Template talk:Article stub box

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Isn't it excessive? See, e.g., Dynamics_(mechanics)#See_also. fgnievinski (talk) 00:37, 23 February 2025 (UTC)[reply]

@Fgnievinski: This is Template talk:Article stub box#CSS edit request following on from Wikipedia talk:Stub#Replace double-blank-line method with CSS. You get the same gap whether you precede the stub template with one, two or three blank lines - two was the recommendation at WP:STUBSPACING until a couple of months ago. But also per WP:STUBSPACING, the tag is in the wrong place anyway, which I have fixed. --Redrose64 🌹 (talk) 11:19, 23 February 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for the pointers. Above it was said:

the space now above the template is IMHO generally excessive to the need

I'm inclined to agree with you that the current spacing is somewhat excessive, but a separate discussion would be needed to form consensus to change that.

With that, it's three people pointing out the CSS spacing is excessive: me, @docwatson42, and @User:Mr. Starfleet Command. I suspect the issue arose because stub templates were not always transcluded preceded by two blank lines. fgnievinski (talk) 17:07, 23 February 2025 (UTC)[reply]

I also agree that the spacing is excessive. Arbitrarily0 ^(talk) 22:00, 23 February 2025 (UTC)[reply]

The spaciing is the same as it had been before, provided that you had followed the placement guidelines and used two blank lines between the categories and the stub template. --Redrose64 🌹 (talk) 22:26, 23 February 2025 (UTC)[reply]

And yet it's still perceived as excessive. Can we at least agree on how many complaints it's necessary to action a change? Ten people would seem a reasonable number. fgnievinski (talk) 12:11, 24 February 2025 (UTC)[reply]

See Special:Permalink/1308943116 for example. When the item immediately preceding the categories is the {{Coord}} template, the extra vertical spacing does not show. --Paul_012 (talk) 14:22, 1 September 2025 (UTC)[reply]

The CSS that adds the vertical spacing is set up so it doesn't apply if the stub box is immediately preceded by an HTML <p> element (paragraph), so that it doesn't produce too much space in cases where the old method is still used (two blank lines before the stub tag, which creates a blank paragraph). Apparently, the {{Coord}} template generates a paragraph.

Depending on how many pages still use the old method, we might be able to remove the :not(p) from the CSS. That would fix cases like these, but would double the space on pages still using the old method. But I have no idea how many pages still need to be fixed in that way. Does anyone else have input on this matter? Mr. Starfleet Command (talk) 00:05, 2 September 2025 (UTC)[reply]

A vast majority of pages probably still have the double spaces. This was the first time I noticed one being removed. --Paul_012 (talk) 13:37, 2 September 2025 (UTC)[reply]

This edit request to Module:Article stub box has been answered. Set the |answered= parameter to no to reactivate your request.

I suggest changing You can help Wikipedia by expanding it to You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information or something similar. Several similar templates such as {{Incomplete list}} and formerly {{Expand article}} have had its phrasing changed to not include the word "expand", as this has the potential of coming off as inappropriate on articles about dark and violent topics (which the public once saw as humorous, as documented on this K.Y.M. article). It also more clearly explains what we wish the reader to do. Rose Abrams (T C L) 09:13, 13 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]

 Completed. P.I. Ellsworth , ed. – welcome! – 13:20, 14 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]

The Welsh association football example at Template:Article stub box/doc#Using icon and category1 displays an image with a square white background, which looks bad in dark mode. Does anyone have a preferred fix for this? -- Beland (talk) 19:37, 3 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

It's not really an issue with this template, more an issue with the {{Soccer icon}} template, which is used as the image in that example. -- WOSlinker (talk) 20:50, 3 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

(edit conflict) @Beland: There are actually two images. The more obvious one is File:Soccerball mask.svg which has a white background as part of its markup. Specifically, it's the element

<path d="m-2-2.5v317h317v-317h-317m159.52 64.899c51.37 0 93.03 41.633 93.03 93 0 51.37-41.659 93.03-93.03 93.03-51.37 0-93-41.659-93-93.03 0-51.37 41.633-93 93-93" color="#000" fill="#fff"/>

which draws a white square with a circular hole. The soccer ball is semi-transparent, and fits in the hole. The {{soccer icon|Wales|50}} template overlays this image upon the flag of the named country; in this case c:File:Flag of Wales (1959–present).svg. The effect is that the central portion of the flag - most of the dragon plus small areas of white and green - shows through the transparent portions of the ball. In short: if it wasn't for that white square, the rest of the flag would surround the ball. --Redrose64 🌹 (talk) 21:08, 3 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Aha, added a note at Template talk:Soccer icon § Dark mode problems. -- Beland (talk) 22:24, 3 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]