View source for Module:Check for unknown parameters/doc

{{used in system|in [[MediaWiki:Abusefilter-warning-DS]]}}
{{module rating|p}}
{{Lua|Module:If preview|noprotcat=yes}}

This module may be appended to a template to check for uses of unknown parameters. Unlike many other modules, this module is ''not'' implemented by a template.

== Usage ==
=== Basic usage ===
<pre>
{{#invoke:check for unknown parameters|check
|unknown=[[Category:Some tracking category]]
|arg1|arg2|arg3|argN}}
</pre>
or to sort the entries in the tracking category by parameter with a preview error message
<pre>
{{#invoke:check for unknown parameters|check
|unknown=[[Category:Some tracking category|_VALUE_]]
|preview=unknown parameter "_VALUE_"
|arg1|arg2|...|argN}}
</pre>
or for an explicit red error message
<pre>
{{#invoke:check for unknown parameters|check
|unknown=<span class="error">Sorry, I don't recognize _VALUE_</span>
|arg1|arg2|...|argN}}
</pre>
Here, <code>arg1</code>, <code>arg2</code>, ..., <code>argN</code>, are the known parameters. Unnamed (positional) parameters can be added too: <code><nowiki>|1|2|argname1|argname2|...</nowiki></code>. Any parameter which is used, but not on this list, will cause the module to return whatever is passed with the <code>unknown</code> parameter.  The <code>_VALUE_</code> keyword, if used, will be changed to the name of the parameter.  This is useful for either sorting the entries in a tracking category, or for provide more explicit information.

By default, the module makes no distinction between a defined-but-blank parameter and a non-blank parameter. That is, both unlisted {{para|foo|x}} and {{para|foo}} are reported. To only track non-blank parameters use {{para|ignoreblank|1}}.

By default, the module ignores blank positional parameters. That is, an unlisted {{para|2}} is ignored. To ''include'' blank positional parameters in the tracking use {{para|showblankpositional|1}}.

=== Lua patterns ===
This module supports [[:mw:Extension:Scribunto/Lua reference manual#Patterns|Lua patterns]] (similar to [[regular expression]]s), which are useful when there are many known parameters which use a systematic pattern.  For example, [[template:infobox3cols]] uses
<pre>
| regexp1 = header[%d][%d]*
| regexp2 = label[%d][%d]*
| regexp3 = data[%d][%d]*[abc]?
| regexp4 = class[%d][%d]*[abc]?
| regexp5 = rowclass[%d][%d]*
| regexp6 = rowstyle[%d][%d]*
| regexp7 = rowcellstyle[%d][%d]*
</pre>
to match all parameters of the form <code>headerNUM</code>, <code>labelNUM</code>, <code>dataNUM</code>, <code>dataNUMa</code>, <code>dataNUMb</code>, <code>dataNUMc</code>, ..., <code>rowcellstyleNUM</code>, where NUM is a string of digits.

== Example ==
<pre>
{{Infobox
| above = {{{name|}}}

| label1 = Height
| data1 = {{{height|}}}

| label2 = Weight
| data2 = {{{weight|}}}

| label3 = Website
| data3 = {{{website|}}}
}}<!-- 
  end infobox, start tracking
-->{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check
| unknown = {{main other|[[Category:Some tracking category|_VALUE_]]}}
| preview = unknown parameter "_VALUE_"
| name
| height | weight
| website
}}
</pre>

==Call from within Lua code==
See the end of [[Module:Rugby box]] for a simple example or [[Module:Infobox3cols]] or [[Module:Flag]] for more complicated examples. 

==See also==
* {{clc|Unknown parameters}} (category page can have header {{tl|Unknown parameters category}})
* [[Template:Checks for unknown parameters]] – adds documentation to templates using this module
* [[Module:Check for deprecated parameters]] – similar module that checks for deprecated parameters
* [[Module:Check for clobbered parameters]] – module that checks for conflicting parameters
* [[Module:TemplatePar]] – similar function (originally from dewiki)
* [[Template:Parameters]] and [[Module:Parameters]] – generates a list of parameter names for a given template
* [[Project:TemplateData]] based template parameter validation
* [[Module:Parameter validation]] checks a lot more
* [[User:Bamyers99/TemplateParametersTool]] - A tool for checking usage of template parameters

<includeonly>{{sandbox other||
<!-- Categories go here and interwikis go in Wikidata. -->
[[Category:Modules that add a tracking category]]

}}</includeonly>