Help:Files

To learn how to upload a new version of a file that is already in USApedia, see: Help:How to upload new versions of files

USApedia allows some editors to upload files.

• If you are uploading images and using VisualEditor, using the upload image wizard is recommended as it walks you through the upload process and adding the image to the article/page.
• For adding non-images files, please use Special:Upload page. To get the file to appear on an article you must add a link to the file page.
• If you prefer to use the Enhanced editor

When a file is uploaded to USApedia an associated file page is created to house the file on the wiki. These files are stored in a special folder called a namespace and their titles begin with File:.

If a file is publicly available elsewhere on the web, please link directly to the file in its original location rather than making a separate copy on USApedia, otherwise the copy on USApedia may quickly become out of date.

Like other USApedia pages, files are visible to and can be updated by any USApedia editor. A full history of changes recorded by date and by user name is maintained, and it is always possible to undo changes by reverting to earlier versions.

File types

The permitted file types, based on the file extension, are:

• Images - png, gif, jpg, jpeg, webp, svg
• PDF Files - pdf
• Audio and video files - flac, mkv, mov, mp3, mp4, oga, ogg, ogv, wav, webm

Uploading non-image files

To upload files to USApedia, you must be logged into your account and go to "Upload file."

1. Once there please take a look at "Is USApedia the right place for your file?" by clicking on the expand link.
2. If it is the right place for the file, use the Browse button to select the file from your hard drive.
3. Clicking on the Open button will fill in the Destination filename. We ask that you change the Destination filename to something unique and descriptive, especially since all files on USApedia are stored in the same folder. Please take a look at the USApedia naming conventions for files if you think the destination filename should be changed. USApedia will also tell you if a file with the same name exists already.
4. Next add a summary describing what is in the file and an explanation why the file may be used without copyright restrictions.
5. For new files, please also add at least one category in the summary box. There are boxes on the right for help on adding categories and listings of common file categories.
6. Finish by clicking on the Upload file button on the bottom of the page.

After the file is uploaded to USApedia, you will be brought to the file page created to house your uploaded file.

Next, link the file to one or more USApedia articles using a file link.

Guidelines for files on USApedia

Before you upload a file, please review USApedia's naming convention for files and how to upload new versions of files.

If the file is already publicly available, consider linking to it rather than uploading a copy to USApedia. That way, if the file is updated, USApedia may still be connected to the latest edition.

Any file uploaded to USApedia must meet the following criteria or risk being deleted without warning:

• The file should be of long-term value.
• In the Destination filename field, give the file a unique and descriptive name. See the naming convention.
• In the Summary field, describe what the file contains and its source.
• After the file is uploaded:
  • Link to the file from at least one article. See Help:Images, Template:PDFLink
  • Add at least one category for the file. Consider using a subcategory from Category:Images or Category:PDFs. Categories may be added on the file upload screen by adding a category code such as [[Category:Images]] in the Summary box.

A few key points:

• USApedia allows images and PDFs to be uploaded.
• For help in adding images to your article page, See Help:Images and below.
• See also Wikipedia Commons Help and Wikipedia:Help:Files for additional information.

The curators of USApedia reserve all rights to delete files that don't meet these requirements.

USApedia naming conventions for files

Main page: USApedia:Naming conventions

The proper naming of files uploaded into USApedia is essential to helping users find the information, ensuring context of the file can be discerned and avoiding duplication of files. In general, the goals of file naming in USApedia are:

• The file name should clearly and uniquely reflect the contents of the file.
  • All files in USApedia share the same filespace, so each file name must be unique.
  • Avoid generic names
• The file name should avoid using version numbers, phrases like "draft", or as of dates to differentiate revisions
  • Including a date in the file name may be appropriate if it reflects a final date and the date is necessary to differentiate various issues.
  • Do not include a date or other indicators in the file name to differentiate one revision from the next. USApedia maintains the history of every update uploaded for a file; each revision should have the same file name so each update for a given file is tracked in the same place.
• Stylisticly, name files in the same manner as USApedia articles (see USApedia:Naming conventions)
  • Use sentence capitalization (just capitalize the first letter of the first word), except in the case of proper nouns, where you should use headline-style capitalization
  • Do not use acronyms or abbreviations
  • Use spaces between words in the file name

Ask yourself, would a person who doesn't know anything about the topic or file have some idea from the filename alone as to what they would find if they accessed it?

Uploading a new version

Main page: Help:How to upload new versions of files

The most important elements of an article in the "File" namespace. See: Help:Images and Help:How to upload new versions of files for more information.

Uploading a new version of a file reduces the amount of work you need to do. When you upload a new version, every page where the file is link is automatically updated. How to upload new versions of files describes this process in detail.

Files have version history, listing the previous versions of file, as well as an Article history.

File formats

The default maximum file size is 3 MB. Please contact Tom if you feel that you have a compelling reason to request an exception. See Special:Upload for the most complete list.

png, gif, jpg, jpeg, webp, pdf, svg, flac, mkv, mov, mp3, mp4, oga, ogg, ogv, wav, webm

Image

• Portable Network Graphics (.png)
• Graphics Interchange Format (.gif)
• jpg
• jpeg
• svg

Documents

• pdf

Audio and Video

• flv
• mp4
• mkv
• mov
• mp3
• oga
• ogg
• ogv
• wav
• webm

Thanks to EmbedVideo, you can use the same format as Image syntax for videos.