Editing Battlestar Wiki:FAQ/Navigation

This part of the [[BW:FAQ|FAQ]] deals with the navigation of the Wiki. 

== How do I navigate the site? Where do I begin? ==

There are a few ways to start using Battlestar Wiki. The main methods are as follows:

# From any page on the Wiki, enter in the item you want to search in the search bar to the left. [[Help:Searching|This document]] will tell you how to use the different features of the search.
# From the sidebar, you will see a box with links that says "Series". Click on any of the five options there. By clicking one of the options, you are lead to a portal that will further help guide you through the rest of the Wiki. 
# From the [[Main Page]], simply click on the general topic you want to know about. The "Character" button will bring you to the [[Portal:Characters|Character portal]], which guides you further into that topic.

== What are the different sets of links for? ==

There are four different groupings of links on the Wiki. 

# '''Sidebar''': The bar on the left-hand side of the page is called the sidebar. This is the primary method of navigating the Wiki, allowing you to jump to the various major sections. Depending on your user level (such as whether or not you are a chief, registered user, or unregistered user), you may see different links. (For example, chiefs have a special set of links leading to the various tools and policies of the Wiki, for easy reference.) 
# '''User bar''': The right-aligned bar at the very top of the page is called the user bar. 
#* '''For registered users:''' The user bar will list the various options available to users, including the ability to modify preferences, see their own contributions, check out the pages they are keeping an eye on through the watchlist feature, and more. 
#* '''For unregistered users:''' The user bar will only show one link that says "Create an account/log in". If you want to create an account, this would be the link to do it from. 
# '''Tab bar''': On the default skin, the bar above and beneath the article is referred to as the "tab bar". These links directly pertain to the article you are reading, thus allowing you to view the history, discussions for that article, and be the place where you can get back to the article upon reaching the talk page. 
#* '''For registered users''': This will have links to the options that allow you to view discussion pages for an article, switch back to the article, edit, watch an article, etc.
#* '''For unregistered users:'''' The bar will have links to the article you are reading, its discussion page, its history page (a page listing all the edits that have ever happened to it) and a link that allows you to jump either to the top or bottom of the page, depending on whether you are at the top or bottom, of course.
# '''Footer bar''': Depending on the skin, you will see links on the very bottom of the page. 
#* '''In the default skin:''' Using the default skin, there are two types of links on the bottom. These are the "toolbox" links that allow you to see what links to the article you are on, the related changes feature, and a link to the "special pages", which lists all the cool features that the more advanced Wiki users can take advantage of. (More options are relegated to the users and chiefs, of course.) The second line of links goes to the privacy policy, disclaimer, and all that good stuff...
#* '''In the Wikipedia-like skins:''' The footer merely provides links to the privacy policy, disclaimer, the "about us" page and has links to the licensing and software we use.

== How can I tell between links that keep me on the Wiki and links that take me to another site? ==

There are two types of links on Battlestar Wiki: internal and external. 

Internal links (such as [[Adama|this one]] do not have a little box icon to their right, whereas external links such as [http://www.galacticruise.com this one] do. 

However, there is an exception to this. Links to other sites using [[Special:Interwiki|the interwiki table]], such as [[frakr:|Wiki Frakr]], [[MemoryAlpha:|Memory-Alpha]] (the ''Star Trek'' encyclopedia), will not have this icon. Most of the time, such links are noted as being external links.

There is a difference between internal and external links by the link's color:
* A pure inside wiki internal link will be in yellow. For an example: [[Lee Adama]].
* Other languages Battlestar Wiki links, Interwiki links (as Memory-Alpha for example), and external links will be in orange. Examples:
** [[:fr:Lee Adama|Lee Adama]] (French Battlestar Wiki article about [[Lee Adama]]);
** ''[[memoryalpha:Star Trek|Star Trek]]'', an interwiki link to Memory-Alpha ''Star Trek'' article;
** [http://www.galacticruise.com/ Galacticruise.com], link to an external website.

== How can I navigate the different Battlestar Wikis in different languages? ==

Those wanting to jump to the different language editions of Battlestar Wiki can jump to [[Main Page]], or our [http://www.battlestarwiki.org entry portal].

Also, articles (such as [[Lee Adama]]) that are available in different languages have links to these versions on the left sidebar.

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