I'm still having trouble with this issue. Perhaps
I'm missing something, but this seems to be a simpler version of how Wikimedia
Commons' Template:potd works (
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Template:Potd).
If anyone is familiar with the workings of the Picture of the Day on Wikimedia Commons,
then perhaps they can answer my original two questions.
-----Original Message-----
From: mediawiki-l-bounces(a)lists.wikimedia.org
[mailto:mediawiki-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of mrthetooth
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2010 5:57 PM
To: MediaWiki announcements and site admin list
Subject: [Mediawiki-l] Auto Updating Issue
So I'm trying to make an "Image of the Day" template, but I'm having
trouble with the image changing automatically each day.
I created a page (for example, Screenshot) with a subpage for every day (for example,
Screenshot/October 6, Screenshot/October 7, Screenshot/October 8). On each of these
subpages I display one image. The template transcludes a subpage depending on the day.
Here is essentially the code:
{{#ifexist: Screenshot/{{#time: F j}} | {{: Screenshot /{{#time: F j}}}} | {{:
Screenshot /default}} }}
This works well sometimes. Some days the image that the template displays changes on its
own when the date changes. Other days I have to manually click "edit" and then
"Save page" in order to refresh the image.
I essentially have two questions:
1. Why does this template work inconsistently; i.e., some days images changes on
its own, and some days not?
2. How can I make the image always change on its own?
For greater efficiency, pages are cached. You can force to render the
latest version by purging the page (just add ?action=purge to the url),
that's a bit faster than a null edit.
The fact that it sometimes work and sometimes not may depend on the
exact time the page being viewed was cached.
You may try {{#time: F}} {{CURRENTDAY}} in case it performs better.