Wikipedia talk:To-do list

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Needs a hide/show button

This desperately needs a hide/show button, and a parameter to have it hidden by default. The code for this can be ripped from any of a number of other templates (I've even seen a WikiProject talk page banner that does this - it has a line reading something like "Project to-do list [show]" and it uses the same to-do list as this box template. — SMcCandlish [talk] [contrib] ツ 01:53, 6 April 2007 (UTC)

Since 2008, the box can be made collapsible. Adding collapsed=yes as in {{To do|collapsed=yes}} will make the list appear collapsed, with a "show" button. As far as I can see, there is currently no way to make the template collapsible, but expanded by default.

Happy editing!  Done --RainerBlome (talk) 19:22, 15 December 2019 (UTC)

Shrink the size of the "to-do" box

I have a to-do box on my userpage. It is too big for some screens. in other words it begins below my userboxes as opposed to being beside it. How can that be fixed? Is there a way to shrink the box size? thanks, PGPirate 17:00, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

Yes, there is, since 2006. Adding small=yes as in {{To do|small=yes}} will make the list appear as a sidebar. See the documentation at Template:To_do.

Happy editing!  Done --RainerBlome (talk) 19:33, 15 December 2019 (UTC)

Priority vs. urgency

The list currently has a 'priority' (popularity, more accurately) status, but what about the urgency of the work? Some articles only need minor adjustments or have very low urgency tasks such as 'improve related articles', 'maintain quality' etc. Should this also be a factor, as with class/importance in banners? Richard001 07:53, 2 August 2007 (UTC)

When you say urgent, do you mean important?--99.237.222.73 (talk) 22:02, 4 January 2010 (UTC)

In my view, the easiest way to prioritize tasks is to simply order them in an itemization, and write something like "From most important to least" above the list. As far as I understand, the priority value applies to the whole list. Therefore, to use more than one priority value, one would need to use more than one "to do" list, distinguishing lists with the 'list' parameter. I am not aware of anyone making actual use of the 'priority' parameter value. By the way, the parameter name is 'priority', why should "popularity" be more accurate? --RainerBlome (talk) 22:38, 15 December 2019 (UTC)

Instructions please

Greetings. I found the instructions inadequate. This is complicated (for me) so please look over the step-by-step and see if it really works. Where to put the * bullet point tasks? Would help to have a screen shot or two. See my problems here, thanks. HG | Talk 13:07, 17 January 2008 (UTC)

See my answer to another question. Copying the relevant parts: The use of {{tasks ...}} that you are seeing is the default content of the to do list. Using that default content is completely optional. You can replace it with your own text, for example a simple itemization. Looking at your to-do list edits, the second edit indicates that you tried something like that. Simply remove that {{tasks ...}} and you should be good.

Happy editing!  Done --RainerBlome (talk) 20:32, 15 December 2019 (UTC)

{{todo}} template on user and project pages?

While WP:to-do list only mentions adding {{todo}} to talk pages, the examples in template:todo mention adding it to project and user pages. Is it in fact legitimate to use {{todo}} to keep track of tasks on a user page? Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz Username:Chatul (talk) 11:22, 20 June 2010 (UTC)

Well, why not? A to-do list is essentially just a sub-page. Judging from PGPirate's entry above from 23 June 2007, there already were people who use the todo template on their user page before you asked. By default, to-do lists are not globally registered, so that should be no issue. Looking at your user page, I see that you simply tried it, and it looks like it works.

Happy editing!  Done --RainerBlome (talk) 18:31, 15 December 2019 (UTC)

This page is useless.

It doesn't explain the parameters of the template and how to use them. When I click to edit the task list, I get: {{tasks | requests = | assess = | category = | citations = | cleanup = | collaborate = | copyedit = | deletion = | disambiguation = | expand = | fac = | far = | flc = | fsc = | gan = | gar = | geocoord = | infobox = | maintain = | map = | merge = | notability = | npov = | orphans = | photo = | split = | stubs = | unreferenced = | update = | verify = | wikify = | other = | othertext = }} and there is zero explanation to what we're supposed to write, or what some of it means, for example, what is "gan", "gar, and "fsc"? How do I answer these too? For "copyedit" do I just write "yes" or "needs this" or what? This whole article needs rewriting with actual real-life instructions on its use.MagnoliaSouth ^(talk) 17:36, 5 May 2016 (UTC)

The use of {{tasks ...}} that you are seeing is the default content of the to do list. Using that default content is completely optional. That default "tasks" list can serve as a reminder of which areas *might* need work, so does appear useful to me. You can replace it with your own text, for example a simple itemization, if you want to. I sometimes did just that, but commented out the "tasks" template with its parameters, to keep them as a convenient reminder. Template:Tasks is separate from Template:To_do, so to understand Template:Tasks' parameters, you need to look at its own documentation. Template:To_do even refers to Template:Tasks in its (to do's) documentation, in section See also. The obscure parameter names that you mention are acronyms, Template:Tasks explains their meaning.

Happy editing!  Done --RainerBlome (talk) 20:15, 15 December 2019 (UTC)

• I found this VERY confusing as the To-do list page had no explanation of what this "Task template" was and how to use it. I just now added a brief explanation that you could either use the Task template or delete it and put in your own bullets. (And please edit the text if someone has better wording.) - Dyork (talk) 21:55, 13 March 2020 (UTC)

Should first template reference be “Todo” or “To do”?

As someone just learning about this template, I was confused to read in the first paragraph:

> It is created and formatted using the {{Todo}} template.

But then to read in the subsequent instructions that the template text has a space in the middle, as in {{to do}}. I adjusted one example to have a space, but when I look at the code for the first instance it is “{{tl|Todo}}”. Can this also be changed to have a space in it? While I have been editing Wikipedia for years, I have not done much with templates themselves and so I do not know how edits may or may not affect them. Hence this question. - Dyork (talk) 00:57, 8 March 2020 (UTC)

The page name is Template:to do, with a space, while Template:todo is a redirect to the other. Using either one should work. To avoid unnecessary redirects, I suggest we use use it with a space ({{to do}}) in all its documentation, so feel free to change uses of "todo" to "to do".--RainerBlome (talk) 09:12, 13 March 2020 (UTC)

 Done - Thanks for the explanation, RainerBlome. Updated first reference to "to do" with a space, and searched rest of page for any other reference without a space (there weren't any). - Dyork (talk) 14:38, 13 March 2020 (UTC)

Red link for the adjacent article?

I notice when I use the {{to do}} template, added to a Talk page, then edit that same To Do list, it shows up in an editing block as a tab very similar to a Talk page. Ah... but the tab adjacent to that at top left of the editing area is a redlink, as if my new to-do list isn't connected to an article, or at least t one that isn't yet created. This is throwing me off. Is this an error? Why not make the To-Do tab a third tab, showing it inside the Talk page when it has been used? Jax MN (talk) 21:13, 11 December 2020 (UTC)

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file:Ryansnote.svg Arlo James Barnes 03:22, 16 February 2024 (UTC)