CommonsHelper is a software tool that allows you to transfer a file from a Wikimedia wiki, to Wikimedia Commons where it may be used by all Wikimedia wikis. It can be used in two ways:
A direct copy from a Wikimedia wiki to Commons. A tag is left on the original file's page explaining the copy.
A two stage process- where the image and metadata is copied from a Wikipedia to your local desktop, and then copied from your desktop to Commons. A tag is left on the original file's page explaining the copy.
The second way is more flexible and allows editing of the metadata; the first method is quicker with a well documented image. CommonsHelper uses other tools to find suitable Commons Categories, and rewrite the Wikimedia wiki's information in a way acceptable to Commons.
"Language code": enter the code of language of the project in which the image is at the moment. For "en.wikipedia.org" this would be "en".
"Image name": enter the name of the image that you want to upload to Wikimedia Commons. This could be something like "Six.GIF" (do not add the namespace prefix "Image:").
"New name": only use this field if you want to rename the image when you upload it to Wikimedia Commons.
"Project": the default value is "wikipedia" and you only have to change that if you are copying from another project like wikibooks, wiktionary, or wikisource.
At the bottom there are four checkboxes:
"Use WikiSense to suggest categories": the default value is checked. This will use another tool to suggest categories to add to the image. It is good idea to leave the box checked.
"Remove existing categories": strips away categories that will probably not be the same in Commons. It is good idea to check the box.
"Ignore warnings (overwrite existing images)": use this if you want to overwrite an existing image. For safety leave unchecked.
"Directly upload file (using commons user name 'File Upload Bot (Magnus Manske)')": if this is checked the file will be automatically uploaded. You will see the text, but will not get a chance to edit it.
Now click the button "Get text". It may take a few seconds to up to a minute for a new page to appear.
If you have checked Directly upload file, clicking the "Get text" button will display a page with a filled text field with wiki code, displaying at the bottom a message saying:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Uploaded successfully.
Everything seems to be OK. Log will be written to /tmp/chFDmC1h-dir/debug.txt.
The image should now be at six.gifEdit the new description page.
[Add {{NowCommons}}] or delete the original image straight away.
The uploading process is now complete, there is a link to the uploaded file, which can be seen and edited to add additional categories and geocode.
Press the button [Add {{NowCommons}}]. You are taken to edit page of the original image. A template {{subst:ncd|Image:name of new image}} has been written in the edit window; leave it as is. Give the heading name 'Transfer' and save. The exit tagging process is now complete. The complete job is finished.
Alternatively, you may wish to edit the image, or add a licence, or change other items in the Metadata before it goes onto commons. Then you must leave the Directly upload file box un-checked .
Clicking the "Get text" button will display a page of wiki code. You now change the wiki text before the image is uploaded to Wikimedia Commons.
If no valid licence can be found describing the source image, the following message will be displayed: This image has no verificable good license, and can thus not be uploaded to commons through this tool. Do not upload the image to Commons, as the license is most likely not allowed on Commons.
Open the image by left clicking on the file name beneath the edit box.
right click on the image and select "Save image as". Remember the location where you have saved the image. You will need it later. Use the back icon on your browser twice to return to the form.
Press the button "[Upload at commons]", this takes you to the standard Wikimedia Commons upload form. All the information will be automatically transfered, including any changes you made. You may add further 'Categories' and 'geocoding' here.
Browse to the image location that you remembered earlier. Select the image. Don't change the name of the image as this will break all the links in the Wikipedia pages that are using it, unless you have a very good reason.
Click "[Upload file]" to upload the file. The uploading process is now complete.
Press the button [Add {{NowCommons}}]. You are taken to edit page of the original image. A template {{subst:ncd|Image:name of new image}} has been written in the edit window – leave it as is. Give the heading name 'Transfer' and save. The exit tagging process is now complete. The complete job is finished.
If no valid license is found with the source image, the following message will be displayed: This image has no verifiable good license, and can thus not be uploaded to commons through this tool. Do not upload the image to Commons, as the license is most likely not allowed on Commons.
