Reuse one diagram on many pages
The alternative is copying, and a copied diagram drifts. Reuse keeps one source and many views of it.
#Reuse or copy
Reuse | Copy | |
|---|---|---|
Updates | Change the source, every page follows. | Each copy updated separately. |
Independence | None; they are the same diagram. | Total; they diverge freely. |
Use when | One canonical picture, shown widely. | A starting point you intend to change. |
#How to
Insert a diagram reference and point it at the diagram you want. It renders exactly as the original, and follows it. See also Diagram templates for the copy case.
Deleting the source page breaks every reference to it. Keep canonical diagrams on a page that will not be deleted, or file them in the diagram library instead.
#A few things that catch people out
A reader who cannot see the source page cannot see the diagram, even on a page they can read.
Editing through a reference edits the original, which is the point, and occasionally a surprise.
For diagrams meant to be reused widely, put them in the library. See Administration.
#Related
One source, updated once.
