Help:Archiving

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Archiving is moving a past talk page to it's own subpage. Archives are usually made to make more room for discussion, if the page is too long, or to keep a record of a discussion. Archives can be made on any kind of talk page, as long as it's necessary.

Steps to Creating an Archive on a Subpage

1. Edit any page, usually the one being archived, and create a link with a forward slash. For example, if the page is User talk:Username the the archive page should be User talk:Username/Archive Name.
2. Then click "Show Preview" and open the archive link in either a new window or, if applicable, in a new tab.
3. Go back to the edit view of the original page. Copy the the content to be archived.
4. Go to the archive page and paste this content.
5. At the top of the archive type: {{Archive}}
6. Click "Save Page" on the archive page.
7. Return to the normal page and make sure that there is a link to the archive page at the top. Also make sure that the archived content has been removed.
8. Click "Save Page" on the original page.

Steps to Creating an Archive on its Own Page

1. Edit any page, usually the one being archived, and create a link to the new page.
2. Click "Show Preview" and open the archive link in either a new window or, if applicable, in a new tab.
3. Go back to the edit view of the original page. Copy the content to be archived.
4. Go to the new page and paste the content.
5. At the top of the archive type one of the following:
   • For main article pages, simply type: {{Archive}}
   • For pages that either are talk pages or should link to another talk page type: {{Archive| Page Name | Name Space}}
     In place of Page Name put the name of the of the target page. In Name Space put the name space of the target talk page's main page.
6. Click "Save Page" on the archive page.
7. Return to the original page and make sure that there is a link to the archive page at the top. Also make sure that the archived content has been removed.
8. Click "Save Page" on the original page.

Archiving FAQ

1. What is archiving?
   • Archiving is moving discussions from one page to another page for reference.
2. Why archive?
   • Archiving typically done to save space on talk pages. Sometimes it is done to record a memorable discussion. Archiving can also reduce the talk page's loading time.
3. What do I archive?
   • Any discussions that have not been active in the last several days.
4. What does the file size of a talk page have to be before I think about archiving it?
   • There is no rule that says you have to archive a page once it reaches a certain size. However, most talk pages are archived once they are about 20,000 to 25,000 bytes in size.
5. How big should my archive be?
   • Try to keep archives under 30,000 bytes. This ensures faster loading time on the archive.
6. How do I stop people from adding comments to my archive?
   • If you followed the instructions above the you should have the {{Archive}} at the top of your page. This will stop most users from adding comments to your archive. If a user persistently adds things to your archive, then contact a staff member for help. They can either lock your archive from editing for you, warn the user, or ban the user.
7. Can I add more content to my archive?
   • Yes, as long as the archive remains under about 30,000 bytes. Any larger and there is a risk that your browser will not be able to save it properly.
8. Can I have my archive deleted?
   • This is not generally recommended. If you feel that you have good reason to do so, the do directly to a staff member and ask.
9. Can I fix the spelling and grammar errors in my archive?
   • There is no rule saying that you can't. It is, however, better that you do not. Most people like to look back and see the common mistakes that they made.
10. What if I still can't figure out how to archive a page? Is there anyone I can contact for help?
    • Yes there are a number of people that can help you with archiving:
      • Starphoria
      • Maxite
11. What should I call my archives?
    • Some users like to name them according to the contents. Like having a date in the title. This is highly discouraged. It makes things too complex and difficult to follow. The preferred naming pattern is like so:
      • Archive 1
      • Archive 2
      • Archive 3
      • etc.