I'm new to Wikia, and I'm trying to develop/moderate one.
This wiki is intended to cover a very specific class of information, such that the information can be explained in the context of a few clearly defined fields. So, what I want to do is enforce that every page within a large subsection of the wiki is identical in form, and utilizes the same header-outline.
My instinct was to go to Templates for this, but it looks like the only way to do this with a template is to make a parameterized template. Parameterized templates, if I've understood them right, make for kinda ugly page source, and it looks like the parameters can only be edited using the source editor. I want this wiki to be accessible to noobs like me, so I'm imagining something where a user making a new page simply imports the template on creation of a new page, and the header outline is dropped-into the visual editor with some sample data. Then the user can go through, using the visual editor, and replace the data between the headers with information relevant to their topic.
Another option I've thought about is having a separate page for the format, and then requiring everyone to copy and paste the source for that page whenever they make a new page. This is kinda clunky, though. I wish there was an easier way.
Is there a normal way to do what I'm describing? What is that way?
Thanks!
Wiki is not likely the right tool for this job. "..what I want to do is enforce" is contrary to Wiki's Open and Trust Principles and probably others.
However, many products purport to be Wiki but only loosely follow these principles. I don't know Wikia specifically bit I doubt that it facilities this need.