Commons:History merging and splitting
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[edit]
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
Special:MergeHistory makes it possible to automatically merge the history of two pages. |
History splitting[edit]
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)
A history merge could also be undone in this way. |
Requesting a merge or split[edit]
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 wantFILE/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 fromFILE/PAGE 1
.
Current requests
- Request: [Merge]
- Reason: File:Nickelodeon 2023 logo.svg uploaded in April 2023 has a smaller file size (512 x 390 px; 5 KB), had a public domain license, and more widely used file by many Wikipedians. Meanwhile, File:NICK-2023.svg uploaded by a suspected sockpuppet Olliex2b in May this year has a bigger file size (1,157 x 828 px; 21 KB), a duplicate of previously-uploaded file with same object, and have purported CC0 license which in fact shouldn't be own work. Given that File:Nickelodeon 2023 logo.svg had more widely used than the File:NICK-2023.svg, has a smaller file size, and has more obvious license for the former, the former should be merge with the latter, using smaller file size for two combined files, and renaming the latter files as File:Nickelodeon 2023 logo.svg as a single file for both.
--Yayan550 (talk) 22:46, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
- Done --Sreejith K (talk) 03:52, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
File:The Patriotic Song (2000 Russian presidential inauguration).webm → File:The Patriotic Song.ogv[edit]
- Request: [Merge]
- Reason: The former file is a higher quality version of the same video.
--Colohisto (talk) 00:56, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
- Not done. Different file formats. Use {{Duplicate}} or {{Superseded}} instead. --Sreejith K (talk) 03:55, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
- Request: [Merge]
- Reason: File:BT Group logo.svg that uploaded in 2021 by Wdwdbot (which is transfer from German Wikipedia file that uploaded by Marsupilami in 2020) is essentially a duplicate of File:BT logo 2019.svg that uploaded in October 2019, despite having different file size for each other (999 x 999 (1 KB) for the latter and 768 x 768 (2 KB) for the former). So, to prevent the redudancy of the logo size, the two similar files should be merged as a single file and named File:BT logo 2019.svg as the name for both combined files.
--114.125.237.251 00:48, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
- Done --Sreejith K (talk) 04:29, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
- Request: [Merge]
- Reason: Both of PNG files are essentially same image, with the first file was uploaded by AlexanderDoesSruff. on March 5, 2023, while the second file was uploaded by Al Naelm on March 8, 2023 (3 days later). Given this circumstances, both of files should be merged as a single file and named File:NICK2023.png as the file name for both combined files.
--Yayan550 (talk) 08:40, 14 May 2024 (UTC)
- Done --Sreejith K (talk) 13:47, 14 May 2024 (UTC)
- Request: [Split]
- Reason: Split the old (2007) file as a separate file.
--JWilz12345 (Talk|Contrib's.) 10:25, 15 May 2024 (UTC)
- Done --Sreejith K (talk) 13:54, 15 May 2024 (UTC)
- Request: [Merge]
- Reason: The two images are essentially same image. In order to reduce the redudancy of many images with the same subject, these two files contained the same GE Vernova logo needs to be merged as a single file named File:GE Vernova logo.svg (uploaded by DigitalIceAge on October 26, 2022), with all history files uploaded by BilCat on April 2, 2023 appeared at the first file uploaded by DigitalIceAge.
--Yayan550 (talk) 22:21, 15 May 2024 (UTC)
- Done --Sreejith K (talk) 05:28, 17 May 2024 (UTC)
- Request: [Merge]
- Reason: The file named File:Comcast.svg was uploaded by Олексій Непота yesterday. In reality, this file that the user uploaded is essentially a duplicate of File:Comcast logo.svg that was uploaded by the same user on 29 January 2024. So, in order to reduce the redudancy, both files should be merge as a single file, and if necessary, rename the former file as File:Comcast logo.svg (which is also the new name for the single combined file). --Yayan550 (talk) 12:26, 18 May 2024 (UTC)
- You are inattentive because the file uploaded as Comcast.svg, which is currently used on corporate.comcast.com and was first seen on January 11, 2024 in a post on the Comcast account at Facebook, has a highlight on the peacock symbol, then as the Comcast logo.svg file was first spotted in January on corporate.comcast.com, and is now hosted on cmcsa.com, it has no proper glare on the peacock symbol and is a pure gradient. It is absolutely unclear to me why you mean that both files are identical. If you suddenly have nothing to do, you better release the name Comcast Logo.svg Олексій Непота (talk) 13:00, 18 May 2024 (UTC)