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Tips For Posting Diaries And Comments

Many of you have asked how to use some of the formatting tricks that I use to make posts look better. This diary, then, is a short tutorial to help you with some basic HTML commands.

The commands are easy and you can use them in diaries or comments. The formatting should default to Auto Format, but if you run into an error or the formatting is not working, check the drop-down menu on the page to make sure it reads Auto Format. It also contains entries for HTML and Plain Text, but the commands below work in the Auto Format setting.

Paragraphs and line breaks

In order to start a new paragraph, simply press Enter twice. To insert a line break, press Enter once. Note that text will automatically wrap to fit the size of the screen, so line breaks like that are generally unnecessary. In most cases, you shouldn't need to hit Enter at all except for paragraph breaks.

Bold and Italics

If you want to emphasize a word or phrase, you can type it into the text box surrounded in asterisks (*), *like this*. This will cause the text between the asterisks to be rendered in bold type. Similarly, you can also enter text between underscores (_) or slashes (/), _like this_ /or this/, in order to render the given text in italics.

Making links

Of course, you can't post on the Web without needing to insert a link every now and then. Creating a link is as simple as typing in the URL (the address shown in your browser's toolbar at the top of the window). Auto Format mode will automatically turn all URLs into links. For example, if you were to type the following text:

This website runs weblog software from http://scoop.kuro5hin.org.
the resulting comment will look like this:
This website runs weblog software from http://scoop.kuro5hin.org .
Of course, it's not always desirable to have the text of the link be the same as the target of the link. For example, if you wanted the text "This search engine" to point to http://www.google.com/, you would type the following:

<a href="http://www.google.com/" target="_blank">This search engine</a>

Which will render like so:

This search engine

I would ask you to use the "target=_blank" attribute, which makes any new document link open in a new browser window -- thus making it NOT navigate away from BCB!

Making lists You can create bulleted lists by entering a series of lines starting with an asterisk followed by a space ('* '). Numbered lists can be created similarly, by typing a series of lines beginning with a number follwed by a period ('1. '). For example, typing in the following text:

* Eggs * Bacon * Toast * Hot grits
will give the following result:
  • Eggs
  • Bacon
  • Toast
  • Hot grits
  • Also, if you want to make block quotes such as the ones I use on the front page when I'm quoting another source like an article or some other website, write it like this:
    <div class="blockquote">Insert text of the quote here</div>
    And it will look like this:

    Insert text of the quote here As we have discussed in recent days, if you quote from an article, you can post a paragraph or two of the original article with a link back to the article -- please don't post entire texts of copyrighted material from other sources. Thanks!

    This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation, Bleed Cubbie Blue, or Al Yellon, editor-in-chief. FanPost opinions are, however, valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

    0 recs | Comment 34 comments

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    Thanks, Al!
    Regular HTML formatting, like <b> and <i> for bold and italics, also works, I believe.
    AC036198

    by gjdow on Feb 23, 2006 4:57 PM CST   0 recs

    HTML...
    What kind of HTML is that, Al?  

    by Maddog on Feb 23, 2006 5:53 PM CST   0 recs

    that isn't html
    must be some kind of formatting that works with this board. It is definitely a lot more straight forward than html.
    AC 00 00 00 - BELIEVE

    by mike on Feb 23, 2006 6:40 PM CST   0 recs

    That's correct...
    ... it goes with the "Scoop" software that runs this site.

    Actually, for links I would prefer that you use straight HTML (which I can't figure out how to reproduce here, if anyone can, please do) -- with the "target=newwindow" attribute, which forces all links to open in a new browser window.

    by Al on Feb 23, 2006 7:18 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    I don't use "new window"
    but rather target="_blank".  

    {a href="http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/" target="_blank"}Bleed Cubbie Blue{/a}

    Substitute {} with <>

    by Maddog on Feb 23, 2006 7:22 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    Better yet (this should work)
    <a href="http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/" target="_blank">Bleed Cubbie Blue</a>

    This should show the exact code if this site is sHTMLc enabled.

    by Maddog on Feb 23, 2006 7:40 PM CST   0 recs

    Thank you!
    How did you do that? I spent quite some time trying to do that in the original post. If you can tell me, I'll change the diary.

    by Al on Feb 23, 2006 7:40 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    No problem
    I just sent you the email.  I'm unsure how it will be sent though, Al.  Let me know that you got it.  If it didn't come through right, I can explain this via a web page that I can create.

    by Maddog on Feb 23, 2006 7:52 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    Thank you!
    Got the mail, and as you can see, I updated the instructions in this diary. Many thanks -- I know SOME HTML, but obviously, not enough!

    by Al on Feb 23, 2006 8:00 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    No problem, Al
    One other thing I noticed in your tutorial is the blockquote function.  You don't need to make it in it's own division.  Technically speaking, if you do that, you have to begin the next paragraph with a div tag.  The blockquote tag should create a division by itself.

    I'll try it here just to test it.  

    Testing blockquote.

    by Maddog on Feb 23, 2006 8:48 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    Your CSS must have...
    ...2 separate styles for <div=blockquote> and <blockquote> so ignore what I just said.

    by Maddog on Feb 23, 2006 8:50 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    i've noticed that before too
    the ordinary html blockquote isn't enough.

    by gaius marius on Feb 24, 2006 12:58 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    That's because
    the CSS has at least 2 defined ways to present the blockquote.  One must be the div=blockquote one and then just blockquote.  Of course, you could enter your own CSS in your comments to change it for that comment if you wanted to waste that much time by defining border-left, border-bottom, border-right, border-top, background color, and size of the blockquote.  

    I'm not real sure why the CSS would have 2 defintions for blockquote.  Perhaps the sidebar utilizes one of those definitions...the one without the division?  Other than that I really don't know.

    by Maddog on Feb 24, 2006 1:34 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    I'm not sure...
    ... why it is this way either. Frankly, I am not that well versed in CSS myself. I've been tutored in how to use the Scoop software, and it works pretty much the way I want it to, but beyond that, I leave it to the web gurus.

    by Al on Feb 24, 2006 4:42 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    You have that luxury!
    You're fortunate to be able to leave things like that up to the "gurus" who can take care of or help you through situations.  No need to learn more than you already know.  I've only started learning about CSS, PHP and HTML the past year.  Once you get a solid foundation it starts coming easier like everything else.  

    Your site looks very nice, Al, and the layout is outstanding.  

    Don't take anything I was saying as a complaint because that it was not.  

    by Maddog on Feb 24, 2006 7:34 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    You're right...
    ... I am fortunate to have guys who laid out this site, via Scoop, and who help me out with problems when I have them.

    I've also been grateful to BCB readers like you (and others) who have given me great help with various things I've asked about.

    I do know a little bit about HTML and other Web design stuff, enough to get by.

    by Al on Feb 24, 2006 8:00 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    You helped me out as well...
    ...with those countdown clocks.  that's what the internet is for...or what it should be anyway.  Information!

    by Maddog on Feb 24, 2006 11:43 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    The thing is...
    ...html is actually quite easy, but the formatting that Scoop allows you to use, in many instances, is easier.  The only drawback being that this coding isn't going to work if you were to comment elsewhere.  HTML will.  

    by Maddog on Feb 23, 2006 8:53 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    The only thing....
    ... that is significantly different in regular HTML from Scoop, is the way bold and italic tags are given.

    You can use <b> for bold and <i> for italics.

    by Al on Feb 23, 2006 8:56 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    Also,
    Ordered Lists and Unordered lists are different as well.  
    1. I assume this can be done using HTML as well.

    by Maddog on Feb 23, 2006 10:17 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    Your text box...
    What's it like?  Is it pretty much just like the comment box?  Does it have simple button controls where you can highlight text and assign it html that way?  If not, you should ask Scoop if they have or if they can design something like that.  It makes life so much easier, Al.  Plus, you can do so much more in so much less time when you have that ability.  All it would be would be some PHP coding.  I'm sure they could write an extension or plugin to accomplish it and it would make the text boxes so much more user friendly for you, the administrator.

    by Maddog on Feb 23, 2006 10:20 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

    I agree with you...
    ... and yes, my own text box is pretty much the same as the comment box.

    I'll pass the word along.

    by Al on Feb 24, 2006 5:47 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

    An Example, Al.
    To give you an idea what I'm talking about if you're unsure, here's a site that can give you a pretty good example of what i'm talking about.

    Scroll down just a bit to where you see "Meta" on the sidebar and click on Login.  Use demo as the login and password.  

    Then, once inside the "Dashboard" click on "Write".  The text editor will load automatically.  

    They don't have to be that advanced.  They can be as simple as you like.  They save a lot of time.

    by Maddog on Feb 24, 2006 10:50 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

    Permanent Link
    Al, I was thinking as I saw this diary nearing the abyss of the bottom of the list... would it be possible to make this a permanent link on the sidebar?

    by WGNstatic on Feb 25, 2006 10:00 AM CST   0 recs

    I'll see what I can do about that...
    ... in the meantime, I've updated the time stamp to keep it at the top of the list, temporarily.

    by Al on Feb 25, 2006 10:07 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

    WHY I HATE DUSTY BAKER
    ONCE AGAIN CUB FANS, I AM VERY SORRY TO SAY, WE ALL HAVE TO ENDURE ANOTHER PAINFUL YEAR OF DUSTYS MISMANAGEMENT.  I HAVE SEEN LITTLE LEAGUE COACHES AT THE LOCAL PARKS WITH MORE TALENT THAN DUSTY ON HIS BEST DAY (DOES HE EVEN HAVE ONE??)  I HAVE BEEN A FAN EVER SINCE I CAN REMEMBER WALKING.  BY FAR, HE HAS BEEN THE MOST PAINFUL COACH TO WATCH.  IF HARRY WAS ALIVE TODAY, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE COMMENTS THAT WOULD BE COMING FROM THE BOOTH ABOVE.  I, AS A TRUE FAN, HAVE BLED BLUE FOR YEARS, I 150% AGREE WITH STEVE STONE AND CHIP CARY FOR HAVING THE STRENGTH AND PRIDE IN THEMSELVES FOR BEING TRUE BLUE.  THEY DID WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS RIGHT.  I CANNOT BLAME THEM FOR NOT WANTING TO SIT IN THE BOOTH FOR ONE MORE YEAR TO WATCH SUCH A DISGRACE AS "DUSTY BAKER".
    I HATE DUSTY SO BAD!!! HOOD67

    by HOOD67 on Apr 24, 2006 8:57 PM CDT   0 recs

    shhhhhh....
    could you keep it down please?  Some of us are trying to read here.

    ;)

    Go Cubbies!

    by NC Cubs Fan on Apr 26, 2006 3:22 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

    Hitting
    Just finished watching the cubs score 0 runs on 3 hits against the Pirates. Same as last year, no hitting. Perez, Hariston, Jones, Blanco, Restovich, Mabry, not a hitter in the bunch. Pierer(sp) is not showingto be a true leadoff man. Hendry failed to help this team during the off season. He failed to get abat for right field and failed to get a true 2nd baseman. Barret can hit a little but can't throw anybody out, Blanco can throw runners out, but can't hit. Back up the truck, this team is done.

    by DA4528 on May 2, 2006 4:02 PM CDT   0 recs

    Scoring runs
    This team is just like last year. No run production, Hendry let us down last winter. he didn't get a replacement for Burnitz, rather have him than Jones, didn[t get a 2nd baseman. You got to score runs to win, this team will not win many!!

    by DA4528 on May 4, 2006 12:54 PM CDT   0 recs

    Wish List
    I think you should ask every Cub fan for his/hers wish list of who they don't want to see next year.  Then compile a concensus, including yours and publicize it.  Here is mine in order of priority of Cubs to be done away with:

    Management
    Jim Hendry
    Dusty Baker
    All coaches

    Batters
    N. Perez
    J. Mabry
    R Cedeno
    T. Walker
    M. Murton
    H. Blanco

    Pitchers
    R. Dempster
    R. Novoa
    G. Rusch
    W. Ohman
    C. Marmol
    R. Theriot

    by Leo13 on Jul 23, 2006 3:17 PM CDT   0 recs

    te
    <font size="6">cubs</font>
    My Immediate Kindness Eventually Sets Up Cool Kosier Status.

    by santo for prez on Aug 10, 2006 11:19 PM CDT   0 recs

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