Create a Page

This page explains how to create a new page on this Wiki. Follow the steps below and you'll be good to go!

Getting Started
NOTE: You may need to be logged in for this step to work.

Once you are logged in, open the home page.

At the top of the page is a link called "Add a Page." This is highlighted in red in the illustration.

Click on that link.

Creating Your Page
After you click on the "Add a Page" link, the dialog box shown in the illustration appears. Follow these steps (also highlighted in the illustration):

1) Name your page. This name will appear at the top of your page. It will also be the name used if any other Wiki page links to it.

2) Choose your layout. Your options are "Standard layout" and "Blank page." 3) Click on "Add a Page." Clicking this button creates your page.
 * Standard layout
 * Choosing a standard layout creates a page with preset headers and formatting. This option is good for beginners; you simply change the text on the page once it is created.
 * Blank page
 * Choosing the blank page option creates a new page with nothing on it except the title. This option is good for advanced users who wish to customize the page's appearance.

Adding Content
After clicking the "Add a Page" button, the editing window for your page appears. In this example, a blank page is shown.

You can add text to the blank white section of the screen below the controls. These controls are grouped by type as described below.

NOTE: Holding your mouse cursor over a button causes a text box to appear. For example, holding your mouse over the "B" button causes a text box saying "Bold" to appear. These text boxes indicate what the button does; in this case, the button creates bold text.
 * Text appearance
 * These buttons control how your text looks. You can add headers and make text bold. You can create bullet point or numbered lists. You can add links to other pages on the Wiki or external links outside of the Wiki. Paragraph indents can be adjusted or be changed to align a certain way.
 * Insert
 * These buttons allow you to upload or link to non-text content. Pictures, galleries, videos, and tables can be created. A Wiki template or personalized signature can be added as well.
 * Controls
 * Make a mistake? Want to switch your page view? Use these buttons to undo and redo changes or show source formatting.

Completing Your Page
Once you have added content to your page you will need to complete your updates. At the bottom of the screen (you may have to scroll down to see these) are a "Publish" and "Preview" button (highlighted in red in the illustration).

You should generally click the "Preview" button first. When you click "Preview," your page reloads. The top of the screen shows a preview version of your page. Look at this preview and note anything that doesn't look right.

You can then scroll down to return to the editor window and make any changes.

 'Once you are satisfied with your page, click "Publish." If you are in Preview mode, your changes are NOT saved until you click "Publish."'  Clicking this button closes the editor and publishes your page for anyone to see it.

NOTE: There is also a "Summary" text bar next to these buttons. If you want, you can describe any changes you made to the page. You can also classify your changes as "minor" by clicking the "Minor edit" checkbox. If you want updates on changes users make to your page, you can click the "Follow this page" checkbox to receive updates on any changes.

Suggested Final Step: Linking Your Page
Once you have finished your page you should link it to something so users can find it. The best place is the index page.

On the index page, find the category your page fits into. For instance, if you created a page about Barack Obama, you would want to add your link to the "People and Organizations" category. (NOTE: In addition to the index page, you may want to add your link to the category page too. In this case, you might want to add your Obama link to the People and Organizations page.)

Click on the "Edit" link next to the category name. This opens the editor window.

To add a link, click the link button (highlighted in the illustration). Clicking this button opens a new dialog box.

In the "Target page or URL" section, type the name of your page. A list of existing pages will automatically appear below your text box as you type. You can either click your page's name in the list once it appears or you can finish typing it yourself - it does not matter which way you do it.

In the "Text to display" section, type what you want your link to say. This box may be automatically filled after the step you just finished, but you can change it if you want.

Once your link appears as you want it, click the "OK" button in the bottom left corner of the dialog box. This will add your link to the index (or whatever page you are linking to).

To save your work, follow the steps in the "Completing Your Page" section above.