Wikipedia:WikiProject Geographical coordinates/comparison

| width="7%" |      Template
Aspect 

! width="12%" | free format

! width="12%" | {{tl|coor}}

! width="23%" | coor d/dm/dms

! width="23%" | {{tl|coord}}

! width="23%" | {{coordinate}}

! Status

| unused in English Wikipedia, method prior to 2005

| unused in English Wikipedia, was frequently used in other languages
deprecated

| used in English Wikipedia 2005-2008
deprecated

| current standard in English Wikipedia
(since September 2008)

| current standard in de Wikipedia
(since February 2008)
deleted from English Wikipedia in September 2008

! Sample

| 1° 2' N 5°12' W
(more)

|style="font-size=x-small"|{{coor|

1_2_N_5_12_W|

1°2'N, 5°12'W}}

|{{coor title dm|

2|46|N|

45|30|W|

region:ZZ_type:landmark}}

|{{coord|

2|46|N|45|30|E|

region:ZZ_type:landmark|

display=title}}

|{{coordinate|

NS=2/46/0/E|

EW=5/12/0/W|

type=landmark|

article=/}}

! Strengths

|

easy to enter

|

|

• Well known set of templates
• Data entered into template is validated (input validation)
• Less overhead (2-3 subtemplates only). Can be included numerous times in tables (an estimated 3880 times in discussed sample)
• partial support for microformat
• supported by google
• supports "name="
• Frequently used (was)

|

• One template for all input formats (dec/dms)
• dec/dms format can be set in user stylesheet
• well documented
• input validation recently added
• Frequently advocated
• supported by google
• supports microformat
• supports "name="
• Frequently used
• uses of older templates are currently being migrated to this format using a bot

|

• Data entered into template is validated (input validation)
• One template for all input formats
• named parameters for coordinates (NS=/EW=)
• named parameters for type/region/globe etc.
• Less overhead (5-10 subtemplates only).
• can display text/icons instead of coordinates
• support for elevation
• supports microformat
• supports "name="
• Frequently used (in German Wikipedia)

! Weaknesses

|

can't be parsed

|

coordinates need to be entered twice

|

• type/region/globe/etc. parameters all gobbled up
• d/m/s are entered in separate fields
• to switch from dec to dms input, one needs to switch templates
• not supported by mediawiki

|

• type/region/globe/etc. parameters all gobbled up
• coordinate parameters all gobbled up
• display=title, display=inline,title lengthy
• Many subtemplates (15-20). Its post-expand include size limits the number of coordinates that can be included in lists (689 times in sample discussed below)
• rounding problems for dms display
• d/m/s are entered in separate fields
• not supported by mediawiki

|

• more verbose format (15-20% more to type)
• several subtemplates (5-10). Its post-expand include size limits the number of coordinates that can be included in lists (425 times in sample discussed below)
• not supported by mediawiki

! Risks

|

|

|

• A series of templates rather than one

|

• Complex template

|

• more to convert if adopted

! Opportunities

|

|

|

|

|

• Interwiki standardisation

! Templates

! colspan=3 style="background:#cedff2;"| Input format

| {{tl|coor title d}}

| {{tl|coor title dm}}

| {{tl|coor title dms}}

| {{tl|coor at d}}

| {{tl|coor at dm}}

| {{tl|coor at dms}}

| {{tl|coor d}}

| {{tl|coor dm}}

| {{tl|coor dms}}

! Samples

! colspan=3 style="background:#cedff2;"| Input format

| style="background:#f5fffa;" | in title bar

| {{coor title d|55.671667|N|12.525|E|region:DK}}

| {{coor title dm|55|40.3|N|12|31.5|E|region:DK}}

| {{coor title dms|55|40|18|N|12|31|30|E|region:DK}}

| style="background:#f5fffa;" | article and title

| {{coor at d|55.671667|N|12.525|E|region:DK}}

| {{coor at dm|55|40.3|N|12|31.5|E|region:DK}}

| {{coor at dms|55|40|18|N|12|31|30|E|region:DK}}

| style="background:#f5fffa;" | in article

| {{coor d|55.671667|N|12.525|E|region:DK}}

| {{coor dm|55|40.3|N|12|31.5|E|region:DK}}

| {{coor dms|55|40|18|N|12|31|30|E|region:DK}}