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<div style="margin:auto; padding: 2em; margin-top:2em; background: #EBF4FA; box-shadow: 7px 7px 5px #CCC; -moz-border-radius: 15px; border-radius: 15px; ">
<big>If you would like to try ] without editing an article, where you can freely do so.</big> <small>You don't need an account to use it.</small></div>
<br>
{{Shortcut|WP:VE/FAQ}}
{{VisualEditor navbox}}

; What is VisualEditor?
:VisualEditor is a way to edit pages that looks more like a word processor. It was first offered here in 2013.
; How do I enable VisualEditor?
:'''VisualEditor is available''' alongside the original ] editor '''if you opt-in, by changing ]'''. It is currently not available to unregistered users at the English Misplaced Pages, unless they switch modes while editing.
;Why is this change being made? ;Why is this change being made?
:Some people who could become productive, experienced members of the community are ] upon attempting their first edit in wikitext "source" mode. Some edits, such as adding or rearranging columns to a table in wikitext, are difficult even for experienced editors.
:The biggest barrier to making the first edit, and therefore the biggest barrier to beginning the path that could lead to someone becoming a valuable, experienced member of the community, is the complex wikimarkup used by the old editing window. To increase the number of successful first attempts at editing, we need a better editing system.
;Where do I go to learn more about how to use VisualEditor?
;When is this change being made?
:Please see the ].
:As of March 2013, the hope is to change the default editor for most namespaces at most Wikipedias and other WMF projects to the new VisualEditor by July 2013.
;Does VisualEditor make automatic fixes to pages?
;What if I hate it?{{anchor|What if I hate it?}}
:In most cases, VisualEditor will not change or reformat lines that are not being directly edited. If markup already on the page is handled incorrectly (for example, with tables that are not closed), then it may attempt to correct these.
:When it becomes the default, you can go to ] and turn it off. Of course we can't predict what might happen far in the future, but, at this time, there are absolutely no plans to remove the old editor.
; Will it still be possible to edit articles using wikitext after the visual editor becomes available?
;Is this being forced on the community by some outsiders?
: Yes. While the visual editor will become available to all users as an editing environment, a method for editing the underlying wikitext "source" will continue to exist. There are no plans to remove the "Edit source" option.<ref><small><<And no, we're not taking markup-level editing away. Some users may always prefer it over visual editing, even if the exact nature of the markup changes, and even if VisualEditor becomes the best tool it can possibly be.>> Erik Möller, deputy director of the Wikimedia Foundation, '''', op-ed for ], July 31st, 2013.</small></ref>
:Misplaced Pages editors have asked for this type of improvement since ]. Previous discussions include ], ], ], ], ], ] and more.
; Won't this slow down reading and editing for people who have slow connections or computers?
;How was the community notified of this upgrade to the Mediawiki software?
:VisualEditor loads the bulk of its code only when you edit a page in the visual editing mode. So if you keep using "Edit source" or are a reader, the effect on your user experience should be negligible (~4KB of additional JavaScript payload before you click "Edit", or about 0.5% of one typical page). Your web browser will typically cache the JavaScript, speeding up future uses even if you are on a slow connection. However, using the visual editor for editing may cause problems for those on slow computers or connections, especially on very large pages. For these users, ] may be the best option.
* Multiple announcements in the Signpost throughout 2013, such as ] and ].
; I've found an issue with VisualEditor or a feature that is missing. How can I tell you to fix it?
* Multiple announcements at the ] in 2012 and 2013, such as ], ], ], ], etc.
: Please , after first to make sure it hasn't been reported already. Additional bug reporting instructions can be found ]. There are four main kinds of issues that the developers especially need to hear about:
* At ], ], ], and ]. (April 2013)
# ''Something breaks:'' The failure may only affect a particular type of browser or computer, on a particular page, or after doing something else. Please post your problem at ]. In your description, it is helpful to include information about what you were trying to do, your web browser, computer operating system, and a link to the article or a ] if it was possible for you to save the change.
* At ] (April 2013)
# ''Performance problems:'' If all pages seem unexpectedly slow on loading or on performing a particular task, or if it used to be faster and ], then please report this.
* At three dozen of ] (May 2013)
# ''User experience issues:'' If it didn't make sense, or if it was awkward, or if you couldn't figure out what you needed to do (] covers the basics), please speak up, and feel free to offer your suggestions for improving the design.
* At the (May 2013)
# ''Missing functionality:'' Is there something you need to do, but it currently can't be done in VisualEditor, like editing mathematics equations or seeing hidden comments that contain instructions to other editors? Make sure that it's on the developers' list of needed features. If you'd like to know which missing features have been reported before, you can search the and . If you can't find any reference to the new feature you'd like to suggest, please report it at ].
* In person at the ], where features related to categories, templates, references and images were worked on (May 2013)
; Can visual editor be customized ?
;Isn't this going to irritate existing editors?
:Yes, see ], and ] for more advanced customization.
:Even tiny changes cause ''temporary'' disruption for existing users. Research has generally shown that most people adapt quickly to changes, within days for small changes and within a few weeks to larger changes. And anyone who doesn't like it can always switch back&nbsp;– ].
; How do I disable VisualEditor?
;Can't the editors here order the developers to turn this off?
: To continue to edit the wikitext directly, simply click the "Edit source" button instead of "Edit". On section edit links, you can open the wikitext editor selected in your preferences for that section by clicking "edit source" instead of the regular "edit" link.
:No. It is the official policy of the English Misplaced Pages that the editors are not in charge of the website or its software. See ]: "Some matters that may seem subject to the consensus of the community at the English-language Misplaced Pages (en.wp) are, in fact, in a separate domain. In particular, the community of MediaWiki software developers, including both paid Wikimedia Foundation staff and other volunteers, and the activities of Wikimedia Commons, are largely separate entities...These independent, co-equal communities operate however they deem necessary or appropriate, such as adding, removing, or changing software features, or accepting or rejecting images, even if their actions are not endorsed by editors here."
*If you would like to remove VisualEditor from the user interface, then you can do so.
**If it is a beta feature: go to ], untick the checkbox "Visual Editor", and click the Save button near the bottom of the page. (As of 2021, this is how you do it on Meta-Wiki and the Chinese Misplaced Pages.)
**If the visual editor is already out of beta:
*** go to ], untick the checkbox "{{int:visualeditor-preference-betatempdisable}}", and click the Save button near the bottom of the page. (This is how you do it on some sister Wikipedias, for instance, Russian Misplaced Pages, as of 2021.)
*** on English Misplaced Pages, go to ] and change the "Editing mode" to "Always give me the source editor"
:See ] for other options.
;Can I install VisualEditor on my personal wiki outside Wikimedia?
: Yes. The ] extension is available for download.
; Can I use ] like the basic wikicode editor does, so I can choose my own reference names?
: This has been requested via Community feedback, and is on the list of things to do. There are some links and more information about this on the ] page.
; The FAQ didn't answer my question. Where may I ask it?
: You can ask on the ] on mediawiki.org.

== Notes ==
<references />
<noinclude>
]
</noinclude>

Latest revision as of 20:15, 20 December 2024

MainFAQUser GuideNamed refsUpdatesNewsletterMediaWiki MediaWiki
If you would like to try VisualEditor without editing an article, here is a page where you can freely do so. You don't need an account to use it.


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What is VisualEditor?
VisualEditor is a way to edit pages that looks more like a word processor. It was first offered here in 2013.
How do I enable VisualEditor?
VisualEditor is available alongside the original wikitext editor if you opt-in, by changing your preferences. It is currently not available to unregistered users at the English Misplaced Pages, unless they switch modes while editing.
Why is this change being made?
Some people who could become productive, experienced members of the community are turned off upon attempting their first edit in wikitext "source" mode. Some edits, such as adding or rearranging columns to a table in wikitext, are difficult even for experienced editors.
Where do I go to learn more about how to use VisualEditor?
Please see the VisualEditor User guide.
Does VisualEditor make automatic fixes to pages?
In most cases, VisualEditor will not change or reformat lines that are not being directly edited. If markup already on the page is handled incorrectly (for example, with tables that are not closed), then it may attempt to correct these.
Will it still be possible to edit articles using wikitext after the visual editor becomes available?
Yes. While the visual editor will become available to all users as an editing environment, a method for editing the underlying wikitext "source" will continue to exist. There are no plans to remove the "Edit source" option.
Won't this slow down reading and editing for people who have slow connections or computers?
VisualEditor loads the bulk of its code only when you edit a page in the visual editing mode. So if you keep using "Edit source" or are a reader, the effect on your user experience should be negligible (~4KB of additional JavaScript payload before you click "Edit", or about 0.5% of one typical page). Your web browser will typically cache the JavaScript, speeding up future uses even if you are on a slow connection. However, using the visual editor for editing may cause problems for those on slow computers or connections, especially on very large pages. For these users, opting-out for now may be the best option.
I've found an issue with VisualEditor or a feature that is missing. How can I tell you to fix it?
Please report the issue in Phabricator, after first searching exiting tickets to make sure it hasn't been reported already. Additional bug reporting instructions can be found here. There are four main kinds of issues that the developers especially need to hear about:
  1. Something breaks: The failure may only affect a particular type of browser or computer, on a particular page, or after doing something else. Please post your problem at Misplaced Pages:VisualEditor/Feedback. In your description, it is helpful to include information about what you were trying to do, your web browser, computer operating system, and a link to the article or a diff of the edit if it was possible for you to save the change.
  2. Performance problems: If all pages seem unexpectedly slow on loading or on performing a particular task, or if it used to be faster and has recently gotten worse, then please report this.
  3. User experience issues: If it didn't make sense, or if it was awkward, or if you couldn't figure out what you needed to do (Misplaced Pages:VisualEditor/User guide covers the basics), please speak up, and feel free to offer your suggestions for improving the design.
  4. Missing functionality: Is there something you need to do, but it currently can't be done in VisualEditor, like editing mathematics equations or seeing hidden comments that contain instructions to other editors? Make sure that it's on the developers' list of needed features. If you'd like to know which missing features have been reported before, you can search the talk page archives and feedback archives. If you can't find any reference to the new feature you'd like to suggest, please report it at mw:VisualEditor/Feedback.
Can visual editor be customized ?
Yes, see Misplaced Pages:VisualEditor/Customization, and mw:VisualEditor gadgets for more advanced customization.
How do I disable VisualEditor?
To continue to edit the wikitext directly, simply click the "Edit source" button instead of "Edit". On section edit links, you can open the wikitext editor selected in your preferences for that section by clicking "edit source" instead of the regular "edit" link.
  • If you would like to remove VisualEditor from the user interface, then you can do so.
    • If it is a beta feature: go to the Beta tab of your preferences page, untick the checkbox "Visual Editor", and click the Save button near the bottom of the page. (As of 2021, this is how you do it on Meta-Wiki and the Chinese Misplaced Pages.)
    • If the visual editor is already out of beta:
      • go to the Editing tab of your Preferences page, untick the checkbox "⧼visualeditor-preference-betatempdisable⧽", and click the Save button near the bottom of the page. (This is how you do it on some sister Wikipedias, for instance, Russian Misplaced Pages, as of 2021.)
      • on English Misplaced Pages, go to the Editing tab of your Preferences page and change the "Editing mode" to "Always give me the source editor"
See Misplaced Pages:VisualEditor/Opt-out for other options.
Can I install VisualEditor on my personal wiki outside Wikimedia?
Yes. The VisualEditor extension is available for download.
Can I use named references like the basic wikicode editor does, so I can choose my own reference names?
This has been requested via Community feedback, and is on the list of things to do. There are some links and more information about this on the Misplaced Pages:VisualEditor/Named references page.
The FAQ didn't answer my question. Where may I ask it?
You can ask on the central feedback page on mediawiki.org.

Notes

  1. <<And no, we're not taking markup-level editing away. Some users may always prefer it over visual editing, even if the exact nature of the markup changes, and even if VisualEditor becomes the best tool it can possibly be.>> Erik Möller, deputy director of the Wikimedia Foundation, The VisualEditor Beta and the path to change, op-ed for Misplaced Pages Signpost, July 31st, 2013.
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