Help:Custom Signatures

You can make your signature unique by customizing it. This can be done in two ways: Be sure when creating your signature to follow the custom signature rules! See the user signatures category to see examples of some user's signatures.
 * Method One: For simple signatures . The signature is fully copied onto the page whenever it is used.
 * Method Two: For more complex signatures with HTML coding. Instead of being copied directly, as in Method One, the signature is transcluded, like a template. This helps save space on talk pages. With this method, if your signature is changed in the future, all talk pages will be updated automatically to show your new signature.

Method One

 * 1) Go to My Preferences and type what you want your signature to appear as in the "signature" box.
 * 2) Make sure that the "Treat signature as wikitext" box is checked. This allows your custom coding to work.
 * 3) Save your preferences, and use with the same four tildes ( ~ ) that you normally do.


 * Note: You must use wikicode to create links. For example:
 * Bill (Talk) does nothing.
 * Bill (Talk) creates the desired links

 Important:  When using this method, the entire code of the signature is copied onto the page each time you sign a post. Therefore, this method should only be used for creating simple signatures. If you wish to make a more complex signature with HTML coding, please use Method Two so as to keep talk pages neat.

Method Two
Be sure to follow these directions exactly or this will not work properly.


 * 1) Create a page titled with the following content:
 *  [Signature]   
 * 1) *Replace [Signature] with your new signature. For example:
 * ''' Bill (Talk)
 * 1) Create a page titled with the following content:
 *  { {:User:/sig}} 
 * 1) Go to My Preferences
 * 2) *Type the following into the "signature" box:
 *  { {subst:User:/sig2}} 
 * 1) *Make sure that the "Treat signature as wikitext (without an automatic link)" box is checked.
 * 2) *Save your preferences
 * 3) When signing posts, use with the same four tildes ( ~ ) that you normally do.

Rules Regarding Signatures
While we're fairly lenient when it comes to signatures, there are a few rules that we ask you please adhere to in your signature. These are primarily to prevent certain signatures in a post from "standing out" amongst the crowd, potentially drawing readers to that message and away from other messages.


 * If you wish to use alternate colors or fonts, make sure that they are not too distracting, and that they are easy to read, taking into account the color of the background they'll be used on.
 * Please do not use any images in your signatures.
 * Things such as quotes or extra wording is not allowed in signatures because it makes them too long and potentially distracting.
 * Don't make signatures longer than you need to. "User (talk | contribs)" is okay - "User (talk | contribs) Hey guys this is my signature LOOK!" is not.
 * No "talk bubbles" or "word bubbles". Only standard signatures. See the existing signatures located in the user signatures category for examples.
 * Make sure to close all coding because broken codes affect any pages that the signature is placed on.

Other Notes

 * Do not add a time function to your signature manually (i.e. adding in five tildes [ ]). This will be done automatically for you.
 * You are allowed to use a piped link to display a name other than your user name - e.g.  is acceptable.