Help:Main page

This is for help with editing the XBMC Wiki. For help with XBMC Media Center, please see XBMC Online Manual.

Wiki editing 101
Here's some wiki editing 101 links from MediaWiki.org and Wikipedia. Most things that work on Wikipedia should also work on the XBMC Wiki. If you see a feature or template on Wikipedia that you would like to use here then let us know on the XBMC help forum for website issues or Talk:Main Page.
 * mw:Help:Editing pages
 * w:Help:Contents/Editing Wikipedia
 * w:Wikipedia:FAQ/Editing
 * w:Wikipedia:Cheatsheet
 * mw:Help:Starting a new page
 * mw:Help:Images

Tools

 * Category:Templates- formatting and message templates that you can use on pages for various things.
 * Gadgets- Go to the top of any page and click on "My preferences -> Gadgets" and check out some of the additional editing tools there, especially the wikEd option
 * Special:SpecialPages contains a number of tools and reports to help with editing.
 * Some additional functions on this wiki are documented via links at Special:Version.
 * YouTube- To embed youtube videos (XBMC related videos only!) use  where id= is the YouTube ID from the URL. For example,  . You can also define |height= and |width= (default is 569x320).
 * Like/PlusOne- Add a Facebook Like or a Google PlusOne to a specific wiki page, ether in reference to the page itself or the topic the page is about. The tags are: Like, Recommend, PlusOne. Click on their links for more info.

Types of pages

 * Think of this as a basic idea/guideline and not really anything strict


 * General topics (main namespace)- Anything that is a general overview of a topic. This can be main manual pages, a page for a remote control, a page for a specific hardware part, a supplemental tool/program, or just about anything XBMC related. Some pages might be a manual-type page explaining something in XBMC, or it could be something just XBMC-related and just serving as a basic info page + bookmarks.
 * XBMC Manual- Core XBMC manual/help pages. Can be in several namespaces. See Category:XBMC Manual
 * FAQs- Question/common topic and answers. See Category:FAQ and Template:FAQ
 * HOW-TO:- How-to's some manual pages will simply be both general pages and a how-to page, or be paired with a how-to page. Pages in the HOW-TO: namespace should be just just for step-by-step how to's. For how-to's within a general topic page, just use the main namespace. Some how-to's are apart of the main manual, and others are more specific. We welcome any how-to's that people feel would be useful. See Category:How-to.
 * Add-ons:- Add-ons, skins, etc. Great for Add-on developers and users alike. See Category:All add-ons. Examples of good add-on pages include: Add-on:YouTube, Add-on:BlipTV, Add-on:iPlayer, Add-on:PleXBMC, Add-on:Common plugin cache. Subpages (if needed) can be made with a slash (/) in the name.
 * Development- Pages for developers or really advanced topics. Includes Skin and Add-on development. Can be in several namespaces. See Category:Development
 * User:- Username space for user pages. All editors get their own User page and can make additional subpages by adding a slash (/). Great for putting down notes on what you are working on for the XBMC Wiki, or you can even use your userpage to document your own XBMC set ups.

Where we need help
everywhere, but here's an easy list:
 * All of the FAQs, see Category:FAQ
 * Improve Quick Start Guide
 * Update screen shots on various pages (click on an image and then click on "upload new version")
 * Screen shots uploaded for all skins in Category:Skins
 * Any other kind of manual/help info specific to skins
 * Expanding Add-on pages. Great for Add-on developers and users alike. See Category:All add-ons.


 * '''Examples of good add-on pages include:
 * Add-on:YouTube
 * Add-on:BlipTV
 * Add-on:iPlayer
 * Add-on:PleXBMC
 * Add-on:Common plugin cache
 * Add-on:Artwork Downloader
 * Subpages (if needed) can be made with a slash (/) in the name.


 * Pages/writeups for:
 * Troubleshooting
 * Spell checking (everywhere)
 * Useful keymaps. See Category:Custom keymaps
 * Spam/vandalism patrolling of unpatrolled edits. See spam? Remove it! You can use the Undo feature or find a spam-free version in the "View history" tab (click on a past version, then click on Edit, then save, to restore an older version of a page).
 * Pages needing updating/cleaning up: Category:Cleanup
 * Pages needing expanding: Category:Incomplete
 * XBMC Wiki help pages (including this very page). Need expanding, how-to's, etc, on how to edit and use the XBMC Wiki.