%TOC\{depth="4"\}% %STARTINCLUDE% # TWiki Text Formatting Working in TWiki is as easy as typing in text - exactly like email. You don't need to know HTML, though you can use it if you prefer. Links to topics are created automatically when you enter [[WikiWords]]. And TWiki shorthand gives you all the power of HTML with a simple coding system that takes no time to learn. It's all layed out below - refer back to this page in a pop-up window from the **Edit** screen. ## TWiki Editing Shorthand

Formatting Command: Example: You write: You get:

Paragraphs:
Blank lines will create new paragraphs.

1st paragraph

2nd paragraph

1st paragraph

2nd paragraph

Headings:
At least three dashes at the beginning of a line, followed by plus signs and the heading text. One plus creates a level 1 heading (most important), two pluses a level 2 heading; the maximum is level 6. Note: A Table of Content can be created automatically with the %TOC% variable, see TWiki Variables?.

---++ Sushi

---+++ Maguro

Sushi

Maguro

Bold Text:
Words get bold by enclosing them in * asterisks.

*Bold*

Bold

Italic Text:
Words get italic by enclosing them in _ underscores.

_Italic_

Italic

Bold Italic:
Words get _bold italic by enclosing them in _ double-underscores.

__Bold italic__

Bold italic

Fixed Font:
Words get shown in fixed font by enclosing them in = equal signs.

=Fixed font=

Fixed font

Bold Fixed Font:
Words get shown in bold fixed font by enclosing them in double equal signs.

==Bold fixed==

Bold fixed

Note: Make sure to "stick" the * _ = == signs to the words, e.g. take away spaces.

_This works_,
_this not _

This works, _this not _

Verbatim Mode:
Surround code excerpts and other formatted text with <verbatim> and </verbatim> tags.
Note: Use <pre> and </pre> tags instead if you want that HTML code is interpreted.
Note: Each tag must be on a line by itself.

&lt;verbatim&gt;
class CatAnimal {
  void purr() {
    &lt;code here&gt;
  }
}
&lt;/verbatim&gt;

class CatAnimal {
  void purr() {
    &lt;code here&gt;
  }
}

Separator:
At least three dashes at the beginning of a line.

-------

List Item:
Three spaces and an asterisk.

   * bullet item

bullet item

Nested List Item:
Six, nine, ... spaces and an asterisk.

      * nested stuff

- nested stuff

Ordered List:
Three spaces and a number.

   1 Sushi
   1 Dim Sum

Sushi
Dim Sum

Definition List:
Three spaces, the term, a colon, a space, followed by the definition.
Note: Terms with spaces are not supported. In case you do have a term with more then one word, separate the words with dashes or with the &nbsp; non-breaking-space entity.

   Sushi: Japan
   Dim&amp;nbsp;Sum: S.F.

Sushi: Japan
Dim Sum: S.F.

Table:
Optional spaces followed by the cells enclosed in vertical bars.
Note: | *bold* | cells are rendered as table headers.
Note: | spaced | cells are rendered center aligned.
Note: | spaced | cells are rendered right aligned.
Note: | 2 colspan || cells are rendered as multi-span columns.
Note: In case you have a long row and you want it to be more readable when you edit the table you can split the row into lines that end with a '\' backslash character.

| *L* | *C* | *R* |
| A2 |  2  |  2 |
| A3 |  3  |  3 |
| multi span |||
| A4 \
  | next \
  | next |

L	C	R
A2	2	2
A3	3	3
multi span
A4	next	next

WikiWord Links:
CapitalizedWordsStuckTogether (or Wiki Words?) will produce a link automatically.
Note: In case you want to link to a topic in a different %WIKITOOLNAME% web write Webname.TopicName.

WebNotify

Know.ReadmeFirst

Web Notify?

Readme First?

#SquareBrackets Forced Links:
You can create a forced internal link by enclosing words in double square brackets.
Note: Text within the brackets may contain optional spaces; the topic name is formed by capitalizing the initial letter and by removing the spaces; i.e. [[text formatting FAQ]] links to topic Text Formatting FAQ?. You can also refer to a different web and use anchors.

[[wiki syntax]]

[[%MAINWEB%.TWiki users]]

wiki syntax?

%MAINWEB%.TWiki users?

Specific Links:
Create a link where you can specify the link text and the link reference separately, using nested square brackets like [[reference][text]]. Internal link references (i.e. Wiki Syntax?) and external link references (i.e. http://TWiki.org/) are supported. The same Forced Links rules apply for internal link references. Anchor names can be added as well, like [[WebHome#MyAnchor][go home]] and [[http://www.yahoo.com/#somewhere][Yahoo!]].

[[WikiSyntax][syntax]]

[[http://gnu.org][GNU]]

syntax?

GNU

Anchors:
You can define a link reference inside a %WIKITOOLNAME% topic (called an anchor name) and link to that. To define an anchor write #AnchorName at the beginning of a line. The anchor name must be a Wiki Word?. To link to an anchor name use the [[MyTopic#MyAnchor]] syntax. You can omit the topic name if you want to link within the same topic.

[[WebHome#NotThere]]

[[#MyAnchor][Jump]]

#MyAnchor To here

Web Home#Not There?

Jump

To here

Prevent a Link:
Prevent a Wiki Word? from being linked by prepending it with the <nop> tag.

&lt;nop&gt;SunOS

SunOS

## Using HTML You can use just about any HTML tag without a problem - however, there are a few usability and technical considerations to keep in mind. ### HTML and TWiki Usability * On collaboration pages, it's preferable NOT to use HTML, and to use TWiki shorthand instead - this keeps the text uncluttered and easy to edit. * %X% **NOTE:** TWiki is designed to work with a wide range of browsers and computer platforms, holding to HTML 3.2 compatibility in the standard installation - adding raw HTML, particularly browser-specific tags (or any other mark-up that doesn't degrade well) will reduce compatibility. ### TWiki HTML Rendering * TWiki converts shorthand notation to XHTML 1.0 for display. To copy a fully marked-up page, simply view source in your browser and save the contents. * %T% If you need to save HTML frequently, you may want to check out TWiki:Plugins/GenHTMLAddon - it will "generate a directory containing rendered versions of a set of TWiki pages together with any attached files." * %X% **NOTE:** The opening and closing angle brackets - **<...>** - of an HTML tag **_must be on the same line_**, or the tag will be broken. * This feature allows you to enter an unclosed angle bracket - as a greater than or less than symbol - and have it automatically rendered as if you had entered its HTML character, `<`, ex: **a > b** * %T% If you're pasting in preformatted HTML text and notice problems, check the file in a text processor with no text wrap. Also, save without hard line breaks on text wrap, in your HTML editing program. ## Hyperlinks Being able to create links without any formatting required is a core TWiki feature, made possible with [[WikiWords]]. New TWiki linking rules are a simple extension of the syntax that provide a new set of flexible options. ### Internal Links * [[GoodStyle]] is a [[WikiWord]] that links to the GoodStyle topic located in the current %WIKITOOLNAME% web. * [[NotExistingYet]] is a topic waiting to be written. Create the topic by clicking on the **?**. (Try clicking, but then, **Cancel** - creating the topic would wreck this example!) ### External Links * `http://...`, `https://...`, `ftp://...` and `mailto:...@...` are linked automatically. * Email addresses like `name@domain.com` are linked automatically. * [[Square bracket rules]] let you easily create non-WikiWord links. ## TWikiPlugin Formatting Extensions Plugins provide additional text formatting capabilities and can extend the functionality of %WIKITOOLNAME% into many other areas. For example, the optional [SpreadSheetPlugin](http://twiki.org/cgi-bin/view/Plugins/SpreadSheetPlugin) lets you create a spreadsheet with the same basic notation used in TWiki tables. Available Plugins are located in the [Plugins](http://twiki.org/cgi-bin/view/Plugins) web on TWiki.org. Currently enabled plugins on this TWiki installation, as listed by %PLUGINDESCRIPTIONS%: %PLUGINDESCRIPTIONS% Check on current Plugin status and settings for this site in [[TWikiPreferences]]. -- [[Main/MikeMannix]] - 02 Dec 2001