Help:Archiving

This page details the process of creating an archive. Archives pages can be on: Article talk pages, User talk pages, or on normal pages. Discussions are usually archived either to save space on the talk page or record a memorable discussion.

Archives are either on a subpage or on its very own page.

Steps to Creating an Archive on a Subpage

 * 1) Edit any page, usually the one being archived, and create a link with a forward slash. For example, if the page is User talk:Username the the archive page should be User talk:Username/Archive Name.
 * 2) Then click "Show Preview" and open the archive link in either a new window or, if applicable, in a new tab.
 * 3) Go back to the edit view of the original page. Copy the the content to be archived.
 * 4) Go to the archive page and paste this content.
 * 5) At the top of the archive type:  
 * 6) Click "Save Page" on the archive page.
 * 7) Return to the normal page and make sure that there is a link to the archive page at the top. Also make sure that the archived content has been removed.
 * 8) Click "Save Page" on the original page.

Steps to Creating an Archive on its Own Page.

 * 1) Edit any page, usually the one being archived, and create a link to the new page.
 * 2) Click "Show Preview" and open the archive link in either a new window or, if applicable, in a new tab.
 * 3) Go back to the edit view of the original page. Copy the content to be archived.
 * 4) Go to the new page and paste the content.
 * 5) At the top of the archive type one of the following:
 * 6) *For main article pages, simply type:  
 * 7) *For pages that either are talk pages or should link to another talk page type:    In place of Page Name put the name of the of the target page. In Name Space put the name space of the target talk page's main page.
 * 8) Click "Save Page" on the archive page.
 * 9) Return to the original page and make sure that there is a link to the archive page at the top. Also make sure that the archived content has been removed.
 * 10) Click "Save Page" on the original page.