Template:Deleted template/doc

{{Deleted template}} provides a way to delete templates but still retain them for the purpose of correctly displaying old revisions of pages. When using this method to delete a template, all existing transclusions should be removed in the usual way, and {{Deleted template}} added into the template being deleted. This should ensure correct display in old revisions, and a warning when used in a revision postdating the deletion.

Current revisions containing templates deleted in this way (as well as the deleted templates themselves) are automatically categorised in Category:Pages containing deleted templates.

Usage

The template takes 3 compulsory parameters:

1. the revision ID of the template at the time of it being deleted. The appropriate URL can be found via the page history - choose a revision close to the time of the conclusion of the Templates for Discussion discussion, if there has been one.
2. template name
3. date the template was deleted

To use this template, add it at the beginning of the template to be deleted, adding the closing brackets of {{Deleted template}} at the end:

Example:

{{Deleted template|388523941|Example|12 February 2011|
Old template
did various things
and possibly other things
}}

• There is also one optional parameter: the |extra= parameter may be used to add further information at the end of the message.

Template documentation

Associated template documentation may be worth retaining, for example for references to alternative templates.

1. Use {{hat}}/{{hab}} to collapse usage instructions which are no longer relevant
2. Remove any categories (possibly convert them to See Also links)
3. Add a {{historical}} template as in this example for {{expand}}: {{Historical|category=no|brief=yes|comment=This template was [[Template:Deleted template|deprecated]] following deletion discussion archived at [[Wikipedia:Templates_for_discussion/Log/2010_December_16#Template:Expand]]}}