Editing Template:Infobox software/doc (section)

== Moving release data outside the article ==
The subject's latest release version, latest release date, latest preview version and latest preview date can be moved outside the article.

=== Template Method (single wiki)===

Users visiting the article may click the version number or "[±]" link in the infobox to edit that external source. This mode is very useful for articles about software products whose vendors keep releasing updates or newer versions. With this mode is enabled, users can quickly and effectively edit the release data without editing the article proper (and cluttering its edit history with inconsequential edits).

Note, however, that if {{para|latest release version}} or {{para|latest preview version}} parameters are explicitly specified, the infobox does not look for external sources. (This can be useful if, for example, the preview version is frequently updated, but the release version is not.)

To make the infobox retrieve release data from outside the article:
#Create an external source that supplies data for latest stable release. To do so:
##Copy and paste the following URL into your browser's address bar, replacing ''INFOBOX_NAME'' with the value supplied in {{para|name}} parameter of the infobox: <br/><code>{{fullurl:Template:Latest stable software release/INFOBOX_NAME|action=edit&preload=Template:LSR/syntax}}</code>
##In the page that opens, fill in the required information.
##Save the page.
#Create an external source that supplies data for latest preview release. To do so:
##Copy and paste the following URL into your browser's address bar, replacing ''INFOBOX_NAME'' with the value suppplied in {{para|name}} parameter of the infobox: <br/><code>{{fullurl:Template:Latest preview software release/INFOBOX_NAME|action=edit&preload=Template:LPR/syntax}}</code>
##In the page that opens, fill in the required information.
##Save the page.
#In the main article, delete {{para|latest release version}}, {{para|latest release date}}, {{para|latest preview version}} or {{para|latest preview date}} parameters.
#Save the article.
#Refresh the article.

=== Wikidata Method (multi-language, potentially all wikis) ===

With a Wikidata entry, OS version information can be input once, and then automatically transcluded to any Wikipedia in any language, as long as they are using a Wikidata template for their data.

See: [[Template:Wikidata]] for usage information

See: [[Template:Infobox software#Example]] for a usage example. (The Infobox:software example uses this method.)