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 |
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# 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 |
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# 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 2with the page you wantFILE/PAGE 1contents to be merged into. - For splits, replace
FILE/PAGE 2with the new filename which you want the newer content to be moved fromFILE/PAGE 1.
 |
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Current requests
.webp_→_File:Fox_8_logo_2020.webp){kind=link}
- Request: Merge
- Reason: The same movie.
--OGPawlis (talk) 01:43, 29 January 2024 (UTC)
Done --Sreejith K (talk) 19:25, 29 January 2024 (UTC)
This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 19:25, 29 January 2024 (UTC) File:19 karmapa 5.jpg → File:The Fifth Karmapa Lama, Deshin Shekpa, was received by Yongle Emperor in Nanjing.jpg[edit]
- Request: Split
- Reason: Different files. Please move the later one to the above name. Thanks. --0x0a (talk) 07:13, 29 January 2024 (UTC)
- Done --Sreejith K (talk) 19:28, 29 January 2024 (UTC)
This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 19:28, 29 January 2024 (UTC) - Request: Merge
- Reason: The same movie, and one of them is of higher quality. Please merge as "Als ich tot war (1916)".
--OGPawlis (talk) 22:41, 30 January 2024 (UTC)
- Done --Sreejith K (talk) 04:23, 31 January 2024 (UTC)
This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 04:23, 31 January 2024 (UTC) .webp){kind=link}
- Request: Merge
- Reason: Image with border can be overwritten with cropped version.
- Eureka Lott 02:22, 31 January 2024 (UTC)
.webp_→_File:Fox_8_logo_2020.webp){kind=link}
- Done --Sreejith K (talk) 04:29, 31 January 2024 (UTC)
This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 04:29, 31 January 2024 (UTC) File:Algol, Tragödie der Macht (1920) by Hans Werckmeister.webm → File:Algol, Tragödie der Macht (1920).webm[edit]
- Request: Merge
- Reason: the same movie.
--OGPawlis (talk) 22:51, 31 January 2024 (UTC)
- Done --Sreejith K (talk) 18:55, 1 February 2024 (UTC)
- No, that's not the same. One is in higher resolution. Yann (talk) 18:59, 1 February 2024 (UTC)
- How are they in different resolutions when the first page does not even have a file uploaded? --Sreejith K (talk) 14:54, 2 February 2024 (UTC)
- The file is in my computer, but too big to be uploaded right now. Yann (talk) 17:53, 2 February 2024 (UTC)
- How are they in different resolutions when the first page does not even have a file uploaded? --Sreejith K (talk) 14:54, 2 February 2024 (UTC)
- No, that's not the same. One is in higher resolution. Yann (talk) 18:59, 1 February 2024 (UTC)
Not done
This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 22:37, 5 February 2024 (UTC) - Request: Merge
- Reason: The same movie, and one of them is of higher quality.
--OGPawlis (talk) 02:34, 2 February 2024 (UTC)
- No, these are not the same. The length is different. Yann (talk) 08:30, 2 February 2024 (UTC)
- Not done
This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 22:37, 5 February 2024 (UTC) - Request: Merge
- Reason: Please merge all revisions from [1] to [2] into the category page, since the category was mistakenly moved to the gallery page, and rather than being moved back normally, it was cut-and-paste moved back. Also please delete the gallery page under COM:GA1 when the histmerge is done.
—Matrix(!) {user - talk? - useless contributions} 17:13, 2 February 2024 (UTC)
- Done --Sreejith K (talk) 22:22, 5 February 2024 (UTC)
This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 22:22, 5 February 2024 (UTC) - Request: Merge
- Reason: Both are same content
--Hiren Chalodiya (talk) 16:37, 5 February 2024 (UTC)
This section is resolved and can be archived. If you disagree, replace this template with your comment. --Sreejith K (talk) 22:27, 5 February 2024 (UTC)