Topic on User talk:Dhx1

Hi, can i ask why? I have been using P18 as a support for the references since June after a discussion at the village pump months before, all my insertions of Wiki Loves Monuments ID and their (productive) use as references are based on this discussion and those previously existing uses. It's very useful in general to put it as a clear link to a document, a grave, a plaque. I therefore disagree with this constraint, where was it discussed?

It was just based on usage statistics at Property_talk:P18 where as main value (Q54828448) is the overwhelming use of image (P18). It is possible to add as qualifiers (Q54828449) and as references (Q54828450) if there is a use case for this. You've mentioned a few use cases where more applicable properties exist though. For documents, I suggest using described by source (P1343), for plaques commemorative plaque image (P1801), place name signs place name sign (P1766), and graves/tombs image of grave (P1442).

I Know they exist, I said "in general" for that reason, I was referring to the fact that you need to use an image as a reference. As a result, you simply cannot create always a set of specific properties for that, the general one has an intrinsic value per se. My images for example are letter of consents, for example. it looked to me that P1343 was designed to link to an item, not a file on commons.

The ideal approach would be creation of a new item which is instance of letter of consent (Q88798846) and then using document file on Wikimedia Commons (P996) on this new item to link to the Commons file. Alternatively or additionally a WikiSource item can be linked and/or Wikisource index page (P1957) used. Then in references, described by source (P1343) item-which-is-instance-of-letter of consent (Q88798846) would be used.

That doesn't rule out the need for use of image (P18) for use as a reference. A fact on Wikidata could be verified by observing a photo hosted on Wikimedia Commons. For example, what colour an object is, the name of a building on a sign in an old photo, etc. I generally support adding "as reference values" to the property constraint of image properties (and subproperties thereof).