View source for Help:Cite errors/Cite error references missing key

{{pp-semi-indef}}{{pp-move-indef|small=yes}}
{{Wikipedia how-to|H:CERMK}}
{{Help:Cite errors/header
|msg=Cite error references missing key
}}

==Overview==
{{see|Help:Footnotes}}
A footnote used multiple times may be defined with a name:
:{{tag|ref|params=name="foo"|content=''content''}}

To invoke a named footnote:
:{{tag|ref|s|params=name="foo"}}

References may also be defined within the reference list:

{{pre|<nowiki>
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=refname1>refcontent1</ref>
<ref name=refname2>refcontent2</ref>
<ref name=refname3>refcontent3</ref>
<ref name=refname4>refcontent4</ref>
}}</nowiki>}}

List-defined references may be invoked by the standard markup or by use of {{tl|r}}.

==Issues and resolution==
All references defined in the reference list must be invoked in prior content. Unused references must be removed or commented out, or stripped of their {{tag|ref}} tags and moved to another section, such as "Further reading".
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Including more than one nested reference in {{ldr}} will cause a Cite error.

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Misusing a template that was never intended as a citation template and placing it in {{tag|ref|o}} tags may cause this issue.

A template that creates {{tag|ref|o}} tags; known instances:
* {{tl|Certification Cite Ref}}
* {{tl|sfn}} and variants
* {{tl|Single chart}}

A template that includes table markup; known instances:
* {{tl|Certification Table Entry}}

==Examples==
{{Help:Cite errors/lang}}
{{xt|Ex. 1) There are three references defined in the list, but none are invoked in the content:}}
{{pre|<nowiki>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=ipsum>Reference1</ref>
<ref name=minim>Reference2</ref>
<ref name=dolor>Reference3</ref>
}}
</nowiki>}}

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

{{fake heading|sub=3|References}}
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=ipsum>Reference1</ref>
<ref name=minim>Reference2</ref>
<ref name=dolor>Reference3</ref>
}}

{{Help:Cite errors/lang}}
{{xt|Ex. 2) A {{tag|ref|attribs=name="..."|single}} tag is invoked ''after'' the reference list:}}
{{pre|<nowiki>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=ipsum>Reference1</ref>
}}

<ref name=ipsum />
</nowiki>}}

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

{{fake heading|sub=3|References}}
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=ipsum>Reference1</ref>
}}

<ref name=ipsum />

{{xt|Ex. 3) Not so obvious case. If you mistakenly nest an {{tl|sfn}} type template inside {{tag|ref}} as in the second footnote below, an error message will show:}}
{{pre|<nowiki>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.<ref>{{harvp|foo|1999|p=123}}</ref> Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.<ref>{{sfnp|Foo|1999|p=123}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
*{{citation|last=foo|title=foobar|year=1999}}
</nowiki>}}
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.<ref>{{harvp|Foo|1999|p=123}}</ref> Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.<ref>{{sfnp|Foo|1999|p=123}}</ref>

{{fake heading|sub=3|References}}
{{reflist}}
*{{citation|last=Foo|title=Foobar|year=1999}}

==Technical==
{{Help:Cite errors/tech
|msg=Cite error references missing key
}}

==Bugs==
{{tracked|T24635|invalid}}{{tracked|T26600|duplicate}}{{tracked|T22707}}{{tracked|T269531|resolved}}
* {{phab|T24635}} Multiple problems with refs inside {{tag|references}} blocks.
* {{phab|T26600}} The first defined reference that is not invoked will show an incorrect error message.
* {{phab|T22707}} Nested refs fail inside references block
* {{phab|T269531}} Define a named ref in {{tag|references|open}} without using this named ref results into a wrong error message
{{Wikipedia referencing |state=collapsed}}