Formatting

A powerful formatting language developed specifically for this application allows you to format your posts without knowledge of HTML. This formatting language is easy for both HTML users and non-HTML users to learn quickly. There are examples after each major section.

Contents

• Introduction to Formatting
• Accents and other characters
• Cutting and Pasting
• Text Formatting
• Clipart
• Frequently Made Mistakes

Introduction to Formatting

All formatting tags have the following structure:

\code{Arguments or text to be formatted}

The code is a keyword to invoke the desired formatting (for example, green to produce green text and b to produce bold text). Formatting tags are case sensitive. Formatting tags may be nested within other tags. A comprehensive list of available formatting tags is available in this document (although the system administrator can turn off certain tags).

To use formatting, enter the appropriate code(s) in the text of your message or subject line. When you preview your post, your formatting will be displayed so you can verify that you have entered your tags properly.

Accents and Special Characters

Modern browsers support the display of special characters, such as the "fada" or "acute" accent used in Irish (´). Fadas can be entered in a number of ways:1) by using the formatting codes that follow (these are built into the discussion board); 2) with most versions of Windows by holding down the "Alt" key and entering a four digit number or; 3) with a Mac, by holding down the "option" and then the "e" keys, releasing both and then typing the vowel of your choice, using the shift key for capital letters. You can also cut and paste from the accented letters provided beneath the "add message" box.

Cutting and Pasting

On a Mac: you can cut and paste any letter or text by first highlighting the desired material. To do this, drag the mouse cursor across the letter or text in question while depressing the mouse button. With the letter or text highlighted, hold down the Apple (Command) key and press the letter "c" key. Your selection has now been stored in memory. To paste the copied material, position the mouse cursor where you want the material to appear and hold down the Apple (Command) key and the letter "v" key simultaneously. Your selection will then appear in the desired area.

On Windows: you can cut and paste any letter or text by first highlighting the desired material. To do this, drag the mouse cursor across the letter or text in question while depressing the left mouse button. With the letter or text highlighted, hold down the Control (CTRL) key and press the letter "c" key. Your selection has now been stored in memory. To paste the copied material, position the mouse cursor where you want the material to appear and hold down the Control (CTRL) key and the letter "v" key simultaneously. Your selection will then appear in the desired area.

Text Formatting

• Simple Features (bold, italics, etc.)
• Colors
• Text Size
• Miscellaneous (font face, blinking, hyperlinks, etc.)

Simple Features

Examples

Colors

Example

Text Size

Example

Miscellaneous

Examples

Clipart

To insert a clipart image into your post, enter the tag \clipart{clipart_image_name} in the text of your message. The tags for available clipart images are listed here.


TAG	IMAGE (Shown Actual Size)
\clipart{angry}
\clipart{crazy}
\clipart{happy}
\clipart{lame}
\clipart{new}
\clipart{proud}
\clipart{sad}
\clipart{smile}
\clipart{triangle_down}
\clipart{triangle_right}
\clipart{wink}

Frequently Made Mistakes

• Not looking at the preview
• The message preview shows your tags in action. If you look at it and your \b{Bold text} isn't bold, you have made a mistake!
• Using / instead of \ to start a tag
• /b{Bold text tag} is wrong
• \b{Bold text tag} is correct
• Using parentheses instead of curly braces
• \b(Bold text tag) is wrong
• \b{Bold text tag} is correct
• Using the wrong case in tags
• \B{Bold text tag} is wrong (\B{ } is not defined)
• \b{Bold text tag} is correct
• Not escaping commas where necessary
• Advanced tags use the comma to separate the various arguments. If you need to use a comma and not have it treated as a delimiter, you must escape the comma.
• See the discussion under "Special Characters" for further explanation and many examples.
• Putting spaces where they do not belong
• \ b{Bold text tag} is wrong (space between \ and b).
• \b {Bold text tag} is wrong (space between b and {).
• \b{Bold text tag} is correct.



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