate on a user page, it is not appropriate within userboxes.

[edit] Content examples

The following section is not to be considered all-inclusive. As such, other word combinations (both appropriate and inappropriate) are obviously possible.

Typical userbox content:

• This user <verb phrase> <noun phrase>
• This user <verb phrase> <noun phrase> <prepositional phrase>

Typical verbs:

• verbs of action: contributes (to), drives, eats, edits, plays, uses, watches
• verbs of comprehension: reads, speaks, understands
• verbs of preference: enjoys, likes, loves

Additional examples, using the linking verb is:

• This user is <noun phrase>
• This user is a fan of <noun phrase>
• This user is a member of <noun phrase>
• This user is interested in <noun phrase>

Potentially divisive words

Avoid verbs (often followed by the word "that") which may be used to suggest negative comparison and would thus be potentially divisive, such as:

• believes, considers, finds, knows, prefers, thinks, wishes.

Avoid negative verb phrases which can be potentially divisive, such as:

• dislikes, despises, hates, loathes

Also avoid compound sentences which are positive and negative, such as:

• This user likes <noun phrase>, but does not like <another noun phrase>.

Essentially: Express what you do like, rather than what you don't like. Express what you comprehend, rather than what you don't comprehend. Express what you do, rather than what you don't. Express who you are, rather than who you aren't.

[edit] Constructing a userbox

[edit] How to construct the box

There are a number of box types to select from when deciding to make a userbox. The most commonly used design is the "Standard box". It has one square shaped area on the left ("id") and a rectangular area on the right ("info").

For ease of use, userboxes are typically made using maker-templates that have a number of parameters.

Template Parameters	Meaning	Value type
border-c	The border color of the userbox.	CSS color value (#hex or color name)
border-s	The border size of the userbox.	Width in pixels
id-c	The background color of the id box.	CSS color value
id-s	The font size of the id box.	Size in PostScript points
id-fc	The font color of the id box text.	CSS color value
id-p	The distance between border and content of id box.	CSS padding width value. px, pt
id-lh	The distance between text lines of id box.	CSS relative line height/length value. em
info-c	The background color of info box.	CSS color value
info-s	The font size of info box.	Size in PostScript points
info-fc	The font color of info box.	CSS color value
info-p	The distance between border and content of info box.	CSS padding width value. px, pt
info-lh	The distance between text lines of info box.	CSS relative line height/length value. em
id	This is the content of the id box.	Free-form
info	This is the content of info box.	Free-form

The id and info boxes can include text, links, and images using the usual Wikipedia syntax. Generally, the id box will contain a few letters or a 43px image, while the info box will contain a sentence with a link or two.

[edit] Userbox types

Types of Userboxes
Code	Appearance
Standard box
{{Userbox |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id-c=#fff |id-s=12 |id-fc=#000 |info-c=#039 |info-s=8 |info-fc=#fff |id=ID |info=Content}} or {{Userbox |side-box colour |main box colour |side-box content |main box content}}	ID Content
Reverse box
{{Userbox-r |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id-c=#fff |id-s=12 |id-fc=#000 |info-c=#039 |info-s=8 |info-fc=#fff |id=ID |info=Content}} or {{Userbox-r |side-box colour |main box colour |side-box content |main box content}}	Content ID
Double box
{{Userbox-2 |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id1-c=#fff |id1-s=12 |id1-fc=#000 |id2-c=#000 |id2-s=12 |id2-fc=#fff |info-c=#039 |info-s=8 |info-fc=#fff |id1=ID 1 |id2=ID 2 |info=Content}} or {{Userbox-2 |side-box 1 colour |main box colour |side-box 1 content |message |side-box 2 content |border colour |side-box 2 colour |main box font-colour |box border thickness}} Note: If omitted, border colour and side-box 2 colour default to the same colour as side-box 1, and font colour is black. Default border thickness is 1.	ID 1 Content ID 2
Mini box
{{Userbox-m |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id-c=#fff |id-s=12 |id-fc=#000 |id=ID}} or {{Userbox-m |box colour |box content}}	ID

[edit] Userbox sampling templates

To make it easier to quote the generation code for a userbox in a uniform format, a template {{Userbox sample compact}} has been made available, which produces a picture of the userbox along with the code necessary to create it. To use it, just give it exactly the same parameters you would give the {{Userbox}} template. You must use subst:, or the template will not work properly. An example is shown below:

{{subst:Userbox sample compact|id=UBX|id-c=red|info=This is a '''[[WP:UBX|Userbox]]'''.}}

Produces:

{{Userbox | border-c = #999 | border-s = 1 | id-c = red | id-s = 14 | id-fc = black | info-c = #EEE | info-s = 8 | info-fc = black | id = UBX | info = This is a '''[[WP:UBX|Userbox]]'''. | float = left }}

UBX This is a Userbox.

There are not yet any similar templates available for userboxes created by the templates Userbox-r, Userbox-2 and Userbox-m.

[edit] Grouping userboxes

[edit] Using the Userboxtop template

Example 1 This user is a member of WikiProject Userboxes. This user is interested in ancient Rome. This user wants to be your friend.

As with the Babel box, there is a box to group userboxes together. Just make a list of userboxes with {{Userboxtop|box-name}} at the top, followed by your list of userboxes, and {{Userboxbottom}} at the bottom. For example, the box to the right is created using the following list:

 {{Userboxtop|Example 1}} {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes/Userbox}} {{User:UBX/Rome}} {{User:Nihiltres/Userboxes/Friendly}} {{Userboxbottom}} 

[edit] Using collapsible tables

Example 2 My yellow userboxes Sample userbox #1. Sample userbox #2. Sample userbox #3. My purple userboxes Sample userbox #4. Sample userbox #5. Sample userbox #6.

If you wish to group your userboxes into expandable lists in the {{Userboxtop}} template, one way of doing this is by using collapsible tables with certain classes. Wikipedia's Mediawiki configuration attempts to make this happen through a combination of ECMAScript and CSS. This method is accessible to users with ECMAScript (jScript/JavaScript) disabled, and should work in most modern browsers (it is the method used by {{Navbox}}).

Using the codes in Help:Collapsing works much better and simpler using normal wiki table markup!

Previously named: [[Wikipedia:Collapsible_tables]] but now ⇒Help:Collapsing

⇐⇑©TriMoon™ Talk @ 15:33, 16 September 2009 (UTC)

 {{Userboxtop|Example 2}} <table class="collapsible autocollapse" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%;background:transparent;color:inherit;;">   <tr><th class="navbox-title">Caption</th></tr>   <tr><td>     Place your userboxes here...   </td></tr> </table> {{Userboxbottom}} 

Include 'autocollapse' if you want the box to start closed, omit it if you want the box to start open.

[edit] Using the NavFrame/NavHead/NavContent classes

Example 3 My yellow userboxes Sample userbox #1. Sample userbox #2. Sample userbox #3. My purple userboxes Sample userbox #4. Sample userbox #5. Sample userbox #6.

If you wish to group your userboxes into expandable lists in the {{Userboxtop}} template, one way of doing this is by using divs with certain classes. Wikipedia's Mediawiki configuration attempts to make this happen through a combination of ECMAScript and CSS. Right now, this method should not be used because it only works properly in Internet Explorer (although works to a degree in other browsers), and makes the boxes inaccessible to users with ECMAScript (jScript/JavaScript) disabled!

If you would like to use this method anyway, use the following syntax:

 {{Userboxtop|Example 3}}   <div class="NavFrame" style="padding:0;border-style:none;">     <div class="NavHead" style="style">Caption</div>     <div class="NavContent" style="display:none;">       Place your userboxes here...     </div>   </div> {{Userboxbottom}} 

A recomended value for 'style' is 'background:#EDF1F1;text-align:left;text-style:normal'

(Of course you can put more than one of these collapsible sections inside a box, see Example 3 at right.)

[edit] Using the Babel grouping system

Similar results can be achieved with either of the following:

Example 4
This user contributes using a Mac Pro. This user lives in Rome. This user wants to be your friend.

 {{Babel-X|Mac Pro|Rome/2|:Nihiltres/Userboxes/Friendly}} 

Example 5
This user contributes using a Mac Pro. This user lives in Rome. This user wants to be your friend.
Search user languages

 {{UBX-X|Mac Pro|Rome/2|:Nihiltres/Userboxes/Friendly}} 

The older Babel grouping system can also be used, e.g. {{Babel-3|sv|no-4|rome}}. However, it only works for user boxes with the "User" prefix, which must then be dropped for the arguments. Also, boxes that need arguments of their own (such as {{User:UBX/Monty Python}}) cannot be used with the Babel system.

[edit] Using tables

Another alternative would be to table your userboxes:

 {| style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto" |+ example 6 |- | {{User:AusTerrapin/Box:Jazz Fusion}} {{User_USAFo5}} |- | {{user helper}} {{User:The Raven's Apprentice/Userboxes/User Warm}} |} 

would produce the following:

example 6

This user enjoys jazz-rock fusion. This user is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force.

This user helps out newcomers. This user prefers warm weather

To center one userbox use this coding:

 {| style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto" |+ example 7 |- | {{User:Saoshyant/Userboxes/User oops}} |} 

which produces:

example 7

This user tries to do the right thing. If they make a mistake, please let them know.

[edit] Combining tables and the boxboxtop template

Yet another method of grouping boxes is done by combining Examples 2 and 4 together. Example 2 breaks DHTML interoperability. It works as intended on Internet Explorer; however, it does not work well with Firefox, Google Chrome or Opera when additional hide/show sections are added. This solution provides proper rendering on all three web browsers and scales much better when it comes to the number of groups you want to have. The table property can be adjusted by adding width="100%" (adjusting its percentage or by using a pixel width multiple of the userbox) to add more than one column. Another property align="right" can be changed to place the userboxes left, right, or center of the page.

My yellow userboxes Sample userbox #1. Sample userbox #2. Sample userbox #3. My purple userboxes Sample userbox #4. Sample userbox #5. Sample userbox #6. My green userboxes Sample userbox #7. Sample userbox #8. Sample userbox #9.

{|align="right" width="160px" style="background-color: transparent;"
|-
|<div>
{{boxboxtop| }}
<div class="NavFrame" style="padding: 0; border-style: none;">
<div class="NavFrame" style="border-style: none; padding: 0;">
<div class="NavHead" style="background: #edf1f1; text-align: left; text-style: normal;">
Caption</div><div class="NavContent" style="display: none;">
Place your userboxes here...
</div></div></div>
{{boxboxbottom}}
Place additional userbox groups here...
</div>
|}

[edit] Gallery

[edit] Languages

• Wikipedia:Babel, for multilingual communication.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Writing systems, for written languages.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Grammar, for preferences on grammatical and dialect-related controversies.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Non-ISO Languages, for non-ISO languages.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Programming, for programming languages.

[edit] Interests and tastes

• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Animals, for preferences about favourite animals.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Aviation, for preferences about flying, aircraft, pilot and technician licensing.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Cars, for preference in car make/model.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Colour, for preferences about favourite colours.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Computing, for personal computing information, such as hardware, including preferences about blogs and websites.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Software, for preferences about computer software.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Food, for preferences about food, eating, and eating habits.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Drink, for preferences about drink, drinking, and drinking habits.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Games, for preferences about board and card games.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Games/Video games, for preferences about computer and video games.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Games/Tabletop Roleplaying, for preferences about tabletop role-playing games.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/History, for preferences in the study of history.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Interests, for general human interests and hobbies.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Mass transit, for interests about mass transit, buses, and rail.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Mathematics, for statistics, measurement systems, and other areas of mathematics.
• Media:
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Artists, for preferences in art and artists
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Books, for preferences in books.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Comics, for preferences in comics.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Film, for preferences in film.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Newsprint, for preferences in newsprint.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Radio, for preferences in radio.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Television, for preferences in television.
    • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Television (shows), for preferences in TV shows
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Media/Theatre, for preferences in theatre.
  • By Genre:
    • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Anime and manga, for preferences in anime and manga.
    • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Science Fiction, for preferences in science fiction.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Music, for preferences about music, and musical interests.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Music/Albums, for specific albums.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Music/Artists, for specific artists.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Music/Bands, for specific bands.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Music/Songs, for specific songs.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Music/Music Devices, for musical devices.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Philosophy, for tastes in philosophy
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Plants, for preferences about plants and botany.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Politics, for political statements.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Science, for preferences in the study of science.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Sports, for preferences about sports.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Sports/Cycling, for preferences about cycling.

[edit] Life, status, and situation

• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Education, for educational qualifications, schools, colleges and universities, by region
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Emoticons, for userboxes representing a current mood.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Ethnic groups, for userboxes representing ethnic backgrounds.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Health, for physical and mental health.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Life, for age, ancestry, family and sexuality.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Location, for country and state of origin, and regional organizations.
  • Wikipedia:Userboxes/Cities, to display what city you live in
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Military, for military affiliation and ranks.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Profession, for profession.
• User:UBX/Userboxes/Religion, for religious affiliation or beliefs, or lack thereof.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Ribbons, for your various concerns, interests, experiences, affiliations, awareness ribbons.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Seasonal, for seasonal userboxes.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Time, for time zone and other temporal userboxes.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Zodiac, for astrological userboxes.

[edit] Wikipedia-related

• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Wikipedia/Position, for userboxes relating to a user's position on Wikipedia, donor status or editing skill.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Wikipedia/Foreign, for userboxes relating to a user's activity on foreign-language versions of Wikipedia.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Wikipedia/Organizations, for userboxes relating to Wikipedia organizations.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Wikipedia/Vandalism, for userboxes relating to vandalism and misuse of Wikipedia.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Wikipedia/Views, for userboxes relating to user views, preferences and philosophy.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Wikipedia/Stats and tools, for userboxes relating to personal statistics and editing tools.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Wikipedia/Miscellaneous, for other Wikipedia-related userboxes.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/WikiProjects, for WikiProject userboxes.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Sister projects, for wiki sister project userboxes.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Userboxes, for userboxes about userboxes and topics related to them.
• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Large/Licensing, for large user templates related to licensing of Wikipedia users' contributions.

[edit] Others/Misc.

• Wikipedia:Userboxes/Wikipedia/humour, for any userboxes that can be considered funny.

[edit] See also

• Wikipedia:Jimbo on Userboxes
• Wikipedia:Userbox Maker
• Wikipedia:WikiProject Userboxes

[edit] External links

• The Super-Simple Userbox Maker - External tool that outputs userboxes in wiki markup. With built-in color schemes.

v • d • e WikiProject Userboxes Language Languages · Non-ISO languages (Dialects) · Writing systems · Programming languages (Markup) · Grammar Interests WikiProjects · Animals · Aviation · Cars · Colors · Comedy · Computing · Cycling · Drink · Food · Games (Tabletop Roleplaying · Video games) · History · Mass transit · Mathematics · Music (Music Devices) · Philosophy · Plants · Science · Software · Sports · Miscellaneous Media Books · Film · Television (shows) · Theatre · Radio · Newsprint · Comics · Anime and manga · Sci-fi Life Education · Health · Humor · Military · Politics · Profession · Religion Location Africa (Egypt) · Americas (Argentina · Brazil · Canada · Chile · Mexico · USA) · Asia (Iran · Japan) · Europe (EU) · Oceania Time Seasonal · Time zones · Zodiac Wikipedia Position · Foreign · Organizations · Vandalism · Views · Stats and tools · Miscellaneous Other Emoticons · Userboxes See also Userbox migration · Userbox guideline · New userboxes · Make userboxes