User:AnomieBOT/docs/TemplateSubster

Certain templates should always be substituted, although people sometimes forget. It's quite easy for a bot to go through these templates and subst them. AnomieBOT does this for all templates in :Category:Wikipedia templates to be automatically substituted.

How it works

AnomieBOT simply goes through all templates listed in :Category:Wikipedia templates to be automatically substituted, loads the list of transclusions for each, and edits each transcluding page to subst the templates. Specifically, it changes {{foo}} to {{subst:foo|subst=subst:}} (the parameter {{para|subst}} set to "subst:" is a common workaround in templates that predate the introduction of safesubst:).

To allow for example usage, AnomieBOT will not subst template instances that have the parameters {{para|nosubst}} or {{para|demo}}. To prevent disruption, AnomieBOT will also not subst any template that has over {{User:AnomieBOT/TemplateSubster max transclusions}} transclusions unless that template is linked from User:AnomieBOT/TemplateSubster force.

What to do if AnomieBOT substs a template it shouldn't?

If the template should not be substituted automatically, edit it to remove it from :Category:Wikipedia templates to be automatically substituted. If just the one instance should not be substed (e.g. uses as examples), add {{para|nosubst}} or {{para|demo}} to the template invocation. You might want to edit the template to recognize {{para|demo}} anyway to avoid it adding inappropriate categories and the like.

If necessary, you can also post a message to User:AnomieBOT/shutoff/TemplateSubster to stop the bot and post a message to User talk:AnomieBOT to let Anomie know about the problem.

What to do if AnomieBOT does not subst a template it should?

Try the following:

Make sure the template really is in :Category:Wikipedia templates to be automatically substituted.
Make sure {{tl|nobots}} or {{tl|bots}} is not present on the page, and the page is not protected.
Make sure the template is being directly transcluded in the page. Transclusion via other templates or modules (including things like {{tlx|tlg|_show_result{{=}}y}}) are not substed by the bot.
Make sure the instance of the template is not using {{para|nosubst}} or {{para|demo}}.
Make sure the template has fewer than {{User:AnomieBOT/TemplateSubster max transclusions}} transclusions.
* If it does have that many transclusions, you will need to either subst those transclusions yourself or add a link to it from User:AnomieBOT/TemplateSubster force.
If all else fails, ask for help at User talk:AnomieBOT.