Editing Template:Adjacent communities/doc (section)

== Usage ==
<syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext">
{{Adjacent communities
 | Centre    = 
 | North     = 
 | Northeast = 
 | East      = 
 | Southeast = 
 | South     = 
 | Southwest = 
 | West      = 
 | Northwest = 
}}
</syntaxhighlight>

Or:
<syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext">
{{Adjacent communities
 | Centre = 
 | N  = 
 | NE = 
 | E  = 
 | SE = 
 | S  = 
 | SW = 
 | W  = 
 | NW = 
}}
</syntaxhighlight>

This template provides for a convenient compass-based navigational aid for articles about communities. It allows you to display the communities surrounding the subject of your article. 

While this template may be useful for cities, it certainly is redundant for continents, countries and other large geographical areas like states, provinces and islands. In the lead paragraphs of those types of articles, all surrounding countries and features are invariably stated and linked and there's usually a map in the infobox too.

The only required field is {{para|Centre}}; the template defaults to an "(enter location)" in the centre of the box message if nothing is entered here (see note below).  The fields {{para|Northwest}} ({{para|NW}}), {{para|North}} ({{para|N}}), {{para|Northeast}} ({{para|NE}}), {{para|West}} ({{para|W}}), {{para|East}} ({{para|E}}), {{para|Southwest}} ({{para|SW}}), {{para|South}} ({{para|S}}), and {{para|Southeast}} ({{para|SE}}) are optional. They will be hidden when not used; when values are entered for the relevant parameters, the fields will automatically appear. (Normal Wiki markup can be used in the fields, such as links, colours, and bold/italics.)

The template is coded to handle the American spelling "center". It first looks for a value in {{para|Centre}}, then in {{para|Center}}; it defaults to the "(enter location)" message if both are left blank.

=== How to use and not use this template ===
In order to ensure consistent usage, the following guidelines apply:
* This template is for {{em|immediately adjacent}} places only.
* Use same-level jurisdictions or equivalent in the directional fields as in the centre. For instance, when using this template for a municipality, show adjacent municipalities; when using it for unincorporated places, show adjacent unincorporated communities; etc.
* When a municipality borders an international, provincial, or state boundary, try to use a municipality in that adjacent jurisdiction rather than the jurisdiction itself.
* Geographical features such as oceans, rivers, lakes, and mountains should be in ''italics'' to differentiate them. But this should only be used sparingly for major defining features, in particular if there is no adjacent jurisdiction (e.g. sea, lake, etc.).
* Avoid cluttering the template with too much detail; it is a navigational guide to provide links to adjacent locations, not a map.
* Don't use flag icons for every link, see [[MOS:INFOBOXFLAG]]. They don't add value and are unnecessarily distracting.

=== Placement in article ===
*[[WP:LAYOUTNAV]] specifies that navboxes, including geography boxes such as this one, are placed after the "External links" section (i.e., immediately before categories; they should also be placed before [[WP:Stub|stub]] templates).

=== Examples ===
Here is an example for [[Ottawa]] (capital of Canada) demonstrating the guidelines above:

<syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext">
{{Adjacent communities
 | Centre    = Ottawa
 | North     = [[Pontiac, Quebec|Pontiac]], [[Gatineau]] ([[Quebec]])<br/>''[[Ottawa River]]''
 | Northeast = [[Lochaber-Partie-Ouest, Quebec|Lochaber-Partie-Ouest]] ([[Quebec]])<br/>''[[Ottawa River]]''
 | East      = [[Clarence-Rockland, Ontario|Clarence-Rockland]]
 | Southeast = [[Russell, Ontario|Russell]], [[The Nation, Ontario|The Nation]]
 | South     = [[North Grenville, Ontario|North Grenville]], [[North Dundas, Ontario|North Dundas]]
 | Southwest = [[Merrickville-Wolford, Ontario|Merrickville-Wolford]]
 | West      = [[Mississippi Mills, Ontario|Mississippi Mills]]<br/>[[Beckwith, Ontario|Beckwith]]<br/>[[Montague, Ontario|Montague]]
 | Northwest = [[Arnprior, Ontario|Arnprior]]
}}
</syntaxhighlight>

produces:
{{Adjacent communities
 | Centre    = Ottawa
 | North     = [[Pontiac, Quebec|Pontiac]], [[Gatineau]] ([[Quebec]])<br/>''[[Ottawa River]]''
 | Northeast = [[Lochaber-Partie-Ouest, Quebec|Lochaber-Partie-Ouest]] ([[Quebec]])<br/>''[[Ottawa River]]''
 | East      = [[Clarence-Rockland, Ontario|Clarence-Rockland]]
 | Southeast = [[Russell, Ontario|Russell]], [[The Nation, Ontario|The Nation]]
 | South     = [[North Grenville, Ontario|North Grenville]], [[North Dundas, Ontario|North Dundas]]
 | Southwest = [[Merrickville-Wolford, Ontario|Merrickville-Wolford]]
 | West      = [[Mississippi Mills, Ontario|Mississippi Mills]]<br/>[[Beckwith, Ontario|Beckwith]]<br/>[[Montague, Ontario|Montague]]
 | Northwest = [[Arnprior, Ontario|Arnprior]]
}}


Not all directions necessarily need to be filled.

<syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext">
{{Adjacent communities
 | Centre = Knokke-Heist
 | N = ''[[North Sea]]''
 | E = [[Sluis]] ([[Netherlands|NL]]-[[Zeeland|ZE]])
 | S = [[Damme]]
 | W = [[Bruges]]
}}
</syntaxhighlight>

produces:
{{Adjacent communities
 | Centre = Knokke-Heist
 | N = ''[[North Sea]]''
 | E = [[Sluis]] ([[Netherlands|NL]]-[[Zeeland|ZE]])
 | S = [[Damme]]
 | W = [[Bruges]]
}}