Template:Dated maintenance category (articles)
 | This template is used on approximately 3,160,000 pages, or roughly 5% of all pages. To avoid major disruption and server load, any changes should be tested in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. The tested changes can be added to this page in a single edit. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them. |
Usage
- This template adds a category or dated category to a page.
- It will add the page to an optional additional category.
- If the dated category is invalid it will add the page to Category:Articles with invalid date parameter in template
Examples
{{DMCFACT|Wikipedia articles that are too technical|from|{{{date|}}}}}will categorise all files, articles, categories and templates in Category:Wikipedia articles that are too technical from October 2025, if the date is set October 2025 e.g. If such a category does not exist, or the date was set incorrectly, this template will also add the article to Category:Articles with invalid date parameter in template.
{{DMCAT|Wikipedia articles that are too technical|from|{{{date|}}}}}will categorise all articles and article talk pages in Category:Wikipedia articles that are too technical from October 2025, if the date is set October 2025 e.g. If such a category does not exist, or the date was set incorrectly, this template will also add the article to Category:Articles with invalid date parameter in template.
{{DMCA|Articles proposed for splitting|from|{{{date|}}}|All articles proposed for splitting}}will categorise all articles in Category:Articles proposed for splitting from October 2025, if the date is set October 2025 e.g. If such a category does not exist, or the date was set incorrectly, this template will also add the article to Category:Articles with invalid date parameter in template. In either case the article will be added to Category:All articles proposed for splitting.
{{DMCA|Dutch mathematicians}}is the straight category Category:Dutch mathematicians.
{{TDMCA|type="Tolkien"|Articles proposed for splitting|from|{{{date|}}}|All articles proposed for splitting}}will categorise as in the above example but also in Category:Tolkien articles proposed for splitting if it exists. If it doesn't the page will be added to the hidden Category:Articles with tags with unsupported types.
Note
An incorrect date is any date which is not of the form November 2025, e.g. November 14, 2025, or june instead of June, or other spelling mistakes.
Etymology
DMCA stands for "dated maintenance category – articles". Similar templates exist for certain other namespaces or combinations. DMCA is a metatemplate with highly circumscribed use, and not intended to be "editor facing".
TemplateData
TemplateData for Dated maintenance category (articles)
No description.
| Parameter | Description | Type | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Default category name | 1 | The category (without "Category:") if there is no date, but also the stem of the category name when there is a date | String | required |
| Preposition | 2 | no description
| String | required |
| Date | 3 | Date (month year, e.g. June 2024). Usually the "date" parameter of the calling template
| Content | suggested |
| Category | 4 | Category all the articles go in, dated or not (if there is one) | String | optional |
| Alternative default category | 5 | Used when parameter 1 is right for forming the dated category, but the undated items need to go somewhere else | String | optional |
| onlyarticles | onlyarticles | ({{Dated maintenance category}} only) Used for template design, restricting the function of this template to article namespace (as in {{DMCA}}).
| String | optional |