View source for Template:Il/doc

'''{{tl|il}}''' is a template for producing an '''i'''nfobox '''l'''ist in a way that conforms with [[T:NO HTML]] and uses a minimum of space.
== Usage ==
Simply type <code><nowiki>{{il|item 1|item 2|item 3| ... item 20}}</nowiki></code>
{{Infobox Story
|name=The Eight Doctors
|doctor = [[Eighth Doctor]]
|featuring = {{il|[[First Doctor]]|[[Second Doctor]]|[[Third Doctor]]|[[Fourth Doctor]]|[[Fifth Doctor]]|[[Sixth Doctor]]|[[Seventh Doctor]]}}
|nav=0
}}
For instance, if we wanted to list the featured Doctors in [[EDA]]: ''[[The Eight Doctors]]'', we might well type something like this:<pre>{{Infobox Story
|doctor = [[Eighth Doctor]]
|featuring = {{il|[[First Doctor]]|[[Second Doctor]]|[[Third Doctor]]|[[Fourth Doctor]]|[[Fifth Doctor]]|[[Sixth Doctor]]|[[Seventh Doctor]]}}
}}
</pre>
===Advantages===
This has the following advantages over the bulletised lists:
* An {{tl|il}} list takes up less space, because they don't have to allow for the character of the bullet, plus the additional space to the left and right of the bullet
* It's far easier to create than an HTML <code><nowiki><ul></nowiki></code> structure. 
===Disadvantages===
* The lack of indentation means that things which appear on more than one line are ''slightly'' less clear than with bullets.
* This template can handle only 20 items.  However, if you need more than 5 or 6 things on a list in an infobox, the chances are you're giving too much detail.  Remember, the point of an infobox is to give a brief flavour of the main aspects of the thing in question. '''An infobox is never meant to be exhaustive.'''   
===Guidelines===
{{Infobox Story
|name = Journey's End
|nav=0
|featuring = [[Rose Tyler]], [[Jack Harkness]], [[Martha Jones]], [[Sarah Jane Smith]], [[Mickey Smith]], [[Jackie Tyler]], [[Sylvia Noble]], [[Wilfred Mott]], [[Ianto Jones]], [[Gwen Cooper]], [[Luke Smith]], [[K9 Mark IV]], [[Mr Smith]] 
}}
{{Infobox Story
|name = Journey's End
|nav=0
|featuring = {{il|[[Rose Tyler]]|[[Jack Harkness]]|[[Martha Jones]]|[[Sarah Jane Smith]]|[[Mickey Smith]]|[[Jackie Tyler]]|[[Sylvia Noble]]|[[Wilfred Mott]]|[[Ianto Jones]]|[[Gwen Cooper]]|[[Luke Smith]]|[[K9 Mark IV]]|[[Mr Smith]] }}
}}
Generally, lists in infoboxes, where each item is on its own line, '''should be avoided'''.  It is a far more efficient use of space simply to separate thigs with a comma.  However, there are certainly cases where such lists can be useful, and will be visually appealing.  

Let's compare the same information presented both ways.  At right, you'll see the featured characters from ''[[Journey's End]]''.  The top box does it by simply separating with commas.  The bottom uses {{tl|il}}.  Yes, the one on the bottom is "neater", but it's also twice as tall.  Depending on the article, that may be okay.  If you've got a nice, fat lead that's as long as the infobox is tall, feel free to use {{tl|il}} with impunity.  But if your article — or, especially, '''lead''' — is  smaller, using {{tl|il}} is an extravagant waste of space that you can ill-afford.

It's worth noting that on the live page of ''[[Journey's End]]'' — as of 16:57, March 21, 2012 (UTC) —  all these featured characters are reduced to '''first names only''' and separated by commas.

Please also note that parentheticals '''should absolutely be avoided''' in infoboxes.  Yes, it has been commonplace to add things like (departs), (joins), (redeems herself)  and other little asides, but these simply waste space. Remember, parenthetical information is by definition unnecessary, or you wouldn't have put it in parentheses.  Infoboxes should contain only the ''least'' amount of ''necessary'' information.  The lead of the article should be telling us that it's the first adventure with Adric, or the serial in which Dodo departed.  Such information is  '''not''' the province of the infobox.

==Template history==
This template was originally created as a way to make bullet-pointed lists in infoboxes.  Hence, it was originally called {{tl|bp}}.  In the wake of its changeover to a non-bullet-pointed listmaker, its name was changed.
<noinclude>[[category:template documentation|{{PAGENAME}}]]</noinclude>