Commons:History merging and splitting

Visualization of the merging process.

Shortcuts: COM:HMS • COM:HISTMERGE This page provides information on issues and solutions relating pages and files that underwent cut-and-paste moves (which its history has to be put back together), and inappropriate merging/overwriting (of which its history needs to be split).

History merging

Shortcut

• COM:MERGE

Because most users have the ability to use the move page function, cut-and-paste moves are usually done by people who are not aware of that function, or when the move function fails (e.g. because the target has history), and people who aren't aware of the Administrators Noticeboard forum to ask for help from an administrator.

When a cut-and-paste move is done, the page history of a page can be split among two or more different pages. This is very undesirable, because we need to keep the history with the content for copyright reasons. In most circumstances, administrators are able to fix this by merging page histories.

Instructions for admins

# Temporarily delete NewPage Move OldPage to NewPage, using the move functionality. (In case it is a file, you have to open the Move & Replace link in a new tab or disable AjaxQuickDelete in your preferences.) (Now the old history versions are the whole of the new title’s.) Undelete the NewPage page, by: Viewing the page/file history Clicking “View or restore … deleted edits?”, and Clicking on “Restore!”. (Now the new title’s history has both the old and new versions, including an extra copy of the most recent version of OldPage, created by the move tool.) At this stage, NewPage will only show the text “#REDIRECT NewPage” (assuming a redirect was the most recent version of OldPage, the NewPage page will now be showing whatever the most recent version of OldPage was). The last step is to revert (or RevisionDelete) to the last version of NewPage from before the move. Special:MergeHistory makes it possible to automatically merge the history of two pages.

History splitting

Shortcut

• COM:SPLIT

Over time, pages or files may change from one underlying topic to a completely separate topic. Normally, this should be accomplished through moves of pages, or by reuploading an altered file on a slightly different title. However, if a user is unfamiliar with those processes they may simply change the subject of a page or file (overwriting the old). If this is not caught immediately it is very easy for the new topic to build up a substantial edit history of its own.

Instructions for admins

# Temporarily delete the page/file (original title) Restore previous revisions up to (but not including) the point where the topic was changed. Move (without redirect) the restored versions (old topic) to the desired new title. (In case it is a file, you have to open the Move & Replace link in a new tab or disable AjaxQuickDelete in your preferences.) If there’s already a file or page under the new title and you wish to histmerge into it: a) select the “delete the existing article” option, while moving; b) restore deleted revisions of new title. Restore new revisions of new topic (still at original title). A history merge could also be undone in this way.

Requesting a merge or split

To request a merge or split, fill the following template, and submit it at the bottom of this page. Remember, both files need to be of the same type. Merging of more than two files may also be possible in some cases.

== [[:FILE/PAGE 1]] → [[:FILE/PAGE 2]] ==
* Request: [Split or Merge]
* Reason:
--~~~~

• For merges, replace FILE/PAGE 2 with the page you want FILE/PAGE 1 contents to be merged into.
• For splits, replace FILE/PAGE 2 with the new filename which you want the newer content to be moved from FILE/PAGE 1.

 

Add a new request

Shortcut

• COM:HMSR

Current requests

View Edit Add topic

 See also categories: Media requiring a split up and Requested merges.

File:When Knighthood Was in Flower 1922.webm → File:When Knighthood Was in Flower (1922).webm

• Request: [Merge]
• Reason: This is the same movie.

--37.47.170.209 08:50, 23 November 2023 (UTC)

 Done --Sreejith K (talk) 15:46, 27 November 2023 (UTC)

This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 15:46, 27 November 2023 (UTC)

File:Russian Invasion of Ukraine.svg → File:2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.svg

• Request: Merge
• Reason: Mainly to keep updates consistent across both maps, but also since the other is already widely used and translated

Johnson524 (talk) 14:54, 29 November 2023 (UTC)

File:StAr TrEk InTo DaRkNeSs (xkcd).png → File:Star Trek Into Darkness (xkcd panel 2).png

• Request: Split
• Reason: two different files.

--HouseBlaster (talk) 01:37, 2 December 2023 (UTC)

 Done --Sreejith K (talk) 05:01, 2 December 2023 (UTC)

This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 05:01, 2 December 2023 (UTC)

Category:Mitava (ship, 1894) → Category:Birma (ship, 1894)

• Request: Merge
• Reason: The ship's COMMONNAME is Birma due to the Titanic associations and is listed on Wikidata and most Wikis as Birma rather than Mitava. I request the two categoriesbe merged with Birma being the main one please.

--The C of E (talk) 16:37, 7 December 2023 (UTC)

See also

• Commons:Administrators' noticeboard
• Category:Media requiring a split up