Template:Country showdata/doc

This template is used for documenting country data meta-templates used by the flag template system. The output of this template can be seen by directly viewing any of the templates in Category:Country data templates.

See Wikipedia:WikiProject Flag Template for the main documentation and discussion page for the flag template system.

Usage

This template is automatically invoked by the standard syntax of a country data template:

{{ {{{1<noinclude>|country showdata</noinclude>}}}
| alias = Countryname
| shortname alias = Shortcountryname  <!-- only necessary if Shortcountryname ≠ Countryname, otherwise omit -->
| flag alias = Flag of Countryname.svg
| size = {{{size|}}}
| name = {{{name|}}}
| variant = {{{variant|}}}  <!-- only necessary if there is one or more flag alias-variant parameters, otherwise omit -->
}}

The first parameter to a country data template is usually the name of a formatting meta-template. For example, Template:Flag uses Template:Flag/core to actually render the flag icon and wikilink. If the first parameter is missing, which is the case when a country data template is viewed directly, the template code fragment {{{1<noinclude>|country showdata</noinclude>}}} ensures that this template will be used as the default first parameter. This technique ensures that country data templates are "self-documenting" if they use the standard syntax.

Additional parameters

Many country data templates require additional documentation beyond the standard mandatory alias and flag alias parameters. This template will automatically document standard optional parameters (such as shortname alias) if present, and can document unique optional parameters (such as flag variants) if instructed to. This latter method uses documentation-specific parameters in the country data template to activate the additional output from this template. These documentation parameters are set off from the rest of the parameters in the country data template by a <noinclude> section:

<noinclude>
| var1 = ...
| redir1 = ...
| related1 = ...
</noinclude>

When the template's name does not match the alias, the parameter templatename must be used. This is what flag, navy, etc. will invoke.

Flag variants

Flag variants are added to a country data template by the inclusion of one or more flag alias-label parameters, where each label is a unique identifier that is subsequently used as an input parameter to {{flag|...}}, {{flagicon|...}}, etc. To document these flag variants, use the varN documentation parameters to identify each label.

For example, Template:Country data Seychelles identifies three flag variants (in addition to the current flag) with the following code:

| flag alias-1976 = Flag of the Seychelles 1976.svg
| flag alias-1977 = Flag of the Seychelles 1977.svg
| flag alias-colonial = Government Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg

These three variants are documented by the following code segment later in the template:

<noinclude>
| var1 = 1976
| var2 = 1977
| var3 = colonial
...
</noinclude>

Up to fifteen flag variants can be documented by this method (using var1 to var9). If more are present (and currently, only Template:Country data United States has more than fifteen flag variants), these can be listed on a separate documentation subpage as described below.

Note that you do not have to use a varN parameter for the standard optional variant labels naval, air force and army (used for the country's naval, air force and army ensigns, respectively). If present, they will automatically be documented.

Redirect aliases

Many country data templates have alias names that can be used instead of the usual country name with all of the main flag templates. These are usually, but not exclusively, standard country code abbreviations such as those specifed in ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 or by the IOC or FIFA. These are implemented as redirects, and are listed in Category:Country data redirects.

For example, Template:Country data DEU and Template:Country data GER both redirect to Template:Country data Germany, because DEU is the ISO code and GER is the IOC and FIFA code for Germany. Therefore, {{flagicon|DEU}}, {{flagicon|GER}}, and {{flagicon|Germany}} all have the same result. These redirect aliases are documented by the following template code fragment:

<noinclude>
...
| redir1 = DEU
| redir2 = GER
...
</noinclude>

Up to five flag redirects can be documented by this method (using redir1 to redir5).

Related templates

Several country data templates are used for alternative forms to the common country data template for the nation, usually but not exclusively for historic nations. Pointers to these alternative templates are useful additions to the template documentation so that editors can use the correct template for their specific purposes.

For example, Template:Country data Serbia and Montenegro includes the following code to document three other related country data templates:

<noinclude>
...
| related1 = Serbia
| related2 = Montenegro
| related3 = FR Yugoslavia
...
</noinclude>

Up to six related flags can be documented by this method (using related1 to related6).

Additional documentation

For situations where the automatic documentation method is not completely adequate, additional documentation can be displayed by country showdata. Simply create a documentation subpage (named as Template:Country data Countryname/doc) with the additional material, and it will be transcluded after all other output sections.

For example:

• Template:Country data Ireland/doc is used to explain why that template is distinct from Template:Country data Republic of Ireland
• Template:Country data France/doc is used to document the list of country data templates available for each of the regions of France
• Template:Country data United States/doc is used to document the full set of flag variants (for each number of stars), and to list all of the country data templates available for state and territory flags

Categorization

Normally the template is categorized using its alias or templatename (which overrides the alias); when this yields an unsatisfactory category sorting position (as with accented characters, for example), the parameter cat can be used to specify an ASCII category sorting key (Forcing the sort key through the /doc page will not work).