WikiPaintball:Redirects

Redirects help readers find articles on WikiPaintball when a subject is known by multiple names, abbreviations, alternative spellings or historical names.

A redirect automatically sends readers from one page title to another. Redirects help prevent duplicate articles and make historical paintball information easier to discover.

For general editing guidance, see WikiPaintball:Contributor guide.

What is a redirect?

A redirect is a page that automatically forwards visitors to another article.

For example, a reader searching for an abbreviation used by a paintball league can be directed to the article using that league's full name.

Redirects are particularly useful for documenting paintball history, where teams, manufacturers, leagues and organisations may have operated under different names.

When to create a redirect

Redirects may be appropriate for:

• Abbreviations and acronyms: Shortened names of paintball leagues, organisations and manufacturers.
• Former names: Historical names of teams, businesses or organisations that subsequently changed their names.
• Alternative spellings: Common spelling variations, including British and American English.
• Common names and nicknames: Widely documented alternative names for players, teams or equipment.
• Product names: Alternative names or established abbreviations for paintball markers and equipment.
• Capitalisation and punctuation: Common variations in how names are written.

Redirects should only be created when the alternative name genuinely refers to the same subject.

Do not assume that similarly named teams, businesses or products are identical.

Creating a redirect

Creating a redirect requires a single line of MediaWiki wikitext.

The syntax is:

#REDIRECT [[Target article]]

Replace Target article with the exact title of the existing WikiPaintball article.

For example, a redirect from an abbreviated league name might use:

#REDIRECT [[National Professional Paintball League]]

This is only appropriate if the destination article exists and the abbreviation unambiguously refers to that league.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Search WikiPaintball for the alternative name.
2. Confirm that an existing article covers the same subject.
3. Open the alternative page title for editing or creation.
4. Select Edit source where available.
5. Enter the redirect syntax, pointing to the correct article.
6. Preview the page to confirm that the redirect is recognised.
7. Save the page with an appropriate edit summary.

The redirect instruction must appear at the beginning of the page, without text or spaces before the # symbol.

A redirect should normally contain no other article content.

Renaming an existing article

If an existing article has an incorrect or outdated title, use MediaWiki's Move function where available.

Moving a page preserves its revision history and normally creates a redirect from the original title to the new title.

Do not rename an article by copying its text into a new page and deleting the original. This can separate the content from its editing history.

Before moving an article:

• Confirm the new title follows WikiPaintball naming conventions.
• Check that the proposed title does not already represent another subject.
• Consider existing internal links and historical references.
• Provide a clear reason for the change.

Page moves may require appropriate user permissions.

Redirects and historical names

Historical names can be important when documenting paintball.

A team may have competed under different names, or a manufacturer may have changed its branding.

Where reliable evidence establishes that these names refer to the same continuing subject, redirects can help readers locate the relevant article.

However, a change in ownership, sponsorship or name does not automatically establish that two historical entities are identical.

Separate articles may be appropriate when subjects have distinct histories.

Avoiding unnecessary redirects

Do not create redirects for:

• Unrelated subjects with similar names.
• Unverified nicknames or speculative abbreviations.
• Common words with ambiguous meanings.
• Incorrect historical relationships.
• Subjects that warrant separate articles.
• Alternative names that have no documented connection to the subject.

The purpose of redirects is to improve navigation, not to establish unsupported historical connections.

Fixing broken redirects

A broken redirect points to an article that does not exist.

A double redirect occurs when one redirect points to another redirect instead of the final article. Double redirects can prevent readers from reaching the intended page.

Redirects should point directly to the final destination.

Contributors can identify potential problems using:

• Broken redirects
• Double redirects
• List of redirects

When correcting a redirect, confirm the intended destination before making changes.

Viewing and editing redirects

When following a redirect, MediaWiki normally displays a small message identifying the original page.

Select the original page name in that message to view the redirect itself.

From there, contributors can examine its history, update its destination or correct an error.

Redirects should generally be retained when they represent valid alternative names, particularly where historical websites or existing WikiPaintball pages may link to them.

Redirects and internal links

Internal links may point to valid redirects, but direct links to the preferred article title are generally easier to maintain.

When creating new articles, use the established WikiPaintball article title wherever practical.

Redirects are primarily intended to help readers find subjects through alternative names.

Further guidance

• WikiPaintball:Contributor guide – General instructions for creating and editing articles.
• WikiPaintball:Editorial standards – Requirements for accuracy, sourcing and article consistency.
• WikiPaintball:Using AI to write articles – Guidance on AI-assisted research and writing.

External links

• MediaWiki – Help:Redirects
• MediaWiki – Help:Moving a page

Core principle: Redirects should make verified information easier to find without creating confusion or implying unsupported historical relationships.