Template talk:Cite Q

cite Q and short citations

When using {{cite Q}} in combination with short citations (such as {{sfnp}}), the citation ends up in Category:Harv and Sfn no-target errors unless {{sfn whitelist}} is also added. For example, see Jacques l'Hermite and this talk thread.

Is there a way to enhance {{cite Q}} so that the citation does NOT end up in Category:Harv and Sfn no-target errors even when {{sfn whitelist}} is NOT also added? Elrondil (talk) 10:17, 28 April 2025 (UTC)

One could do that without enhancing {{cite Q}} by passing param |ref= with the default value, but that would require a module change to remove the unneeded code which emits an error message when it detects a user passing the default CITEREF value. Mathglot (talk) 08:15, 29 April 2025 (UTC)

I'm sure there's a reason for the message, but the message probably ought to be informational rather than a warning, even though it would then still not be idempotent. Elrondil (talk) 08:29, 29 April 2025 (UTC)

Formatting authors

Is there a way to get the authors to be formatted the same way that they are when last and first names are added manually, but WITHOUT having to add them manually? That is, that the output of

{{CS1 config |mode=cs1}}
⋮
{{cite Q |Q134120249 }}

is the SAME as

{{CS1 config |mode=cs1}}
⋮
{{cite Q |Q134120249 |last1=l'Heremite |first1=laques |author-link1=Jacques l'Hermite |last2=Walbeeck |first2=Joannes van |author-link2=Johannes van Walbeeck |last3=Decker |first3=Adolf }} Elrondil (talk) 10:25, 28 April 2025 (UTC)

This feature has been discussed many times in the archives of this page. I think it would require a change to the template's code, but a visit to the archives would shine more light on the issue than my feeble memory can. In the meantime, the documentation explains: The best option, which will apply to all articles using Cite Q with a given ID, is to modify the Wikidata property for each author and editor, adding "object named as" with the author's name in "Last, First" format. – Jonesey95 (talk) 14:01, 29 April 2025 (UTC)

Thank you. I’m aware of this "workaround", BUT the purpose of qualifier P1932 (object named as) is "to indicate used spelling or how a certain information was printed in the source". I do not want to be going around Wikidata changing correct data to incorrect data as a "workaround", one that affects EVERY usage of that qualifier at that and not just the usage in this ONE Wikipedia page. A new qualifier (e.g., cite-Q-workaround) wouldn’t ever make it into Wikidata (hopefully), so manually adding the data in the {{cite Q}} use is probably the least evil here 🙂. Elrondil (talk) 22:57, 29 April 2025 (UTC)

This feels like a problem that can be solved.

I think it would be technically feasible for the template to query the author's Wikidata item, and retrieve the given name (P735) and family name (P734), if they are available. Those values could then be inserted to first1 and last1 respectively. This would automatically correctly render the name as Lastname, Firstname.

For authors without a Wikidata entity, we can use the author name string (P2093) property on the publication entity, which is described as a fallback in the lua module. However this does not separate the first and last names. I would suggest we encourage people, when using author name string (P2093), to add qualifiers for author given names (P9687) and author last names (P9688). Then, similar to the solution above, CiteQ could then use those values (if available) to construct the first1 and last1 entries.

If others think this solution could work I'm happy to start preparing changes in the lua module. David Palmer//cloventt ^(talk) 00:49, 29 May 2025 (UTC)

That would be brilliant! Elrondil (talk) 02:26, 29 May 2025 (UTC)

@Cloventt: is it technically feasible? Elrondil (talk) 19:20, 24 June 2025 (UTC)

Altmetric

Altmetric are now using {{Cite Q}} as part of their citation tracking, per their blog post. Kudos to User:DrThneed for her persistence in making them aware of the template. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 13:18, 21 May 2025 (UTC)

Breaks on multiple archived URLs

Noticed this with {{cite Q|Q110737103}}. Wikidata records 2 archived URLs for that particular document, and the template returns the first of them with a comma appended, breaking the URL, and then prepends the second URL to the title. This of course generates a CS1 error when used. Choess (talk) 16:59, 16 July 2025 (UTC)