BR Bullpen:Templates/Succession box

Succession boxes are templates that serve as navigational aids in a wide variety of articles, mostly biographies. Placed at the bottom of their respective articles, they show one or more groups of three people (or, in some cases, other entities, such as teams, states, organisations, events, etc.) that are part of a well-defined chain of succession, namely (from left to right) the subject of the article in question, their predecessor and their successor.

Succession boxes can visibly improve an article in several ways. They offer an overview of a person's career through the titles said person has held throughout their life. They also gather and categorise all of the person's official titles in a form easy to understand.

There are also several advantages of succession boxes that are not limited to the individual articles: they offer the ability to a person to follow a chain of succession, clicking their way from incumbent to incumbent, or to go straight to the article of the title, where they should be able to find a list of all of the title's holders; also, they can better illustrate cases of a change in a title's name, joined offices having passed down from/to the same person, and cases where a person has held an office multiple times.

Standardization becomes more important when these features are considered, as succession lines of the same chain should be similar. However, it is also a matter of appearance; succession boxes should contribute to the overall image of an article rather than be an eyesore.

Full list of templates

The full set of templates:

• {{sb suc}}
• {{sb pre}}
• {{sb beg}}
• {{sb end}}

• {{using succession box}}

Depreciated

• {{SBox 1-1}}

How to use

There are many types of succession boxes, as the combinations of the various templates previously mentioned are virtually endless. We shall begin by demonstrating the use of simple boxes, and proceed with the analysis of more complex boxes of many lines and multiple titles.

Simple boxes

The very purpose of a succession box is to show the place of the subject of the box (the person whose article the box is in) in a succession of people (henceforth referred to as a succession chain). Because of this, most boxes include three people, namely the subject, their predecessor, and their successor.

The quintessential succession box consists of three cells, which go from left to right in the same order that the three persons' terms succeeded each other: the left cell names the predecessor, the middle one names the title of the subject and the years that mark their term in an office (the person's name is already mentioned in the article's title and is thus not repeated here), and the right one names the successor.

Simply enough, the creation of a box follows the same order. First comes the predecessor (template sb pre), the title and years follow (template sb ttl), and then comes the successor (template sb suc). It should not be forgotten, of course, that every succession box opens with the sb start template, and ends with the sb end template. Each command should be given its own line.

Have a look at this diagram.

Enter the start field so that the program recognises the table:

{{sb start}}

Enter the name of the predecessor:

{{sb pre|before=[[Enter predecessor here]]}}

Enter the title of the person on whose page you are working:

{{sb ttl|title=[[Enter title here]]

Also, enter the years during which they held that title (not necessarily in a different line):

|years=Enter start date here – Enter end date here}}

Enter the name of the successor:

{{sb suc|after=[[Enter successor here]]}}

Once everything is done, type:

{{sb end}}

This is an example of the technique. Writing…

{{sb start}}

{{sb pre|before=[[Jeff Kent}}

{{sb ttl|title=[[National League Most Valuable Player]]

|years=2001 – 2004}}

{{sb suc|after=[[Albert Pujols]]}}

{{sb end}}

Preceded by Jeff Kent

National League Most Valuable Player 2001 – 2004

Succeeded by Albert Pujols

It is encouraged that you include the title-holder's dates of term or reign whenever possible; if a date is dubious or disputed, use the sb ref template to include references that will back up that date (see the relevant section for details). Following the Manual of Style, spans between years should indicated by the en dash (–). Please do not link the dates except in a limited number of cases, such as for Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player award winners, where individual pages for each year exist.

The titles in succession boxes are usually listed chronologically—beginning with the oldest titles held—then alphabetically, within a certain header (which is discussed below. Consecutive titles (e.g. if a player wins an award in consecutive years) should be listed in the same box, but non-consecutive claims to the same titles (e.g. if a manager is rehired by a former club) should be listed in separate boxes.

These are the templates that are used to substitute sb pre and/or sb suc when a box documents a succession different from the usual format of "predecessor-subject-successor", like at the beginning or end of a succession chain and at a vacancy. The templates in this category are: sb new, sb non, sb inc, and sb vac.

Advanced boxes

Many people have held multiple offices and/or titles in their life. It is also possible that someone might take over an office from two different people who had held it jointly until then, or join several different titles into one that will be inherited by a single heir.

As it would be unwieldy to create separate boxes for all these titles, we include all of them in a single succession box. Thus, each article has one box at the bottom, which is easier to manage and more aesthetically pleasing. In some cases, succession boxes consist of many separate rows that are made up of the previous section's simple boxes, and thus their creation follows more or less the same rules; the only difference is that special care should be given to the placement and relative order of said simple boxes, as well as to the inclusion of |- between the lines where necessary.

For these, and other scenarios, it is possible to create succession boxes that can clearly show those connections by making use of the advanced features of the before presented succession template model. The system for the advanced boxes is slightly different from the simple forms demonstrated in the previous section, and it relies heavily on the |- character, as well as on the correct counting of the rows.

Rows

Basically, the format is the following: if a box is taking up more than one rows of the table, it can be specified how many rows exactly that will be by inserting a row parameter immediately after the template name (sb … field) and before every other parameter. That can be done by typing:

{{sb ...|rows=Insert number of rows here|...}}

The number corresponds to the number of rows this name or title overlaps in regard to the other rows, as opposed to denoting a specific height for a cell. In other words, if all three cells of a line were given a "rows=2" parameter, the box would appear as if none of these cells was assigned a rows parameter.

Analysis of succession templates

Here follows a detailed description of the succession templates, with information about the circumstances in which they are used and examples of their use in succession boxes. The templates are analysed in sections according to their place in succession boxes.

Predecessor templates

sb pre

sb pre is the most commonly used predecessor template.

sb new

sb new is used instead of sb pre to signify the beginning of a new succession chain, where there is no predecessor before the subject for a specific title as titles can be created any time and for any reason.

Simply using {{sb new}} will produce a simple "New position" cell. Using the "title" parameter this can be changed to "New title". Changing the parameters can change this title to "first". There is also a "reason" parameter, which gives the option of entering the reason behind the title's creation, using a short sentence.

Template:sb new (with others)

{{sb start}}

{{sb new|reason=Enter reason for title}}

{{sb ttl|title=Insert title of person here|years=Insert years here}}

{{sb suc|after=Insert successor here}}

{{end}}

Which looks like:

New position New club

Hiroshima Carp manager 1950 – 1953

Succeeded by Katsumi Shiraishi

Sucessor templates

sb suc

sb suc is the most commonly used sucessor template.

sb non

sb non is the opposite of sb new: it is used to signal the conclusion of a chain of succession, replacing sb suc in the box's successor cell. All titles at one time or another expire, become extinct, are abolished, or otherwise fall in disuse, and those that have not yet met such a fate will undoubtedly do so in the future.

As the reasons for the end of a title are more numerous and possibly more difficult to describe than those for its creation, sb non is an open template, allowing for the insertion of practically any message (using the "reason" parameter, which cannot be omitted). The "reason2" parameter can provide further information.

Template:sb non (with others)

{{sb start}}

{{sb pre|before=Insert predecessor here}}

{{sb ttl|title=Insert title of person here|years=Insert years here}}

{{sb non|reason=Give brief reason why no more title}}

{{end}}

Which looks like:

Preceded by Randy Johnson & Curt Schilling

Babe Ruth Award winner 2002

award discontinued

sb inc

sb inc is used instead of sb suc to show that the subject is the current holder of a title, and that for this reason there is no successor to the title for the duration of the subject's term. There are incumbents for all succession chains that have not already ended, with the exception of those currently vacant.

One will normally use the proper sb inc template, {{sb inc}}, which will produce a plain "Incumbent" cell. There are two parameters that can change this title: "recent" produces a "Most recent" cell, suitable for awards and election candidacies, and "current" produces a "Current holder" cell, fit for holders of records and trophies.

Template:sb inc (with others)

{{sb start}}

{{sb pre|before=Insert predecessor here}}

{{sb ttl|title=Insert title of person here|years=Insert start year here – present}}

{{sb inc}}

{{sb end}}

Which looks like:

Preceded by Russ Nixon

Atlanta Braves manager 1990 – present

Incumbent

Template:sb inc with "current holder" (with others)

{{sb start}}

{{sb pre|before=Insert predecessor here}}

{{sb ttl|title=Insert title of person here|years=Insert start year here – present}}

{{sb inc}}

{{end}}

Which looks like:

Template:End

sb vac

sb vac is used instead of sb suc to show that the title is currently vacant. However, it implies that the title will soon be filled. Vacancies occur to most positions, although it should be noted that the short period that often passes between the end of the previous holder's term and the appointment of the next holder does not count as a vacancy. Furthermore, there are parameters that change the message displayed ("Vacant"), depending on the specific circumstances: "terminated" produces an "Terminated" label and "suspended" produces a "Suspended" one.

There is also an optional "as" parameter, for changes of title names (see the relevant section lower in this page).

Template:sb vac (with others)

To create a table that ends with a vacant title, use this (example without reason):

{{sb start}}

{{sb pre|before=Insert predecessor here}}

{{sb ttl|title=Insert title of person here|years=Insert years here}}

{{sb vac}}

{{sb end}}

Which looks like:

Preceded by Hank Aaron

All-time home run leader 1977 – present

Incumbent

Preceded by Jerry Narron

Cincinnati Reds manager 2007

Vacant

Titles and offices

The only title cell template is sb ttl.

Additional features

As the purpose of succession boxes is to succinctly convey useful information to the readers, there exist parameters that allow the introduction of data into the boxes beyond the already examined capabilities of the succession templates. In particular, there are four parameters: the "as" parameter, which is used in predecessor and successor cells, and the "alongside" parameter for the title cell. All of them are optional.

"As" parameter

The parameter as, which can be found in the sb pre, sb suc, and sb vac templates, is used to inform the reader of a change in the title's name from the previous or next holder. In these cases, even though the title retains more or less the same power or serves the same role and the succession chain is not interrupted, the title's name is different. As readers might be confused to see the title suddenly change during the course of a succession chain, the "as" parameter is used to prepare them for the impending change in both directions, added to both the succession box before and the one after the name change.

Template:sb pre with as parameter (with other templates)

{{sb start}}

{{sb pre|before=Insert predecessor here|as=Enter predecessor's title}}

{{sb ttl|title=Insert title of person here|years=Insert years here}}

{{sb suc|after=Insert successor here}}

{{sb end}}

Which looks like:

Preceded by Makoto Kozuru as Nippon Baseball League leader

Central League batting average leader 1950

Succeeded by Tetsuharu Kawakami

Template:sb suc with as parameter (with other templates)

{{sb start}}

{{sb pre|before=Insert predecessor here}}

{{sb ttl|title=Insert title of person here|years=Insert years here}}

{{sb suc|after=Insert successor here|as=Enter successor's title}}

{{sb end}}

Which looks like:

Preceded by Walter Johnson

American League Chalmers Award winner 1914

Succeeded by George Sisler as American League League Award winner

"With" parameters

Often in history, some offices have been held by more than one person at a time. The most common example of this is a when two people share a league lead in a particular statistic. In order to convey this, there is also another optional field in template sb ttl: the with field. This is case the person or persons listed are occupying identical titles.

The with parameter makes the message "with:" appear at the bottom of the title cell, followed by the name or names (in the latter case separated by commas) of the subject's colleague(s) in a reduced font and without any dates whatsoever.

Template:sb ttl with with parameters (with other templates)

{{sb start}}

{{sb pre|before=Insert predecessor here}}

{{sb ttl|title=Insert title of person here|years=Insert years here

|with=Enter name(s) of colleagues}}

{{sb suc|after=Insert successor here}}

{{end}}

Which looks like:

Preceded by Bartolo Colon

American League wins leader 2006 with: Johan Santana

Succeeded by Josh Beckett

Optional sb related templates

In addition to the three basic templates (sb pre, sb ttl, and sb suc) and their substitutes, there are two kinds of templates that may be completely omitted from a succession box depending on the circumstances. These are sb ref and an assortment of header templates.

sb ref

Template sb ref exists for the purpose of sourcing a succession table. It is designed to host individual references based on whatever medium preferred, except, of course, links to other articles in the Bullpen.

To use, type the following at the end of a succession box (immediately before of {{sb end}}). It supports at most ten different sources. Source citing should follow standard practices. For each source, add a superscript number (1, 2, and so on) at the name or date in the succession box that is referenced; you can do this by enclosing the number in  or, for numbers from 1 to 3, by using the numbers from the character box under the edit window.

It will result in the following added to the bottom of any succession box:

{{sb ref|Write out source 1 here|Write out source 2 here|Write out source 3 here}}

Notes & references

1. Write out source 1 here 2. Write out source 2 here 3. Write out source 3 here

Headers

There are various headers that can be placed in succession boxes to sort the various titles into categories. Although their main use is to distinguish the various titles and lessen the feeling of confusion created to the reader by a large and complex box, they are also used for plain, one-row tables (especially since they allow for collapsible tables to be used).

Headers should always be used, with few exceptions; most notably when it is used for chronology purposes (such as in article of teams, yearly awards, or events). The succession boxes in articles on people should always use headers (for collapsable div purposes).

A list of header templates (in alphabetical order) follows.

Awards and honours			{{sb awd}}
Business positions			{{sb bns}}
Leaderboard apperances			{{sb ldr}}
Managerial positions			{{sb mgr}}

Headers should be placed in the following order: {{sb ldr}}, {{sb mgr}}, {{sb bns}}, {{sb awd}}

Complete example

Using the rows feature of the templates, very advanced tables can be created to help in situations with people who hold many posts. The following is a hypothetical chart with at least one use of all the forms above:

Leaderboard apperances
First	Western League wins leader 1982 with: Owen Richardson	Succeeded by Hideki Yukawa
Preceded by Charles Wilson	Central League saves leader 1989	league folded
Awards and honours
New award	Western League Strutt Award winner 1985	Succeeded by Carlo Rubbia
Business positions
Preceded by Robert Brown	Baraboo Kites general manager1 1994	Succeeded by Arthur Evans
Preceded by Eddie Purcell	Landau Mets owner 1996–present	Incumbent
Preceded by Jerry Narron	Northern Premier League presdient 2001–2007	Vacant
Managerial positions
Preceded by Percy Bridgman	Delton Hatters manager 1990 – 1992	Succeeded by Alfred Kastler
Notes & references
1. source information