View it! Tool

View it! is a tool that shows Wikipedia users all relevant Wikimedia Commons media depicting—or otherwise related to—the article they are reading. View it! officially launched on January 12, 2023 with a full and lite version.

Description[edit]

The View it! tool enriches Wikipedia content by offering an expandable illustration of a given subject. It increases the discovery of Wikimedia Commons uploads and encourages contributors to utilize Commons and structured data. While the number of images displayed in a Wikipedia article is finite and highly curated by editors, View it! allows readers to access the full catalog of images available on Wikimedia Commons, and help editors easily add relevant media to an article. The Toolforge source code is published here and we have a changelog available of all tool and script changes.

Features[edit]

Through View it! users are able to see a gallery of related images derived from queries of structured data. depicts (P180) is relevant to all subjects, other points may be utilized through the Advanced search option on Toolforge. Other properties include, main subject (P921), creator (P170), and Commons category (P373).

The View it! gallery can be displayed in two different environments:

On Toolforge (where Advanced search can also be utilized, offering extra properties, free text search, and assessment and resolution parameters)
A gallery that loads automatically within the Wikipedia article

From the gallery, users are able to easily add an image to an article they are editing. While in either visual or source editor, users can copy the code by clicking the copy icon on any image in the gallery and paste it into the article they're working on.

We are currently working on addition features for editors which may include:

Removal of bad statements from Commons media, when unwanted results appear in the gallery (envision a one-click operation without leaving Wikipedia, with the tool utilizing a wbremoveclaims call on the backend).
Improving the copy/paste functionality to add media to articles.

Script installation[edit]

The full version of View it! is ready, users are welcome to stick with the lite version if they prefer, but the full version loads images in-Wiki for easy editing and viewing. Please share feedback and any issues you may have on our talk page, our Wikipedia Talk page, or our personal talk pages. Currently, we're looking for feedback on useful editing features, particularly relating to inserting images or metadata editing.

Across projects[edit]

There are two options for installing View it!, a full version integrate with the editing/reading experience and a lite version-- installation directions for each are the same, with slight code changes. To enable on all platforms:

Visit your global.js page on Meta: User:<YourUserName>/global.js
Copy in the code
- For full View it!: {{subst:view it}}
- For View it! lite: {{subst:view it/lite}}
Click "Publish changes"

Please note you may see an error message reading: The document contains errors. Are you sure you want to publish? when you click publish - this is a bug, and it will still work.

Go to your User global.js page on Meta
View it! script copied in global.js
Meta global.js after saving View it! script

For specific projects[edit]

If you wish to only enable View it! on your local project:

Visit your common.js page: "Special:MyPage/common.js" on your wiki of choice.
Copy in the code
- For full View it!:
  mw.loader.load( '//meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:SuperHamster/view-it-full.js&action=raw&ctype=text/javascript' ); // Backlink: [[meta:User:SuperHamster/view-it-full.js]]
- For View it! lite:
  mw.loader.load( '//meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:SuperHamster/view-it.js&action=raw&ctype=text/javascript' ); // Backlink: [[meta:User:SuperHamster/view-it.js]]
Click "Publish changes"

Screenshot of Common.js page - User:JamieF already has other scripts in use
View it! script copied to common.js
Screenshot of Common.js after saving View it! script

After installation[edit]

Once installed you will see a "View" button between "Read" and "Edit" on the right that is connected to Wikidata/Structured data.

"View" button after installation of View it! on Mary Cassatt's entry.
Upon Clicking the "View" button users will be taken to the results via View it! on ToolForge. Example:Mary Cassatt View it! results

View it! will also work on other Wikipedia projects:

"View" button for View it! tool on Wikispecies - Mungo Park page
View it! results for Mungo Park
"View" button for View it! tool on WikiVoyage - Deventer, Netherlands page
View it! results for Deventer, Netherlands (WikiVoyage)

Localization[edit]

View it! has multilingual support! Add missing languages by expanding the localization instructions below. You can also make edits to existing languages.

Expand for localization instructions

Steps[edit]

Please note that to prevent mistakes or abuse, changes are not automatic. Let us know if you've made an update that still needs to be deployed.

To help us make View it! multilingual:

Visit View it! Tool/localization.json
To make a change/correction to an existing language, simply edit the fields for that language's entry. You might want to discuss your change if someone else preferred a different wording.
For a new language, copy the existing JSON notation for a language entry, for example:
"en": {
"label": "View",

"description": "View images related to this article"

},
Follow these guidelines when adding/updating languages in the JSON:
- Specify the language using its language code at the top of the entry (e.g. "en" for English, "es" for Spanish, etc.)
- "label" and "description" can be changed to any value, per your local language community's preference. It does not need to be a translation of the English.
  - The "label" value controls what text goes in the tab. (Currently "View" in English.)
  - The "description" value controls the helpful tooltip that appears if a user hovers over the tab.
- Languages should appear in Latin alphabetical order. Do not just place a new language at the top or bottom unless that is where it goes alphabetically.
- If the new language you are adding is at the end, for valid JSON syntax, you must ensure the comma format is preserved. That is, add a final comma to the previous final language entry, and do not include a final comma (unlike the example code above) for the new language you are adding. (Ending list items in JSON arrays do not have commas.)
Hit "Publish changes" and let us know to update the user script.

Example[edit]

Update sign up[edit]

Update archive

Please sign up if you're interested in receiving periodic updates about View it! tool - including the launch date and listening/comment sessions.

Status[edit]

August 2022[edit]

The team is investigating community wishes and best technical approaches.

Presentation recording from the August 31st meeting

Wednesday, August 31, 2022 16:00 UTC: A virtual presentation and discussion was held during the Wikimedians in Residence Exchange Network monthly meeting, with anyone is welcome to attend.
- Notes from the meeting
Saturday, August 13, 2022: In-person presentation/listening session, "Discoverability, Structured Data & the View it! tool" at Carnegie Library, East Liberty, Meeting Room 3. 130 S. Whitfield Street Pittsburgh, PA 15206 (second floor, handicap accessible).
- Notes from the meeting

September 2022[edit]

The development team is currently working to make the tool multilingual. Please help us with localization!

October 2022[edit]

View it! now has a Common's category search in the Advanced search function on Toolforge.
View it! is available across all Wikimedia namespaces, including Wikisource author and index pages.
View it! has been installed by 97 users; and has been translated into 14 languages.

November/December 2022[edit]

View it! had been re-envisioned into two versions - full and lite.
The full version now includes an image carousel on each content page which can be expanded for pagniation.
You can also look at a full-screen gallery by clicking the "View" tab.

January 2023[edit]

Usage[edit]

As of November 2nd, 97 users have installed View it! across global, Commons, and various language specific projects.
View it! has also been modified and added to other projects and utilized in other search queries:
- It has been embedded in ITN Syndication
- Template:Item documentation on Wikidata
- View it! inspired the design on the Commons search in Conzept and was modified to include a modal-image view and zoom option (example).

Timeline[edit]

The project was funded for development by the Wikimedia Foundation's Structured Data Across Wikimedia project, and has a 6 month timeline. View it! will be completed by January 2023.

Team[edit]

To share opinions, wishes, or ask questions please leave a message on the talk page. If you wish to reach a team member directly, please feel free to leave a message on our respective talk pages: