Editing EQ/howtohelp/Creating a link to a Zone

== General ==
Linking to a zone is very simple, however it is helpful to know so boiler plate here.  So when I play eq, I always refer to names by their zone file name or map file name.  Call me old hat or what ever, but you might have noticed this if you are browsing the wiki.  The reason the wiki uses that naming is one because it is shorter, and two because it uniquely identifies the actual zone.  (Minus instances).  Also if you type /who all ____ a lot, then you will be very familiar with the naming as well.

== Linking to a zone ==
It is important that you understand [[RoF/misc/helping/How to edit a Page|How to edit a Page]], in order to link to a Zone, because you will have to edit a page in order to add a link.

Linking to zones is controlled by a template called '''ZoneLink'''.  To use it you need first to know that a template called '''ZoneLink''' exists, and two the zone file name of the zone you want to link to.

Ok so for example, I want to link to Shard's Landing.  So what do I need to know?
# '''ZoneLink''' exists - check.
# '''shardslanding''' is the zone file name - check.

Now we have all the information we need to construct the link, except what to type.  Well to demystify that process, is the following copy and paste friendly text:

<pre>
{{ZoneLink|shardslanding}}
</pre>

That text when pasted into a wiki edit box produces: {{ZoneLink|shardslanding}}

Notice: '''ZoneLink''' is case sensitive, as well as '''shardslanding'''. 

So what are those funny squiggles on either side of the text.  Well those are called ''curly braces'' '''<nowiki>{{</nowiki>''' or '''<nowiki>}}</nowiki>'''.  They are made by pressing the shift key when typing a ''square bracket'' '''<nowiki>[</nowiki>''' or '''<nowiki>]</nowiki>'''.  The square brackets have a different meaning to the wiki.  To use templates such as '''ZoneLink''', you always want a pair of matching curly braces surrounding your text.

You may have noticed what looks like an I in between '''ZoneLink''' and '''shardslanding'''.  Well it is not an I, it is a ''pipe'' |.  What the pipe does is separate the template name from the zone name, so the wiki knows to link to {{ZoneLink|shardslanding}} instead of using the template '''ZoneLinkshardslanding''' or '''ZoneLinkIshardslanding'''.

So now you should be able to comfortably replace '''shardslanding''' with any other zone file name such as '''beastdomain'''.

'''What you should have learned so far''':
# Zones are linked to by zone file name or mapname
# There exists a template '''ZoneLink'''
# How to use the '''ZoneLink''' template
# That there are some funny squiggles called ''curly braces'' that surround templates
#* '''Remember''': from previous tutorials the '''EQ/Zone''' is also a template
#* '''Going further''': Anything with a pair of ''curly braces'' surrounding it is in fact a call to some form of template.