Tutorial/How to create Beta page

In this tutorial we're going to focus on how to get a new page on a Beta release up and running. First section, however, is focused on locating the new beta update. The second section is for the actual page update, and then a final section is offered on various other tidbits.

## Locate Information on the New Beta

You might get hints about a new Beta release from various Discord servers, or the App stores if you're enrolled in a Beta program. However, before creating a Beta page we need to have the changelog of the release, and the changelogs can be found at: https://feedback.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/sections/360001185332-Beta-Information-and-Changelogs .

This link for betas, and the similar one for full releases are also linked from the Template:Update\_series.

## Create the Beta page

Beta pages are sub-pages of the main version in question, so the link should look like `Update 1.7/build 5` for beta release `1.7.0.5`. (And if, on the odd chance, a beta is released for a minor release, it would be like `Update 1.2.13/build_6` for beta release `1.2.13.6`).

The main steps after deciding the page name:

* Copy the link of the changelog, and insert into default start of a beta page.
* Copy in the entire text from the changelog text, and strip away first section on beta stuff.
* Reformat headings using "`== section ==`" (and "`=== subsection ===`"), and removing the colon.
* Reformat into list items by adding period at end, and an asterix, "`*`", at start of next line.
* Change all bug references into links.
* Change *only* first occurence of any other page into a link.
* Add categories of Category:Beta to the page.

### Start of page

To start of creating the new page, take an existing link to a beta page, like Update 1.7/build 2, and edit the link directly to match the beta page you're going to create. Alternatively, go to your Sandbox and enter the link directly like in "`[[Update 1.7/build 5]]`". View the preview, and follow the link and do create new blank page.

In the blank page insert the following text, and update any number references:

> `{{Update 1.7 betas}}The third [[Beta]] released related to [[Update 1.7]] aka 1.7.0.5. See [https://feedback.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/articles/360015664351 changelog].`
>
>

Notice how we strip away anything after the number in the changelog link, as it is not needed for the link to work. Numbers and textual reference to numbers are of course updated accordingly to the beta in question. For this tutorial, we're going to focus on the 1.7.0.5 beta.

### Copy text from changelog

This is kind of self explanatory, but as we've written about the Beta already on another page, we strip away this part of the changelog. It there is a useful/interesting leading text in the changelog, then incorporate that into the start of the new beta page.

### Reformat headings

When you copy the text, all formatting is lost so it's needs to be re-applied using "`==`" for main sections on either side of the title. Remove the colon at the end of the line.

Similar use "`===`" on either side for sub-sections. Insert newlines before and after each section (and sub-section). It's often useful to have a web page open with the original changelog to help locate the various sections.

### Reformat lists

To reformat into lists you need to add a period at the end, and an asterixs, "`*`", at the start of the line.

I found the easiest way to reformat into lists is to manually add one, and then mark the period, the new line, and the asterix on the next line, and do a Template:Key. Then starting at the start of the next line I hit the following sequence:

* Template:Key which deletes the newlines, and move be back up a line.
* Template:Key This insert the period, newline and asterix.
* Template:Key and Template:Key which moves me to the next line start.

Repeat this until list is completed. Some manual labour is required removing the extra period or asterix at the start or end of the list.

### Change bug references

Throughout the changelog text similar to "MCPE-12345" refers to the bugs which have been fixed in this beta release. These needs to be changed into "`{{bug|MCPE-12345}}`".

My personal way of doing this is to use Chrome with an add-on named "Find & Replace for Text Editing", and using a regex replace searching for: "`(MCPE-\d+)`", and replacing this with: "`{{bug|$1}}`". Remember to tick of the checkbox for using regex.

### Change into page links

Now comes the most painstaking part, at that is to recognise every reference to other pages on the wiki, and replace the first occurence of every reference into a link. This is done by surrounding the (singular) reference within double square brackets.

That is, to change a sentence like "`Phantoms now definitely swoop down`" into
"`[[Phantom]]s now definitely swoop down`". Repeat until end of text. Remember to use preview a lot when doing this to verify that links actually exists and looks nice.

### Categorise

The final step, before reviewing and posting the new page, is to add it to the Category:Beta page. Do remember **not** to add it to Category:Update.

## Other tidbits

### Update the beta series page

If you expect several betas to be released, we also need a corresponding beta series template. If a beta page has already been created in this series, refer to this to find the beta series template, and if not, you'll need to create it based upon an earlier version.

Go to Template:Update 1.7 betas (or similar). If it exists, then update it by copying one of the build link lines, and update with current links to page and changelog. Also remember to update the current beta build line.

If it doesn't exist, use an earlier template to create a new beta series template, and update to match the new version. Add this template to the Category:Beta, as well.

### Update/Create main page

When first starting out on a new beta series, we might need to create the main page for this version. That is Update 1.7 for the 1.7.0.x series, or Update 1.2.13 for the 1.2.13.x series.

*Please* don't add new features from betas into main page before the full release, but do add references to any of the current betas into this page. Add the `{{Upcoming}}` to the start of this page, and add the category Category:Update.

### Update Template:Update\_series

This page is protected, but if you've got the permission to do this, do remember to update the Template:Update series page with the current beta after completing the beta page.