User blog:Vicyorus/HowTo:License files

Hello:

As some of the users are aware of, there was an update to the Imagery Policy that says all files in general have to be licensed. However, some of the users do not know how to license files.

This blog will cover the licensing of pictures, videos, music, etc. and how to license pictures that were already uploaded and don't have a license.

Part 1: Uploading
It may not be the best part to start, but uploading an image with the correct license can save time for the staff.

So, there are 4 ways to add an image to the wiki:
 * Via the Add a Photo button in this page.
 * Via Special:Upload.
 * Linking the filename, and if it does not exist, it will take you to Special:Upload.
 * Via the Add a photo to this gallery button in existing galleries across the wiki.

Please not that the last way of adding a picture will skip the licensing process, so it is not recommended, unless you want to add the licenses to all the pictures later.

Part 2: Adding licenses in the upload
So now you know there are many ways to upload a file, but now comes the licensing.

When you upload a picture via Special:Upload, you will see 4 basic things:
 * The button to upload the file from your computer/the bar to add the URL where the picture is located.
 * A bar to add the filename.
 * A bar to add a description.
 * The license bar.

To add a license, just click that bar and select a license.

If you upload via the Add a Photo button in this page, the process is similar, but the interface changes.

Part 3: License files that were already uploaded
To add a license to files already uploaded, click on the file's About tab and edit it.

Below I include the code of how a normal License looks like.

Recommendations

 * 1) If you are a custom maker, the template is your friend. It includes a special template for marking your picture as a custom, and the  template.
 * 2) If you upload a video or the sound file of any YouTube video, use
 * 3) If you do not know what license to add, please use and report it to any member of our staff IMMEDIATELY.
 * 4) You can find a full list of licenses in MediaWiki:Licenses.

Hope this blog post is useful, and if you need help, ask it in the comments!

If you try to prove Murphy's Law wrong,  you're gonna have a bad time   18:19, July 14, 2013 (UTC)