[Epic] Sub-referencing support for VE with `details`
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	WMDE-Fisch
	Mar 4 2025, 6:55 PM

Description

Sub-referencing support for VisualEditor

Following the details syntax T385549: [Epic] Sub-referencing support for legacy parsing with `details` we want to implement a solution that can be used in VisualEditor.

Background:

This epic is done when the details attribute can be used to read, create, edit and delete sub-references in VisualEditor.

T387017: Show sub-references with details in VisualEditor
T389366: VE: Create subref reuses with copy and paste
T389098: VE correctly shows sub-refs when the main content is only referenced by name
T387847: Parsoid handles subref coming before its main ref
T389100: VE: Deleting main ref should not orphan existing sub-refs
T389108: When deleting a sub-ref VE removes the main ref if it's unused elsewhere
T387960: [Epic] Safely save pages with existing sub-references in visual editor

User stories:

As VE user I want to be able to add new sub-references
As VE user I want to be able to edit existing sub-references
As VE user I want to be able to delete existing sub-references
...

Related Objects
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Status	Subtype	Assigned	Task
Open		None	T387905 [Epic] Sub-referencing support for VE with `details`
Resolved	Spike	None	T370883 [spike] Parsoid support for subrefs
Resolved		None	T387191 Parsoid method to add a subref to internal data objects
Resolved		awight	T387192 Parsoid parses and renders wikitext in the details attribute
Resolved	Spike	None	T387193 Discuss whether we will require main refs to be named for subreferencing
Resolved		awight	T387196 Parsoid annotates the main+subref nodes with internal attributes
Resolved		None	T387197 Parsoid splits a main+subref into two separate nodes (rough implementation)
Resolved		None	T387017 Show sub-references with details in VisualEditor
Resolved	Spike	None	T387113 [spike] VE support for subrefs
Resolved		None	T387955 Wire main+details reference from Parsoid output to VE
Declined		None	T388120 Investigation: can the main ref be injected into VE as a list-defined ref?
Declined		None	T388121 Investigation: can VE parse the reflist as HTML?
Resolved		None	T388122 Investigation: can Parsoid add main+details main ref content to the reflist mwData.body.html?
Resolved		None	T389098 VE correctly shows sub-refs when the main content is only referenced by name
Resolved		None	T390829 Create a new sub-ref in VE using the existing workflow
Resolved	Spike	None	T390831 Investigation: try existing entry point and find what doesn't work
Resolved		None	T390835 VE support for adding independent subrefs to named references
Resolved		None	T392137 VE support for adding independent subrefs to new/unnamed references
Resolved		None	T392196 VE: Allow adding a copy of a sub-ref using the reuse menu
Resolved		None	T392577 Refactor MWReferenceNode.toDomElements for readability
Resolved		Tobi_WMDE_SW	T392724 VE: Don't "merge" sub-refs when they are reused in VE
Resolved		thiemowmde	T392977 VE: Add more Qunit tests for MWReferenceNode.toDomElements
Open		None	T387960 [Epic] Safely save pages with existing sub-references in visual editor
Resolved	Spike	None	T387963 Spike: Look into wiring back sub-refs when saving in VE
Resolved		Lina_Farid_WMDE	T389366 VE: Create subref reuses with copy and paste
Resolved	Spike	None	T389370 Spike: escape details wikitext and HTML throughout round-tripping
Resolved		None	T389929 Save edited main reference content back to inline main+details
Duplicate		awight	T390867 Fix Parsoid copying subref content into main ref body
Invalid		None	T400241 VE: Provide updated main content on main+details by injecting it in the reflist output
Resolved		None	T400798 Apply freshly emitted reflist HTML when modfing content
Resolved	BUG REPORT	None	T392816 [Bug] VE: Incorrect update of details on named references with identical/conflicting main content
Resolved	BUG REPORT	None	T404089 VisualEditor moves main content unexpectedly up to another reuse when details are added (unintended diff)
Resolved		None	T409065 Show references with the same details as re-use in the Parsoid rendering (Merge Use Case)
Resolved		None	T406467 Show references with the same details as re-use in VE
Resolved		None	T392214 [Epic] Avoid unintended content loss when deleting refs and sub-refs
Resolved		None	T391521 VE: Deleting sub-ref attached to main content does not orphan other sub-refs in same article
Resolved		None	T389100 VE: Deleting main ref should not orphan existing sub-refs
Duplicate		None	T396094 VE must set main+details flag on subrefs when the main ref would otherwise disappear
Resolved		None	T396017 VE should save updated main+details main bodies as references list items when converting to Parsoid DOM
Resolved		None	T401887 Spike: Create a (redundant) synthetic ref when details is used
Duplicate		None	T389108 When deleting a sub-ref VE removes the main ref if it's unused elsewhere
Resolved		None	T397935 VE: Dont lose main content when converting the last main ref in an article to a sub-ref
Resolved		None	T402890 Document tech debt around "synthetic, list-defined refs"
Resolved		awight	T401313 Investigate whether InternalItemNodes can be used to recreate content of deleted nodes
Resolved	BUG REPORT	None	T403603 VisualEditor moves main content unexpectedly down to another reuse when details are added (unintended diff)
Resolved		None	T392687 VE: User flow to add (create) a sub-references via ContextItem
Resolved		None	T394478 New button in reference context item: "Add details"
Resolved		None	T394479 Display how often a reference is reused in the ContextItem
Resolved		None	T394480 Show static placeholder text for subref in add details dialog
Resolved		MareikeHeuerWMDE	T394481 Display secondary edit details button in ContextItem for sub-refs
Resolved		Tobi_WMDE_SW	T394483 Context item "add details" action should replace footnote marker with a subref
Resolved		Tobi_WMDE_SW	T395120 PatchDemo for user testing
Resolved		None	T392690 VE: User flow for editing a sub-references via ContextItem