Template:Shoutbox/doc

Purpose
This template was made to help in communications between online users. Sometimes, a whole new section is created in a user's talk page just to thank for something or make a pretty small comment, eventually making the talk page longer and making the user to early create archives for storage of the previous conversations in order to maintain a cheap, compact talk page. But with this tool, users don't need to overflood the page with smaller comments because they can place them on the shoutbox, where they'll be erased within some time. It can also help in coordinations for online users in a synergical work on wikipedia, but for more specific information, see the #manual.

Usage
Comments in the shoutbox are intended to be replied in the other (corresponding) shoutbox of the one who wrote a message instead of responding them in the same shoutbox in which the message was posted. The most suitable is that both users who send each other small messages have the shoutbox, however, none of the users is forced to have it, since small comments like "thanks for..." or "help me in..." or " " doesn´t need to be replied.

To place the shoutbox in your talk page, simply place: at the  top  of your talk page.

The shoutbox must be in the talk page, so you receive the orange bar of new message at the top of the screen. If you don't place it at the top, someone who want to make a comment will find it difficult to place it. The shoutbox won't work properly if it is not placed in a talk page, unless you modify the link in the "Click here to shout" section.

Options
You can also import the shoutbox directly to your userspace if you want to make more specific customizations (like changing the position, see the #manual for that):

Sub-page
You can create a subpage within you userspace like: "User:Your username/Shoutbox" --direct link--. In that new sub-page, you will insert this: And customize it in that section as you desire. Then just put:   in your talk page and save it. Finally, edit again the talk page and change this: " {{Shoutbox/full |1= " for the name of your new section, like: " {{User:Example/Shoutbox |1= "

Full mode
If you do not desire to create a whole new sub-page, simply add this directly to your talk page: and replace this:
 * LEAVE SMALL COMMENTS BELOW THIS LINE************************************** -->

for this:
 * LEAVE SMALL COMMENTS BELOW THIS LINE************************************** -->



Doing that, you will have all the source code of the shoutbox inside your talk page, and you can modify and alter it there at your will.

Manual
Here's a shoutbox manual, first created for the first users of the shoutbox, containing all basic information and properties as well as special customization of the shoutbox (like the position) in a cheap, compact space:

If you wish to have your own, add to wherever you wish to have the manual!