Template:Template link code/doc

Purpose and naming
When a template name with braces is to be shown in documentation, the braces have to be escaped in some way so it doesn't become an actual call to the template. Instead of using  tags you can write it more simply and concisely by using the  template.

This template works similarly to tl and tlx, but doesn't make the template name into a link (template link cleared). When writing documentation you might want to avoid a lot of unnecessary links, since they can decrease readability. So on the first occurrence of a template name use or, and then use  thereafter. The name was based on template link, despite the fact that, unlike the actual  template, these templates don't include an actual link.

Basic operation
The template looks like this (code is to the left; actual rendering to the right): →

Functional details

 * This template takes another template-name and some associated pipe-tricked (numbered) parameters (or 'pass parameters'), and displays them as an 'example demonstration' of how the template-name template could be coded, literally. Its primary use is in instruction and documentation.
 * It shows a template name and up to eight parameters, including empty parameters.
 * It prevents line wraps in its output.

Usage
→

Examples
An alternative to using constructs such as  and   to prevent characters from getting interpreted syntactically is to use , which will prevent all characters from being interpreted. For example, in place of you can use Both render as

If a vertical display with parameters on their own lines is desired, this can also be laid out manually in this manner, or more rapidly done with.

Here is the code to emulate using  :

Limitations
As documented at Help:Template, template arguments starting with one of the four MediaWiki magic characters      or   are interpreted as if they were at the beginning of a line, and are formatted as HTML lists. To avoid this, references to or  must have the first character escaped. You can either use or an escape like.