Wikisource:Bot requests/Persistent tasks

{{header}} usage checks

• Assigned to TalBot (on request).

Date of most recent run: 22 August 2008.

Task description

The manual of style recommends the use of {{header}} or a similar template at the top of pages. The script header_check.py is designed to create a list of pages missing such a header. The resulting list is posted at User:TalBot/Missing headers.

Pages assessed

All pages from the following namespaces are included in the check a priori:

• the main namespace
• Author
• Help
• Portal
• Wikisource

Pages excluded

Some pages do not need a header despite being located within the aforementioned namespaces. These pages are excluded by category. If a page is in one of the following categories, or subcategories thereof, they are not checked for headers:

• Category:Protected deleted pages
• Category:Soft redirects

Header templates

The following templates are recognised as header generating templates:

• {{archive header}}
• {{author}}
• {{EB1911}}
• {{header}}
• {{process header}}

Altering the script

If you feel the list of header templates or the list of pages assessed/excluded should be changed, please leave a note at User talk:GrafZahl, explaining your rationale.

Running the script

You may request an update of the list of pages missing headers on User talk:GrafZahl. Note that, unlike earlier scripts, this one is inexpensive to run, so do not hesitate to ask for a re-run if you fixed several pages at once and do not want to strike them from the list manually.

Soft redirect maintenance

• Assigned to TalBot (monthly).

Task description

In accordance with the deletion policy, dated soft redirects older than two months may be deleted. Links to the bot scripts used may be found at User:TalBot#Remove old soft redirects monthly. The following procedure is employed:

1. Run User:TalBot/spot-double-redirects.py to detect double redirects and other anomalies (redirects with no target or with a target outside this wiki). These redirects (usually few in number) will be corrected/deleted manually.
2. Run User:TalBot/rm-soft-redir-helper.py to detect hard redirects erroneously classified as soft and to obtain a list of soft redirects with their targets. This list is publicly posted. This list is later used in the decision whether, for each redirect, link correction should preserve the old text (e.g. replacing [[Link A]] with [[Link B|Link A]]) or not (e.g. replacing [[Link A]] with [[Link B]]). Existing pipes will not be altered.
3. Run User:TalBot/rm-soft-redir.py in fake mode, i.e. don't alter the wiki but provide a list of pages which would receive link correction and a list of all text replacements that would be done. This information is also posted publicly.
4. Decide which pages should be excluded from link correction and which links should be excluded from text preservation. Post this information and wait a few days, so people have the opportunity to speak up if they're unhappy with the decisions.
5. Run User:TalBot/rm-soft-redir.py in real mode.

Public information links

You are invited to discuss the monthly suggested changes. The script to delete the redirects will be run a few days after each set of suggested changes has been posted and no objections have been raised. Follow the heading links for more information and progress indication.

February 2016

• Category:Soft redirects/February 2016
• List of redirects (talk) • references (talk) • changes (talk) • exceptions (talk)

March 2016

• Category:Soft redirects/March 2016
• List of redirects (talk) • references (talk) • changes (talk) • exceptions (talk)