Nodyn:Infobox ship begin/doc

NB. {{Infobox ship begin}} contains code for automatically making the ship name display in italics in the article title. This will only work with titles beginning with one of the prefixes (HMS, SS, etc.) that are listed in the code of Template:Ship prefix. If this does not work on a particular article (after purging), then please either (1) add the prefix to Template:Ship prefix (provided it is a single "word"); or (2) italicize the title manually (outside the ship infobox templates) using {{Italic title}} or {{Italic title prefixed}}; or (3) italicize part of the title manually by adding the following example to the top of the article, outside any infobox: {{DISPLAYTITLE:RV ''Oceania''}}.

This ship infobox supports a very large number of fields, including some specialty fields that will rarely be used. Some fields simply don't make sense in some cases. Some different sets of code have been prepared using only the most common fields. Select the most appropriate set below and copy and paste the entire code to the top of a ship article, then fill in as many fields as possible. Empty fields should generally be kept so that a future editor can fill them in unless they make no sense for the ship in question.

The "Full" code contains every field the template supports. If you want, you can copy one of the simplified sets of code and add a few fields from the "Full" code.

If you have ideas for improvements or would like to add brand new fields to these templates, please post on Template talk:Infobox ship begin/doc to discuss the changes and how they should be implemented.

Usage

Code for individual ships

For infoboxes of individual ships, please copy the appropriate example for the type of ship:

If none of the above fit, you may use this full setup:

Code for ship classes

For infoboxes of ship classes, please copy the appropriate example for the type of ship class:

If none of the above fit, you may use this full setup:

Parameters

Most fields are self-explanatory, but here are some tips (see the usage guide for a complete explanation of all parameter fields):

1. Ship image If your article does not have an image in this field, the ship will automatically be listed at the hidden category Category:Ship infoboxes without an image. Editors can use the category to easily see a list of infoboxes where no image is attached and work to find pictures.
2. Ship caption, the caption for the ship's picture, should be left blank if no extra information about the picture is available; don't just fill in the ship's name.
3. Ship country is necessary when a ship served under multiple countries, but not really necessary otherwise.
4. Ship class should include both the class and the type of ship. For example, Balao-class diesel-electric submarine provides complete information. It can be replaced with Ship type, which displays as "Type:", for ships that aren't members of a class.
5. Ship name is necessary when a ship served under multiple names, but not really necessary otherwise.
6. Ship fate and Ship status generally shouldn't both be filled in. Whichever one sounds most appropriate for the situation should be filled in. Use Ship fate when the ship sank or was scrapped, and use Ship status when the ship is active, kept in reserve, or currently a museum.
7. Ship displacement and Ship tonnage are not the same thing. Displacement is the mass of a ship in a particular condition, like when it's fully loaded for battle. It is generally used for military vessels. Tonnage is a measurement of the cargo capacity of a vessel and isn't exactly correlated with weight: a ship of a particular tonnage will have a different mass depending on whether it's full of grain or iron. Entries in either parameter need to specifically identify the units in which they are being measured, such as long tons, metric tons or tonnes (unacceptable in articles using American English, use metric tons) or gross register tons or whatever. If possible, use templates such as {{GT}}, {{NetT}} and {{DWT}}.

Alternate spellings

Some fields provide alternate spellings and should never both be filled in:

1. "Ship honors" and "Ship honours"
2. "Ship draft" and "Ship draught"
3. "Ship armor" and "Ship armour"

Removing extra fields

It's generally a good idea not to remove fields, because another editor might be able to provide the information later. However, in the case of mutually exclusive fields, like "Ship armor" and "Ship armour", the unused field can be removed if desired. Also, if a section is repeated (to show multiple periods in commission, for example), fields that are inappropriate to duplicate can be removed if desired. Keep in mind that a ship from the Age of Sail would not need the fields for aircraft or electronic warfare instruments and in opposite an aircraft carrier would not need the fields for a sail plan. A surface ship would not require fields for submarines etc.

Special capabilities

Repeating sections

This infobox allows you to repeat sections. To repeat, just make a copy of the section to be repeated. You can repeat the Image, Career, or Characteristics sections. Here is an example, with extra fields removed for clarity:

USS Bang
Gyrfa (US)
Enw:	USS Bang (SS-385)
Cychwyn adeiladu:	30 April 1943
Lansiwyd:	30 August 1943
Comisiynwyd:	4 December 1943
Dadgomisiynwyd:	1 October 1972
Dadgofrestru:	18 November 1974
Tynged:	Transferred to Spain, 1 October 1972
Gyrfa (Spain)
Enw:	SPS Cosme Garcia (S34)
Prynwyd:	1 October 1972
Tynged:	scrapped 1983
Nodweddion cyffredinol
Dadleoliad:	1,526 tons surfaced 2,391 tons
Hyd:	311 ft 8 in (95 m)
Trawst:	27 ft 3 in (8.3 m)
Niferoedd:	66

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image=[[File:Uss bang.jpg|center|300px]]
| Ship caption=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Ship country=US
| Ship flag={{USN flag|1972}}
| Ship name=USS ''Bang'' (SS-385)
| Ship laid down=30 April 1943
| Ship launched=30 August 1943
| Ship commissioned=4 December 1943
| Ship decommissioned=1 October 1972
| Ship struck=18 November 1974
| Ship fate=Transferred to Spain, 1 October 1972
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Ship country=Spain
| Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Spain}}
| Ship name=SPS ''Cosme Garcia'' (S34)
| Ship acquired=1 October 1972
| Ship fate=scrapped 1983
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Header caption=
| Ship displacement=1,526 tons surfaced<br>2,391 tons
| Ship length=311 ft 8 in (95 m)
| Ship beam=27 ft 3 in (8.3 m)
| Ship complement=66
}}
|}

Hiding section headers

It is possible to hide the headers for the Career and General Characteristics sections, in order to repeat fields. For example, a ship might have been commissioned, decommissioned, recommissioned, and decommissioned again. To have the second commission and decommission dates, use additional a second Infobox ship career template with its header hidden, like this:

USS Wisconsin at sea, circa 1990
Gyrfa
Cychwyn adeiladu:	25 January 1941
Lansiwyd:	7 December 1943
Comisiynwyd:	16 April 1944
Dadgomisiynwyd:	1 July 1948
Ail-gomisiynwyd:	3 March 1951
Dadgomisiynwyd:	8 March 1958
Ail-gomisiynwyd:	1 August 1986
Dadgomisiynwyd:	30 September 1991
Dadgofrestru:	17 March 2006
Tynged:	Museum ship
Nodweddion cyffredinol (1943)
Dadleoliad:	45,000 tons
Hyd:	887.2 ft (270 m)
Trawst:	108.2 ft (33 m)
Draft:	28.9 ft (8.8 m)
Cyflymder:	33 knots (61 km/h)
Niferoedd:	1,921 officers and men
Arfau:	big guns

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:USS Wisconsin (BB-64) underway at sea, circa 1988-1991 (NH 97206-KN).jpg|300px]]
|Ship caption=USS ''Wisconsin'' at sea, circa 1990
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header=
| Ship caption=(US)
| Ship flag={{USN flag|1992}}
| Ship laid down=25 January 1941
| Ship launched=7 December 1943
| Ship commissioned=16 April 1944
| Ship decommissioned=1 July 1948
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header=yes
| Ship recommissioned=3 March 1951
| Ship decommissioned=8 March 1958
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header=yes
| Ship recommissioned=1 August 1986
| Ship decommissioned=30 September 1991
| Ship struck=17 March 2006
| Ship fate=[[Museum ship]]
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header=
| Header caption=(1943)
| Ship displacement=45,000 tons
| Ship length=887.2 ft (270 m)
| Ship beam=108.2 ft (33 m)
| Ship draft=28.9 ft (8.8 m)
| Ship speed=33 knots (61 km/h)
| Ship complement=1,921 officers and men
| Ship armament=big guns
}}
|}

Header captions

The General Characteristics section can be given a caption using the Header caption field. See the USS Wisconsin example above, which has a header caption of (1943) to indicate that the characteristics provided are as of 1943.

Custom fields

West Virginia in San Francisco Bay, circa 1934.
Gyrfa
Archebwyd:	5 December 1916
Cychwyn adeiladu:	12 April 1920
Lansiwyd:	17 November 1921
Comisiynwyd:	1 December 1923
Sunk:	7 December 1941
Raised:	17 May 1942
Dadgomisiynwyd:	9 January 1947
Dadgofrestru:	1 March 1959
Llysenw:	"Wee Vee"
Tynged:	sold for scrap
Nodweddion cyffredinol
Dadleoliad:	33,590 tons
Hyd:	624 ft (190 m)
Trawst:	97.3 ft (29.6 m)
Draft:	30.5 ft (9.3 m)
Cyflymder:	21.0 knots (39 km/h)
Niferoedd:	1,407 officers and men
Arfau:	big guns

It is possible to add custom fields to the infobox using standard Wiki table syntax. This is not encouraged, because infoboxes are intended to standardize the appearance of ship articles, but it can be done if needed. See the below example, where "Sunk:" and "Raised:" fields are added to the ship's career:

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:Uss west virginia bb.jpg|300px|]]
|Ship caption=''West Virginia'' in San Francisco Bay, circa 1934.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header=
| Ship caption=US
| Ship flag={{USN flag|1947}}
| Ship ordered=5 December 1916
| Ship laid down=12 April 1920
| Ship launched=17 November 1921
| Ship commissioned=1 December 1923
}}
|-
| Sunk:
|7 December 1941
|-
|Raised:
|17 May 1942
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header=yes
| Ship decommissioned=9 January 1947
| Ship fate=sold for scrap
| Ship struck=1 March 1959
| Ship nickname="Wee Vee"
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header=
| Ship displacement=33,590 tons
| Ship length=624 ft (190 m)
| Ship beam=97.3 ft (29.6 m)
| Ship draft=30.5 ft (9.3 m)
| Ship speed=21.0 knots (39 km/h)
| Ship complement=1,407 officers and men
| Ship armament=big guns
}}
|}

See also

• {{WikiProject Ships|needs-infobox=y}}