This page contains lists of files to move for various reasons.
Guidelines
- Extensions should be three characters and lowercase. ".jpg", not ".JPG" or ".JPEG"
- Include a source in the filename if it is reasonable to do so. If "31243124124.jpg" is a picture of "Bob" from the "Yada Campaign Guide," move it to "Bob-YCG.jpg"
- Ideally, filenames should only have one period in them, to denote the extension.
- Non-alphanumeric characters are the enemy. No & or + or % or @ or , in replacement names, EVER.
- Try to avoid apostrophes if it is plausible and convenient to do so. Some clients don't handle them gracefully.
- If the system warns you that the new filename has a technical problem (identical to an existing name, the wrong MIME type for the extension, whatever), LISTEN TO IT.
- Consider just deleting the file if you can think of any excuse to do so. Less is more.
- Don't move a file unless you're going to edit all references to the original name, including user pages, excluding stupid galleries or pseudo-galleries.
- Don't move userpage-only images unless there's a technical reason to, not a "would be nice" reason to. (This means that user images should be removed from the "just a random alphanumeric" section when found, but not from the "identical with different case" section or the "ampersands must die" section.)
- Delete old versions before moving to make for cleaner exports if that's ever necessary.
- Always suppress file redirects. We're trying to clean things up, not make more of a mess.
The list
When adding images, list them by the number of pages to be edited, then alphabetically. (If you have time. Meh.)
Users should feel free to add individual files to this list, but don't go off on some renaming crusade without discussion. For example, we're not going to change all the extensions to lowercase. Each of these renames has to be done manually, and there are OVER SIX THOUSAAANNNDD!!! files with uppercase extensions on Wookieepedia.
Filename is just plain wrong
Filename is non-descriptive or useless
Admins can move filenames to more useful ones. Unless the existing filename is funny, was selected to make a point, or actually is useful somehow and you just don't get it.
Misspellings
These can be hard to find since filenames can be smushed. Any that were noted on talk pages should be gone now.
Annoying characters in filename
Slash
Shouldn't even be possible. Any that we had were artifacts of a bad upload form implementation and we should never have any again.
Question mark
If this ever happens again, the uploader should be shot. Then banned, in case they survive.
Ampersand
Ampersand is used in forming action URLs for MediaWiki and in command lines for some operating systems. Bad idea to have in a page or file name if it can be avoided.
Plus sign
Same deal as ampersand, but without even the slightest possibility of being a valid part of a title like in Pirates & Privateers and such.
Comma
Might not screw up URLs (haven't really researched) but not a good idea for any sane filesystem. If we ever need to port the file database (which will happen one day, mark my words), we want to avoid any characters used in the command line operations of any common OS.
Exclamation point
The exclamation point is used as a logic operator in scripting languages and command shells on multiple platforms. I can't believe we didn't think about this sooner.
Non-ASCII
Characters greater than 122 (z) and less than 32 (space) can mess up compatibility moving files from one OS to another, which can cause importing/exporting issues down the line and potentially cause naming errors if someone tries to replace one with a newer version and is on a different OS than the original uploader. Yes, this screws up the name of a major character, but that's a small sacrifice for user-friendliness.
Name is just a random alphanumeric (remove if it is actually descriptive, like an ISBN)
Weird naming artifacts
Includes "image" or "file" or other generic strings
Often indicative of being imported from another wiki or website, in which case they may be rescaled or otherwise crappified.
Superfluous parentheses
Double extension
Things like .jpg.jpg are stupid and annoying.
Extra periods
Same reason as double extension.
Extended extension
.jpg is the universal standard, and .jpeg is superfluous. This is just a minor annoyance in the grand scheme, but as long as we're listing anything we may as well list everything.
Pixel size in filename without valid technical reason
Limits future validity if file is replaced, also indicates rescaling on import, just generally bad.
Space before extension
This is just confusing for editing purposes. No valid reason to allow it.
Filename starts with apostrophe for no apparent reason
Also usually indicative of a bad upload form implementation, which shouldn't happen any more.
Filenames exactly the same as other files but in different case combinations
Want to port your database to ExFAT or NTFS? If there are case collisions, TOO BAD!
Files not to move
These files were linked externally before we realized their filenames were undesirable. Oh well.
Files to deal with some other time
Part of the Aurebesh gimmick, don't want to think about them right now.
