View source for Forum:Multi infobox

{{Forumheader|Redwood Grove|name=Multi infobox|subject=|notes=|closure=allow|archive=true|date=7 April 2021|user=Towelcat|type=content}}
Our infobox version system doesn't work well for representing two different types of content on the same page.

One case we run into is pets, which have both an NPC and an Item. Right now, our solution for this is to use a different infobox that represents both concepts: [[Template:Infobox Pet]]. This has a disadvantage of complicating how we represent both Items and NPCs, since we have to maintain a separate Infobox template for this case. This has caused us to overlook standard item information, such as pet item weight (added May 2020) and item tradability/alchability/value (still missing). When we prepared for leagues we added special parameters to many infoboxes, but we missed adding it to Infobox Pet due to the extra maintenance.

<s>A different case we run into is when monsters and NPCs are on the same article. Our solution for this is to use [[Template:Switch infobox]], which gives us regular looking infobox buttons but makes the page source very redundant. For example, [[Mourner]] lists out every parameter of Infobox Monster 5 times, since there's also 1 version that's an NPC. It doesn't look good to combine all the monster versions in 1 infobox, because we end up with nested buttons that are hard to tell apart.</s>

<s>For these two cases,</s> I propose replacing Infobox Pet with a new template called '''Multi Infobox'''. I have an example page up at [[User:Riblet15/Cat]] (tested on dark mode and mobile). This is implemented using tabber as a container for the infoboxes, so you can easily tell apart the two layers of buttons. This solution lets us use Infobox Item and Infobox NPC in place of Infobox Pet. The Multi Infobox template implementation is available [[Module:Sandbox/User:Riblet15/Multi Infobox|here]] if anyone wants to see.

'''tldr: [[User:Riblet15/Cat]] yes or no?'''

==Discussion==
'''Support''' - as [[User:Riblet15|Riblet15]] ([[User talk:Riblet15|talk]]) 08:54, 28 February 2021 (UTC)

'''Support''' - Usually I'm against all usage of tabber, but my reasoning at this point is only that it fucks with source highlighting and it makes variable width stuff look like shit. Both of these issues are solved with this proposal and it means we get to document more >DATA< so definitely a support from me. {{User:Crow653/Signature}} 08:58, 28 February 2021 (UTC)

'''Support for pets, not sure for NPC/monster''' - I think this is a good way forward for the pet situation, especially because synced switch happens to do the right thing. I'm a bit skeptical about using this for NPC/monster combinations, because even though it simplifies the wikitext, on a page like [[Vanstrom Klause]] it would make some of the infoboxes harder to reach or know about. I think the long-term answer here is to merge NPC and Monster infoboxes, and while that won't be easy (or soon, even), I think this approach (further separating NPC/monsters by another level of switchfo) is probably the opposite of where we want to be going. {{Signatures/Cook Me Plox}} 09:03, 28 February 2021 (UTC)
:I removed the NPC/monster case from this proposal. The proposed template doesn't currently work to switch chatheads between tabber buttons. [[User:Riblet15|Riblet15]] ([[User talk:Riblet15|talk]]) 19:32, 28 February 2021 (UTC)

'''Sorry to ask''' but is this the best way to represent this? For stuff like [[Oak armchair]] we also have an infobox that is specifically tuned to a certain kind of (object/NPC/item) to include parameters relevant to the specific type of content. The representation with this tabber looks to me like it's duplicating some data and making all data harder to access due to it being split up. If this was just cats, like it was in 2013, I'd be in favour of this approach but with the amount of [[pet]]s available in the game currently I feel like an infobox pet (which basically extends infobox item; just adding extra parameters to infobox item would also work for me although that would make InfItem a bit more confusing for general usage I guess) would be a much more reader-friendly approach that's just a copy/paste/merge away.

PS: Not 100% relevant, but adding an optional <code>itemID</code> parameter to monsters is something I was planning on adding anyway, considering several hunter and/or thieving NPCs also have an associated "item-id" if you use RuneLite's version of the WikiLookup for the in-game skill guides (the skill guide icons are items with an associated ID that is generally fairly relevant, like to distinguish between [[chinchompa]] item/npc in the lookup). {{Signatures/Joeytje50|2}} 01:01, 12 March 2021 (UTC)
:In what way does this make data any harder to access than any infoboxes with switches right now? This is the same thing and I don't think we've ever received any complaints about the readability of those. So unless you're arguing that all infoboxes with switches are also bad for readability, which I definitely disagree with, I don't really see your point here. {{User:Crow653/Signature}} 08:06, 12 March 2021 (UTC)
::I disagree it's "the same thing". Instead of the status quo where you can see all information relevant to any individual type of cat, you now have to go back and forth between the item and the follower tab. As long as keeping all relevant information in a single box is still clear (i.e. the infobox wouldn't grow to an excessive size or become too unclear) I think being able to see all information for a given type of cat at a glance is useful. For example [https://i.imgur.com/BZ8Nf8i.png with a bunch of probably unnecessary information], or [https://i.imgur.com/0kAvQH1.png without]. I personally like a combined infobox like that more than splitting them up. {{Signatures/Joeytje50|2}} 13:27, 12 March 2021 (UTC)

'''Support''' - The idea is to cut down on the number of unnecessary infobox templates, not create and/or maintain more of them. The pet pages currently represent two distinct things: NPCs and items. Using a tab-based system with both infobox templates is much cleaner/maintainable than creating (or sustaining) a new, third template for this outlier case. Here's some [https://runescape.wiki/w/Special:PrefixIndex?prefix=Infobox&namespace=10&hideredirects=1 food for thought]. -[[User:Towelcat|Towelcat]] ([[User talk:Towelcat|talk]]) 13:47, 12 March 2021 (UTC)

'''Support''' - Infobox Pet can be covered by NPC and Item, which helps cut down on the maintenance required to keep infoboxes up to date. Also removes an infobox, bringing us closer to our goal of zero infoboxes on the site. Riblet's example looks very clean imo. - [[User:Andmcadams|Andmcadams]] ([[User talk:Andmcadams|talk]]) 04:18, 17 March 2021 (UTC)

'''Question''' - Would stuff like [[web]] also get this infobox to distinguish between web / slashed web? Having an individual page for slashed web makes no sense to me, but the current switch system kinda does look clunky. {{Signatures/Joeytje50|2}} 14:15, 1 April 2021 (UTC)
:That would be out of scope for this proposal. Leaving those in the same infobox also seems fine to me since they're all objects. [[User:Riblet15|Riblet15]] ([[User talk:Riblet15|talk]]) 18:02, 1 April 2021 (UTC)
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'''Closure''' - There is support for a Multi Infobox template to replace Infobox Pet. [[User:Riblet15|Riblet15]] ([[User talk:Riblet15|talk]]) 06:44, 7 April 2021 (UTC) {{U|Towelcat|06:44, 7 April 2021}}