Wikipedia:Bots/Noticeboard

May I suggest that where WP:Bots/Requests for approval says "Follow the instructions below to add a request", that be changed to "Click the big blue button below". I spent a bunch of time earlier today searching for these instructions until I finally noticed the button. RoySmith (talk) 23:35, 21 March 2026 (UTC)

Clicking the big blue button isn't the only step though. First is reading some documentation, and then is filling in the text box with your bot's name; until you do the latter, the button isn't even blue, it's grey. And then you still have another instruction, to add it to the WP:BRFA page. Anomie⚔ 12:23, 22 March 2026 (UTC)

You and I have User:Enterprisey/easy-brfa.js installed, which replaces the normal directions with a big blue button. Perhaps this is the source of the confusion. The user script deletes "the instructions below". Here's what it normally looks like. –Novem Linguae (talk) 12:29, 22 March 2026 (UTC)

Ugh, it looks like I added that 3 years ago and long-since forgotten about it. That certainly does explain why, when I went to fix it myself, the source for the page didn't look anything like what was being displayed! I'm not a BRFA frequent flyer, so each time I have to figure it all out again. RoySmith (talk) 13:46, 22 March 2026 (UTC)

I think the instructions could be cleaned up a bit (like using regular sections instead a table with Roman numerals). I’m willing to take a crack at it. Should I boldly edit or sandbox it? Dw31415 (talk) 15:41, 22 March 2026 (UTC)

Sandbox first please; I believe the layout was designed to mirror WP:AFDHOWTO. While I am at the point where I no longer need to read the instructions (and I don't have the script installed that hides it) I still find the blocked-out sections more clear than bullet points. Primefac (talk) 19:06, 22 March 2026 (UTC)

I noticed that some urls we're working with have a trailing newspaper name in the titles as can be seen at Benneth Igweh#cite_note-4, "– THISDAYLIVE" is not supposed to be included in the title, it happens to several other newspapers I can name from the top of my head but can the paperwork of this task be adjusted to handle these? I can modify the program to do this while every other functionality remains. Vanderwaalforces (talk) 18:05, 1 April 2026 (UTC)

Making edits slightly better is not usually cause for more paperwork. I'd say go for it. Izno (talk) 19:01, 1 April 2026 (UTC)

With my BAG hat on... yes, just make the changes. A correct title (or rather, making the title correct) is not something that needs to be explicitly approved (but here we are, and thank you for asking anyway). Primefac (talk) 22:54, 1 April 2026 (UTC)

Thank you so much, Izno and Primefac. Vanderwaalforces (talk) 08:46, 3 April 2026 (UTC)

Editors here (BAG members especially) may be interested in Wikipedia:Agent policy, a draft proposal for a policy on AI agents. There's discussion on its talk page, as well as at the pump. Thanks, Kowal2701 (talk, contribs) 18:45, 1 April 2026 (UTC)

The following bots can be deflagged for inactivity:

* Pppery * _{it has begun...} 17:37, 2 April 2026 (UTC)

Operators notified. * Pppery * _{it has begun...} 17:40, 2 April 2026 (UTC)

Thanks, I'll swing by next weekend and deflag as necessary. Primefac (talk) 12:08, 4 April 2026 (UTC)

@Primefac: * Pppery * _{it has begun...} 19:42, 15 April 2026 (UTC)

Sorted, thanks for the ping. Primefac (talk) 19:33, 17 April 2026 (UTC)

I think that User:FireflyBot has stopped updating Template:DRN case status. I think it is an orphaned bot. It is making edits, so it is performing some of its tasks, but it isn't updating the DRN case status. Can someone either restart it on task 12 or just restart it? Maybe restarting it will get it to pick up all of its tasks.

Its user page says that non-admins may report malfunctioning bots to WP:ANI. Maybe that advice applies to all bots. However, the bot isn't malfunctioning, because it is non-functioning, so I think this is probably the best forum. Robert McClenon (talk) 04:47, 17 May 2026 (UTC)

It seems you may have fixed it yourself, as it updated after that edit. Tenshi! (Talk page) 08:32, 17 May 2026 (UTC)

Thank you, User:Tenshi Hinanawi. So it appears that the error in headings had caused the bot to skip the DRN task because it had difficulty parsing the discussion. Is that what we have concluded? That is suboptimal, but with no one actively operating the bot, that is tolerable. Robert McClenon (talk) 16:26, 17 May 2026 (UTC)

Yes, that is what appears to have happened. I would say that it's a perfectly normal part of bot/script operations; I can think of a half-dozen similar examples where someone messed with a heading (or added one) and things borked. Primefac (talk) 23:06, 17 May 2026 (UTC)

I wouldn't say that I "messed with" a heading, but that I "messed up" a heading. The principle is the same. Robert McClenon (talk) 02:03, 18 May 2026 (UTC)