Template:Dts/doc

Dts (date time sorting) is used to correctly sort and display dates in a sortable table (see Help:Sorting).

What it solves
Dates in their customary formats, if simply treated as alphanumeric text strings, sort in nonsensical ways: Use of the YYYY-MM-DD format would solve this problem, but with minor exceptions that format is not used in articles (see WP:DATEFORMAT).
 * 1/8/2013 sorts alphanumerically before 5/3/1967, because 1 is less than 5;
 * February 5, 1922 sorts alphanumerically before January 3, 1922, because F comes before J.

This template automatically attaches a "hidden key" to dates, causing them to sort correctly while still being displayed in one of the customary display formats such as February 5, 1922 or 5 Feb 1922.

Formatting
Using  produces a format that depends on, but is not necessarily equal to the format of the supplied date. The  parameter can take nine values.

Abbreviation
There are two ways of abbreviating the month name.
 * 1) Directly input an abbreviated month name.
 * 2) Use the   parameter.

Additional sort key
In case two dates in a table are identical they may be ordered using the  parameter.

Wrapping
To turn off the suppression of word wraps, use the  parameter.

Sorting for incomplete dates

 * Whole months or years: A whole year or month (and year) is sorted according to its first day.
 * Missing years: If the year is not specified, the date will be sorted as if the year were the current year.
 * Blank dates: For no date input at all, the maximum possible sort key is used, so the entry will sort last.

Error handling
Entering an invalid date format will (generally) produce an error message such as the one below. "35 June 1900"

Errors are tracked in Category:Dts templates with errors.

Calendar choice
The template is not capable of distinguishing Julian and Gregorian calendar dates. Also, it is not capable of taking a date in one calendar as input and outputting a date in the other calendar. Thus, to insure proper sorting, editors must either use one calendar for all dates, or pick a specific changeover date (for example, deciding that 4 October 1582 is Julian and all later dates are Gregorian); this would be done on an article-by article basis. Editors are also responsible for explaining to the reader whether the visible dates are Julian or Gregorian, if there is any possibility of confusion.

Linking
The template formerly linked dates automatically, with  used to suppress linking. In accordance with current guidelines linking of dates is no longer supported and instances of  should be removed. Transclusions using the link parameter are tracked in Category:Dts templates with deprecated parameters.