Typically to be used in lists to provide an annotated link using theshort description for the linked page. For example: inSee also sections "editors should provide a brief annotation when a link's relevance is not immediately apparent, when the meaning of the term may not be generally known, or when the term is ambiguous".
By default, the short description of the linked page will be derived from the{{short description}} template responsible for setting the short description for that page. If a template is not transcluded in the page, the description will be blank. This behavior can be manipulated and other formatting options allow for the presentation of useful annotations even without a short description, which may still become available and therefore displayed at a later date.
Information in article titles should generallynot be repeated in the short description. Therefore, the display text of annotated links should usually retain anyparenthetical disambiguation.
Limitations
Some pages are assigned short descriptions by automatic methods;templates that generate short descriptions includeinfoboxes that use the data provided to its parameters to create a suitable short description, which may overrule other short descriptions that exist for or on the page.The module responsible for fetching the description is currently not able to detect or determine this type of dynamically created short description.
They contain formatting that is not in line with the long-established formatting for disambiguation entries atMOS:DAB.
The text of the descriptions is frequently not optimal for disambiguation pages, as it may be neither distinguishing nor succinct.
They would remove control of the text from the disambiguation page itself, and allow disambiguation pages to be modified without appearing in the edit history of the page itself, or in notifications relating to the page. (This reason is not fixable, and is sufficient reason not to use the template or any modification thereof.)
An alternative name for the linked entity may be added following the link (and abbreviation if also added) using|aka= if desired; the alternative name will be prepended with ", also known as":
Markup:{{Annotated link | Royal National Theatre | aka=the National Theatre of Great Britain }}
Result:Royal National Theatre, also known as the National Theatre of Great Britain – Theatre in London, England
Foreign language formatting options are available for this parameter; seebelow.
Additional information
Even more information may be wedged in between the previously stated information and that of the potentially following description; use|wedge= to add it is desired:
Markup:{{Annotated link | Grape | wedge=can be used to make wine }}
Result:Grape, can be used to make wine – Fruit growing on woody vines in clusters
Foreign language formatting options are available for this parameter; seebelow.
Foreign language text
Foreign language text should be formatted in accordance withMOS:OTHERLANG; this template provides all the necessary options to control the formatting. The module invoked by this template, usesModule:Lang (the module powering{{lang}}) to do the formatting, and all the options are fully described on their documentation pages.
If the link text is of a foreign language (editor discretion determines if this is appropriate); control the formatting with:|link_lang=<language code>,|link_lang_italic=,|link_lang_nocat=,|link_lang_size=,|link_lang_cat= and|link_lang_rtl=
If the|aka= text is of a foreign language (again; editor discretion); control the formatting with:|aka_lang=<language code>,|aka_lang_italic=,|aka_lang_nocat=,|aka_lang_size=,|aka_lang_cat=,|aka_lang_rtl=
If the|wedge= text is of a foreign language (again; editor discretion); control the formatting with:|wedge_lang=<language code>,|wedge_lang_italic=,|wedge_lang_nocat=,|wedge_lang_size=,|wedge_lang_cat=,|wedge_lang_rtl=
Controlling the case of the first character of a short description
Short descriptions on the English Wikipediashould be formatted with an uppercase first letter. By default, the short descriptions retrieved by this template are displayed as they are typed in the page from which they are extracted, but this may be overridden if required using|desc_first_letter_case=upper or|desc_first_letter_case=lower.
Control the rtl presentation of foreign language wedge text
Suggested values
noyes
Default
no
Line
optional
Foreign language description formatting
desc_lang_nodesc-lang-nodlno
Dictate if foreign language description text should be formatted
Suggested values
yes
Line
optional
Foreign language description italics
desc_lang_italicdesc-lang-italicdli
Control the italic presentation of foreign language description text
Suggested values
yesnounsetinvertdefault
Line
optional
Foreign language description categorisation
desc_lang_nocatdesc-lang-nocatdlnc
Dictate the categorisation of foreign language description text
Suggested values
yesytrueton1
Line
optional
Foreign language description categorisation
desc_lang_catdesc-lang-catdlc
Dictate the categorisation of foreign language description text
Suggested values
nonfalsefoff0
Line
optional
Foreign language description size
desc_lang_sizedesc-lang-sizedls
Control the size presentation of foreign language description text
Example
1.5em
Line
optional
Foreign language description rtl
desc_lang_rtldesc-lang-rtldlr
Control the rtl presentation of foreign language description text
Suggested values
noyes
Default
no
Line
optional
Preview warnings and maintenance categories
Module:GetShortDescription may create warnings about detected issues with{{short description}} configurations, that show above the preview content during editing. These warnings are not about the page being edited, but about the pages for which the annotated links are being created. If any preview warnings are shown; please consider visiting the indicated pages to analyse and possibly fix the issues.
It may also showalarming messages (they're red but not necessarily errors) about its function. If it is not clear how to fix the problem indicated; don't continue trying to annotate the link with this template as the messages will be visible to all readers of Wikipedia. If any alarming messages are displayed on saved pages as a result of issues, the page showing those messages will be added to the maintenanceCategory:Pages displaying alarming messages about Module:GetShortDescription.
Several other maintenance categories exist for potential issues with the annotations:
Category:Pages displaying short descriptions with no spaces via Module:Annotated link will be populated by pages where the module has been invoked to provide annotations that include a description with no spaces. If a page in this category is analysed by an interested editor, and it is determined that the description is appropriate for use; add|space_cat=no to the{{annotated link}} to disable the categorisation. If the description is not appropriate; the interested editor can either try to fix it at the source, use|only= to potentially select another description, or remove the use of this template and create a custom annotation for the link manually.
Category:Pages displaying short descriptions matching their page name via Module:Annotated link will be populated by pages where the module has been invoked to provide annotations contain descriptions that have (case insensitive) equality with the name of the linked page i.e. "Wikipedia article" with a short description of "wikipedia article". Please consider reviewing the instances.