Template:Floruit/doc

Template floruit (or any of its aliases) may be used to format the display of time periods or eras during which people, ideas, theories, or political, cultural or religious movements etc., may have been active or popular. It utilizes "fl.", an abbreviation of floruit or "flourished" (in Latin), as a prefix to the relevant date(s); a special option may instead employ "active" as prefix. The prefix is wikilinked to floruit by default, but different or additional display options may be used. Please also see § Exceptions for possible usage exceptions.

Usage

Structure

For presentation purposes only, in the box below suggested parameters are in bold; [square brackets] indicate parameter values; variables are italicized; explanatory text is in (parentheses).

Full parameter set in horizontal format

{{floruit|date= (or) [date-value]|date2= (or) [end-date-value]|b= |ca= |ca-tt= |pfx= |pfx-style= |pfx-lk= |unit= |sfx= |sfx-lk= |pre= |sortable= |wrap= }}

Copy a blank version to use. All parameter names must be in lowercase. Use the "|" (pipe) character between each parameter. Delete unused parameters or options, and text in square brackets or parentheses (including brackets). See § Parameters for important details.

There are no required parameters; options may override, enhance or extend template defaults. By default, the relevant date or range is prefixed with the abbreviation "fl.", wikilinked to its expanded form (floruit); the prefix may be replaced by the term "active" in special cases. Undefined parameters are ignored; misspelled, empty or missing parameters display their default values, if any, or else no value. Leading and trailing spaces ( ) are trimmed from parameter values; however, displayable values are separated by whitespace characters of various lengths. Formatted date ranges are separated by a spaced en dash. Line wrap and word wrap is off. The floruit date may be set to be sortable. In most cases, usage errors will result in display of relevant error messages.

Applicability

This template may be used when exact or complete date information

1. is not required
2. is not necessary or pertinent
3. is not reliably known

By definition, the relevant date(s) may be month, year, decade, or century ranges, or may otherwise be inexact or approximate. When the template is applied to persons with known occupations, the prefix option "active" is recommended; see WP:APPROXDATE for additional guidance.

Exceptions

Normally, this template should not be used when exact, complete dates need to be indicated, such as a person's birth and death dates, or an organization's founding and dissolution dates. However, it may be used in similar cases if exact or reliable date information is unavailable, or if providing such detail is unnecessary.

Parameters

All parameters are optional; some options may depend on other parameters. Use of parameters date, and (additionally, for date ranges) date2, is suggested. Incorrect parameter values will be flagged under almost all usage scenarios (see § Error messages).
Parameter names are in bold below, for presentation only.

Date formatting parameters

Suggested:

• date or [1] (stand-alone date, or start date in a range) – the time period (or the start of a time period) during which the subject is known to have been active or popular. Values may be in any relevant date unit. You may also use this parameter as a free-form field, for stand-alone dates or for date ranges; such ranges must be separated by a spaced en dash where applicable (WP:DATERANGE). For time periods not delimited with start and end dates (such as "1990s" or "21st century") use this parameter only; in ranges with start and end dates, the additional parameter date2 below may be used, and is recommended. Apply any of Wikipedia's acceptable date formats, but please follow the relevant format established in the article, if any. The template code does not perform date-checking; inaccurate, non-existent, or impossible dates will display as entered. Depending on the prefix used (parameter pfx below), the value of date may be preceded by a narrow no-break space, or by a no-break space. A value for this parameter may be required by other options.

Note: You may treat date as an unnamed parameter, and insert only its desired value.

Note: When date is not utilized, displayed output may vary according to user formatting.

– for examples see here (named and unnamed) and here (not used)

• date2 or [2] (end date in range) – use to format the end date (or end period) in ranges delimited with start and end dates; this parameter is recommended when depicting such ranges. Values may be in any relevant date unit. Requires a start date (parameter date). A spaced en dash is used as the range separator. A value for this parameter may be required by other options.

Note: You may treat date2 as an unnamed parameter, and insert only its desired value.

– for examples see here (named and unnamed, include additional option)

Optional:

• ca (circa) – use for circa dates; the additional prefix "c.", preceded by a narrow no-break space, is inserted before the relevant date(s) ( c.). The dependent parameter ca-tt below may be used to add a tooltip definition over "c.".
  • set |ca=yes or |ca=date to apply circa independently of any parameter; or to apply to parameter date where it is used as a stand-alone (or free-form) date, or where it is used as the start date in formatted ranges
  • set |ca=date2 in formatted ranges only; applies to the end date (parameter date2)
  • set |ca=both in formatted ranges as above, but applies to both start and end date (parameters date and date2)

– for examples see here (stand-alone date), here (start date in range), here (end date in range), and here (start and end date in range)

• ca-tt (circa tooltip) – use to display the tooltip c. (circa) when the cursor hovers over "c.", by setting |ca-tt=yes. Parameter ca is required; when it is set to |ca=both, the circa tooltip appears over the first instance of "c." only.

– see last two examples under parameter ca above

Conditional (require a value for parameter date; may require a value for parameter date2):

• unit (date unit) – use this parameter to specify a date unit for the floruit date or range, preceded by a no-break space. When this parameter is used with formatted ranges, its value may apply to the end date; or, to both start and end date.
  • set |unit=c to add "century" after parameter date when it is a stand-alone (or free-form) date; or, in formatted ranges, to add the unit after the end date (parameter date2)
  • set |unit=m as above, but adds "millennium" instead
  • set |unit=c-c in formatted ranges only; adds "century" after both the start and the end date (date and date2)
  • set |unit=m-m in formatted ranges as above, but adds "millennium" instead

– for examples see here (stand-alone date), here (end date in range), and here (start and end date in range)

• sortable – set |sortable=yes to format the value for parameter date so that it is displayed properly within sortable tables; sorting is applied to stand-alone dates, or to start dates in formatted ranges. This parameter works correctly only with dates that conform to Wikipedia's acceptable date formats. Avoid embedding other templates to date when sortable is used; results may be inconsistent.

Note: When sortable is used, year values less than 1000 require leading zeroes up to the century digit, e.g. "050". Era suffixes (via parameter sfx below) are ignored.

– for an example see here (includes additional options)

Prefix formatting parameters

Optional:

• pfx (prefix) – use this parameter to replace the default prefix ("fl." followed by a narrow no-break space) with "active", by setting |pfx=active; recommended when referring to persons with known occupations; "active" is also wikilinked to floruit, and is followed by a no-break space.

{{Section link}}: required section parameter(s) missing

• pfx-style (prefix style) – use this parameter to italicize the prefix display, by setting |pfx-style=italics; do not use when prefix is set to "active".

– for an example see here (includes additional options)

• pfx-lk (prefix link) – the prefix is wikilinked to floruit by default; use this parameter to change the default by inserting one of the following values:
  • set |pfx-lk=abbr to replace the wikilink with a tooltip when the pointer hovers over "fl.", expanding it to "floruit"; do not use when prefix is set to "active"; tooltip display may depend on browser and/or operating system version
  • set |pfx-lk=no or |pfx-lk=off to display the prefix in plain text; use to avoid overlinking when this template is used repeatedly in the body of an article (Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Abbreviations § Miscellaneous shortenings)

{{Section link}}: required section parameter(s) missing {{Section link}}: required section parameter(s) missing

Suffix formatting parameters

Conditional (require a value for parameter date; may require a value for parameter date2):

• sfx (suffix) – use this parameter to add an era suffix preceded by a no-break space to the floruit date or range. Displays in plain text, but you may use the dependent parameter sfx-lk below to display with an appropriate wikilink. The available options conform to the default calendar era. If parameter unit is specified, the suffix follows the unit value. When this parameter is used with formatted ranges, its value may appear only after the end date – except when the date range straddles eras.
  • set |sfx=ad to display the suffix AD (Anno Domini) after parameter date when used as a stand-alone (or free-form) date; or, in formatted ranges, after the end date (parameter date2)
  • set |sfx=bc as above, but displays the suffix BC (Before Christ)
  • set |sfx=bce as above, but displays the suffix BCE (Before Common Era)
  • set |sfx=ce as above, but displays the suffix CE (Common Era)
  • set |sfx=b-a in formatted ranges only, to denote they straddle eras; displays BC after the start date (parameter date) and AD after the end date (parameter date2)
  • set |sfx=b-c in formatted ranges as above, but displays BCE after the start date and CE after the end date

– for examples see here (free-form range), here (end date in range), and here (range straddles eras)

• sfx-lk (suffix link) – use to wikilink the suffix to the appropriate page, by setting |sfx-lk=yes; parameter sfx is required.

– for an example see here

Other parameters

Conditional (requires a value for parameter date)

• b (brackets) – use b to display the template's output in parentheses, by setting |b=yes.

– for an example see here

Optional:

• pre (prepend text) – values for this parameter display before the prefix; use it to add brief, explanatory or informational free-form text. A space is automatically appended as separator.

– for an example see here

• wrap (word wrap) – by default, template output displays without word wrapping. To turn word wrap on, set |wrap=yes; in order to conform to WP:MOS, some parameter values may display with no-wrap separators regardless of the setting.

– for an example see here

Examples

• Decade, stand-alone

{{floruit|date=2010s}}

or

{{floruit|2010s}} (note)

Either generates: fl. 2010s

• Decade range, formatted, in parentheses

{{floruit|date=2000|date2=2010|b=yes}}

or

{{floruit|2000|2010|b=yes}} (note)

Either generates: fl. 2000 – c. 2010

• Circa decade, stand-alone

{{floruit|date=2000s|ca=yes}}

Generates: fl.

• Circa start date in formatted decade range

{{floruit|2000|2010|ca=date}}

Generates: fl. 2000 – c. 2010

• Circa end date in formatted century range, with circa tooltip, and date unit

{{floruit|date=20th|date2=21st|ca=date2|ca-tt=yes|unit=c}}

Generates: fl.

• Circa formatted century range, with circa tooltip and date unit

{{floruit|date=20th|date2=21st|ca=both|ca-tt=yes|unit=c}}

Generates: fl.

• Date unit, stand-alone century

{{floruit|date=21st|unit=c}}

Generates: fl.

• Date units, formatted century range

{{floruit|date=20th|date2=21st|unit=c-c}}

Generates: fl.

• Prefix only, in plain text

{{floruit|pfx-lk=no}} 2010s (note)

Generates: fl. 2010s

• "Active" prefix, formatted range

{{floruit|date=January 2000|date2=April 2001|pfx=active}}

Generates: fl.

• Year range, formatted, prefix with tooltip

{{floruit|date=2010|date2=2016|pfx-lk=abbr}}

Generates: fl.

• Suffix, free-form decade range

{{floruit|date=2000s to 2010s|sfx=ce}}

Generates: fl.

• Suffix, formatted mixed-unit range

{{floruit|date=1990s|date2=before 2010|sfx=ce}}

Generates: fl.

• Suffix, formatted century range straddles eras, with date units

{{floruit|date=1st|date2=1st|unit=c-c|sfx=b-a}}

Generates: fl.

• Suffix wikilinked, circa start date in formatted decade range

{{floruit|date=2000s|date2=2010s|ca=yes|sfx=ce|sfx-lk=yes}}

Generates: fl.

• Prepend text, "active" prefix in plain text, formatted range, in parentheses

{{floruit|date=January|date2=October 2000|pre=also known as John Doe,|b=yes|pfx=active|pfx-lk=no}}

Generates: fl.

• Sortable year, word wrap is on, prefix italicized, and suffix

{{floruit|date=050|sortable=yes|pfx-style=italics|sfx=bce|wrap=yes}} (note)

Generates: fl.

Error messages

Multiple errors are flagged per parameter; errors involving the same parameter may be mutually exclusive. Error messages may also appear conditionally, depending on the use of particular options; for example, when a formatted range is not defined, adding a circa value for the end date (via parameter ca), will produce a "wrong value" error even if correct (|ca=date2).
Messages precede or replace the relevant parameter value(s), and appear in the following cases:

Parameters b, ca, pfx-style, pfx-lk, unit, sortable and wrap

• Incorrect value:

Parameters b, unit, sfx and sortable

• Date required:

Parameter date2

• Start date missing:

Parameter pfx

• Incorrect or unsupported prefix:

Parameter pfx-style

• Prefix style not applicable:

Parameter pfx-lk

• Prefix link not allowed with the prefix used:

Parameter ca-tt

• Circa option required:

– in formatted circa ranges the message appears only before the start date

Parameter sfx

• Incorrect or unsupported entry:

Parameter sfx-lk

• Suffix not defined:

Parameter sortable

• Incorrect date format:

Redirects

{{floruit}} has the following redirects:

• {{fl.}}
• {{flor}}
• {{flor.}}
• {{flourished}}
• {{flr}}

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Floruit in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for floruit

Formats the display of periods of activity or popularity for people, ideas, or movements; date(s) prefixed by "fl." or "active"

Template parameters

This template prefers inline formatting of parameters.

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Date or start date	date 1	May be a stand-alone date or period, or the start date in a formatted range; may be required by other options	String	suggested
End date	date2 2	End period or date in a formatted range; requires a 'date' value; may be required by other options	String	suggested
Prefix	pfx	The default prefix is fl. (flourished); set this to "active" to display that term as prefix Default fl.	String	optional
Prefix style	pfx-style	Set to "italics" to render the prefix in italics; do not use with prefix active Default no text styling	String	optional
Prefix link	pfx-lk	Use to change the default prefix link to 'floruit': "abbr" replaces wikilink, displaying fl. with a tooltip (do not use with prefix active); "no" or "off" renders prefix in plain text Default prefix links to [[Floruit]]	String	optional
Brackets	b	Set to "yes" to display output in parentheses; requires a 'date' value Default no parentheses	Boolean	optional
Circa	ca	Set to "yes" or "date" for circa stand-alone dates or for circa start dates in formatted ranges; set to "date2" for circa end date in formatted ranges; set to "both" for circa start and end dates in formatted ranges; may require 'date' and 'end date' values Default no circa	String	optional
Circa tooltip	ca-tt	Set this to "yes" to display a tooltip over 'c.' (circa); requires 'Circa' Default no circa tooltip	Boolean	optional
Date unit	unit	Set to "c" or "m" to add 'century' or 'millennium' respectively, after a stand-alone date or after the end date in a formatted range; set to "c-c" or "m-m" to add the units after both dates in a formatted range; requires a 'date' value; may require an 'end date' value Default no date unit	String	optional
Suffix	sfx	Adds era suffix(es); options are: "ad", "bc", "bce", or "ce" for stand-alone dates, or for the end date in formatted ranges; in formatted ranges that straddle eras set this to "b-a" for a Dionysian era straddle, or to "b-c" for a Common Era straddle; displays in uppercase; requires a 'date' value; may require an 'end date' value Default no suffix	String	optional
Suffix link	sfx-lk	Set to "yes" to wikilink the era suffix(es); requires suffix(es) Default no link	Boolean	optional
Prepend	pre	If utilized, it appears before the prefix; use to add brief information or clarification Default empty; no prepend text	String	optional
Sortable	sortable	Set to "yes" to sort the date correctly within tables; sorting applies to stand-alone dates, or to start dates in formatted ranges; works with properly formatted dates only; requires a 'date' value Default no sorting	Boolean	optional
Word wrap	wrap	Set to "yes" to turn word wrap on Default no wrap	Boolean	optional

See also

• Tempore – historical notation similar to floruit, but more narrowly related to persons
• {{b.}} – formats year of birth
• {{circa}} – formats circa dates in general
• {{reign}} – formats periods of reign