(expanded to note parameter 1 and "| |" form; can be nested; added section "Indentation" to explain how to indent the markup without extra newlines.) |
(noted limit of 6-7 levels; use of nowiki tags; +section "Performance considerations" to note 290 instances/second, 5 expansion levels per nested if, or use P-if syntax.) |
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{{Documentation subpage}}<includeonly>{{pp-template|small=yes}}</includeonly> | {{Documentation subpage}}<includeonly>{{pp-template|small=yes}}</includeonly> | ||
With this template the [[Help:parser function|parser functions]] of the [[mw:Help:Extension:ParserFunctions|ParserFunctions]] collection with names starting with "#if" can be used in a way such that they do not [[m:Help:Newlines_and_spaces#Stripping_on_expansion|strip spaces and newlines]] from the "then" and "else" part. Spaces still do not affect the outcome of the condition. Parameter 1 selects the if-type as "eq", "expr", "exists" or "error" (for #iferror), or empty "||" for a simple if-there (for #if). The template can be repeatedly nested, one inside the other, because the outer-most is completed before running either the then/else inner levels. | With this template the [[Help:parser function|parser functions]] of the [[mw:Help:Extension:ParserFunctions|ParserFunctions]] collection with names starting with "#if" can be used in a way such that they do not [[m:Help:Newlines_and_spaces#Stripping_on_expansion|strip spaces and newlines]] from the "then" and "else" part. Spaces still do not affect the outcome of the condition. Parameter 1 selects the if-type as "eq", "expr", "exists" or "error" (for #iferror), or empty "||" for a simple if-there (for #if). The template can be repeatedly nested 6 or 7 levels, one inside the other, because the outer-most is completed before running either the then/else inner levels. | ||
This template can be substituted. | This template can be substituted, when the expression or comparison will not change. Functionally, a lead-space character is stored, internally, as a simple blank character. Note, in many cases a null nowiki tag ("<nowiki/>") could be used, without [[Template:If]], to allow a lead-space (such as "<nowiki/> xx") anywhere, but the internal storage puts a 43-character marker for "<nowiki/>" in string length. However, there is no extra expansion depth for a nowiki-tag, such as in trailing space, "zz <nowiki/>". | ||
==Usage== | ==Usage== | ||
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When the else-clause is indented to the next line, a newline (CR/LF) is added: | When the else-clause is indented to the next line, a newline (CR/LF) is added: | ||
:::* <nowiki>{{if|{{{1|}}}</nowiki><br> |then found parameter 1 ← ''extra newline here''<br> |else noparameter 1|<br>}} | :::* <nowiki>{{if|{{{1|}}}</nowiki><br> |then found parameter 1 ← ''extra newline here''<br> |else noparameter 1|<br>}} | ||
To indent the else-clause, split an [[HTML]]-form comment, as "<!--" with next line as "-- | To indent the else-clause, split an [[HTML]]-form comment, as "<!--" with next line as "-->|else...". Unless each then-clause and else-clause is carefully tested, to watch for extra newlines, then the results are likely to cause broken lines, with extra line breaks for each newline. For that reason, a global edit with simple search-and-replace of "<code>{#if:</code>" to "<code>{if||</code>" is likely to leave newline problems, wherever the original markup was wrapped to indent either the else-clause or "}}" of each if-structure. Indenting the then-clause is not a problem. | ||
==Performance considerations== | |||
Because [[Template:If]] must prepare the parameters for <code>#if, #ifeq, #ifexpr,</code> (etc.) there is a slight overhead when using it. It has been timed to run at speeds of 290 instances per second, so 29 uses would take only 0.1 s, a tenth of a second to run, to make 29 comparisons. Each nested use adds 5 levels to the template expansion depth, so 7 nested if-templates would use 35 levels (5*7) of the 41-level limit. | |||
'''Using P-if syntax:''' A similar if-structure can be coded without '''Template:If''', by using the {P1} and {P2} templates in a "P-if" structure. [[Template:P1]] always returns parameter 1, and P2 returns the 2nd. So, a comparison of 4 versus 3 can be coded using P-if syntax form: | |||
:: Example of <code>#ifexpr</code>: <nowiki>"{{P{{#ifexpr: 4 > 3|1|2}}| then 4 greater| else 4 lower}}"</nowiki> | |||
:: Result for <code>#ifexpr</code>: "{{P{{#ifexpr: 4 > 3|1|2}}| then 4 greater| else 4 lower}}" ← ''the comparison invoked'' {<nowiki/>{P1}}. | |||
The expansion depth of a P-if is only 4 levels deep, but nesting of the then-clause or else-clause might be more confusing than using nested levels of Template:if. | |||
:: Example of <code>#if</code>: <nowiki>"{{P{{#if:{{{2|x}}}|1|2}}| then {2} set| else {2} empty}}"</nowiki> | |||
:: Result for <code>#if</code>: "{{P{{#if:{{{2|}}}|1|2}}| then {2} set| else {2} empty}}" ← ''the comparison invoked'' {<nowiki/>{P2}}. | |||
==See also== | ==See also== |
Revision as of 03:11, 8 September 2012
{{#invoke:Message box|mbox}}
With this template the parser functions of the ParserFunctions collection with names starting with "#if" can be used in a way such that they do not strip spaces and newlines from the "then" and "else" part. Spaces still do not affect the outcome of the condition. Parameter 1 selects the if-type as "eq", "expr", "exists" or "error" (for #iferror), or empty "||" for a simple if-there (for #if). The template can be repeatedly nested 6 or 7 levels, one inside the other, because the outer-most is completed before running either the then/else inner levels.
This template can be substituted, when the expression or comparison will not change. Functionally, a lead-space character is stored, internally, as a simple blank character. Note, in many cases a null nowiki tag ("<nowiki/>") could be used, without Template:If, to allow a lead-space (such as "<nowiki/> xx") anywhere, but the internal storage puts a 43-character marker for "<nowiki/>" in string length. However, there is no extra expansion depth for a nowiki-tag, such as in trailing space, "zz <nowiki/>".
Usage
- {{if||x| p | q }} gives " p ". Notice the pair of vertical bars surrounding the empty first parameter.
- {{if|expr|2<3| p | q }} gives " p "
- {{if|eq| u |u| p | q }} gives " p "
- {{if|exist| Help:Link | p | q }} gives " q "
- {{if|error|{{#expr:x}}| p | q }} gives " p "
Compare:
- {{#if:x| p | q }} gives "p"
- {{#ifexpr:2<3| p | q }} gives "p"
- {{#ifeq: u |u| p | q }} gives "p"
- {{#ifexist: Help:Link | p | q }} gives "q"
- {{#iferror:{{#expr:x}}| p | q }} gives "p"
The text of either the then-clause or else-clause is only processed and expanded when triggered. Hence, any templates in use are only expanded once the then-clause or else-clause is matched, otherwise they are skipped as merely paired braces, "{{" with "}}".
Indentation: If indenting the markup, care must be taken to avoid extra newlines when indenting "}}" on the next line. An extra bar pipe "|" can be added after the else-clause to complete that text, and allow "}}" to then be placed anywhere without adding a newline into the else-clause. For example:
- {{if|{{{1|}}}
|then found parameter 1|else no parameter 1| ← extra "|" ends else-clause
}}
- {{if|{{{1|}}}
When the else-clause is indented to the next line, a newline (CR/LF) is added:
- {{if|{{{1|}}}
|then found parameter 1 ← extra newline here
|else noparameter 1|
}}
- {{if|{{{1|}}}
To indent the else-clause, split an HTML-form comment, as "<!--" with next line as "-->|else...". Unless each then-clause and else-clause is carefully tested, to watch for extra newlines, then the results are likely to cause broken lines, with extra line breaks for each newline. For that reason, a global edit with simple search-and-replace of "{#if:
" to "{if||
" is likely to leave newline problems, wherever the original markup was wrapped to indent either the else-clause or "}}" of each if-structure. Indenting the then-clause is not a problem.
Performance considerations
Because Template:If must prepare the parameters for #if, #ifeq, #ifexpr,
(etc.) there is a slight overhead when using it. It has been timed to run at speeds of 290 instances per second, so 29 uses would take only 0.1 s, a tenth of a second to run, to make 29 comparisons. Each nested use adds 5 levels to the template expansion depth, so 7 nested if-templates would use 35 levels (5*7) of the 41-level limit.
Using P-if syntax: A similar if-structure can be coded without Template:If, by using the {P1} and {P2} templates in a "P-if" structure. Template:P1 always returns parameter 1, and P2 returns the 2nd. So, a comparison of 4 versus 3 can be coded using P-if syntax form:
- Example of
#ifexpr
: "{{P{{#ifexpr: 4 > 3|1|2}}| then 4 greater| else 4 lower}}" - Result for
#ifexpr
: " then 4 greater" ← the comparison invoked {{P1}}.
- Example of
The expansion depth of a P-if is only 4 levels deep, but nesting of the then-clause or else-clause might be more confusing than using nested levels of Template:if.
- Example of
#if
: "{{P{{#if:{{{2|x}}}|1|2}}| then {2} set| else {2} empty}}" - Result for
#if
: " else {2} empty" ← the comparison invoked {{P2}}.
- Example of
See also
- m:Template:If
- Template:Ifnotempty - for simplicity and to reduce the limitations due to the expansion depth limit, this is a separate template corresponding to #if only.