Welcome to the BBS formatting wiki!
Here is a link to the creators’ tutorial for formatting:
http://commonmark.org/help/
##About this wiki:
This wiki is for crowd sourcing tips for BBS post formatting and coding! Please help by adding missing codes or formatting and if you have an idea for a better way to organize this wiki please institute it! Feel free to reformat!
Remember this is a wiki, so please add formatting info here and not with posts or replies.
Changing the size of text:
- “
<big> Example </big>” for example:
Example
-
“[size=40] Example [/size]” Any number between 14 and 40 will give you larger text, for example: [size=40] Example [/size] (This bbcode for size has been removed, it may return in the future via a plugin)
- “
<small> Example </small>” for example:
Example
-
“[size=10] Example [/size]” Any number between 4-14 will give you smaller text, for example: [size=10] Example [/size] (This bbcode for size has been removed, it may return in the future via a plugin)
Subscript and Superscript:
- Subscript: “
<sub> Example </sub>” for example:
1Example
- Superscript: “
<sup> Example </sup>” for example:
1Example
Spoilers:
- For text - “
[spoiler] Example [/spoiler]” This can be used to hide text until it is clicked by the viewer, for example:
- For images and gifs - “
[spoiler]<img src="//cdck-file-uploads-global.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/boingboing/original/3X/7/b/7bfeef303827ef36e5194537d4bad4e3f9c86b55.png" width="46" height="46">[/spoiler]” This can be used to hide an image or gif until it is clicked by the viewer, it is highly recommended that you upload gifs and copy/paste in images that you intended to use with spoilers instead of just using a link, for example:
Strikethrough:
- Striking out text:
<s>Example</s> this is useful when editing posts and you wish to change your comment without deleting previous made statements, for example:
Example
Emphasizing text:
- Built in formatting: clicking the “B” in the edit toolbar enters the Markdown style bold format for you.
- Markdown style - two asterisks around a phrase:
**example 1**
- HTML markup:
<strong> example 2</strong>
example 1
example 2
- Built in formatting: clicking the “I” in the edit toolbar enters the Markdown style Italic format for you.
- Markdown style - one asterisk or underline around a phrase:
*example 1* or _example 2_
- HTML markup:
<em> example 3</em>
example 1 example 2
example 3
Making lists:
Unnumbered lists: just put a blank line in front of the list and an asterisk in front of each item
* item 1
* item 2
gives:
Numbered lists: same, but put a numeral and period e.g. 1. in front of each item.
Note: It doesn’t matter what the number is, it will be ignored and numbered automatically.
2. item 1
1. item 2
gives:
- item 1
- item 2
How it works:
- The " / " in any of the
</> phrases is what ends the segment and allows you to have multiple kinds of formatting in a single post.
- Most formatting will not work in Topic titles.
@beschizza/ @Falcor, would it be possible to pin this topic?
17 Likes
Do we really want to open that can of worms?
33 Likes
Why is any of this necessary? Just type words and paragraphs. Maybe a little bold or italic if you are in the mood.
Beyond that, refer to
http://commonmark.org/help
4 Likes
Fortunately, the using WISIWIG formatting tools makes it pretty obvious how to to the basic formatting - though, as educational as it is for the tools to invoke the simple Markdown mark up I do wish the quote tool would use full open and close quote tags since it would be just that tad speedier than me having to type it out manually, and I’m seriously lazy 
2 Likes
Just highlight the text you wish to quote and press the Quote Reply button that appears.
Alternately highlight any text and press literally any quote button on your screen: on the post, on the topic, or even reply as new topic.
3 Likes
Fer people like me. I’ve been around the BBS for a while now, and I never did know how @OtherMichael could boss me around with his big, big words before…
[size=40] …until now! [/size]
I was just too shy to ask. So I say “Thanks!” to @TailOfTruth !
20 Likes
Or you could just visit http://commonmark.org/help which covers the same info in a universally accessible webpage for the whole internet…
4 Likes
Thanks. The quote reply function is really good, especially for multi-quoting. It’s one of the features that I like about Discourse. I was referring to just the ordinary blockquote function button. The way it works know is that it puts a greater than symbol at the beginning of each new line. That’s kind of messy. I’d much prefer the system use the open and close [quote] tags if click on a shortcut button - that’s a value added function over hand typing them. But, it is a very minor quibble. Overall, I’m pretty impressed by the utility of Discourse. Not perfect, but quite handy.
4 Likes
Sure, I s’pose I could. But today’s the first I’ve heard of it. A style manual like this, specific to the BBS, wouldn’t be out of place for new users (or old Fudds like me) who want to utilize the full range of expression in yer software, here. So what if it’s redundant? I’m sure other websites have full-length FAQs and TOSes of their own that might, in theory, be functionally interchangeable with your own, but that doesn’t stop this BBS from having ones of its own.
17 Likes
FYI, This came about through a discussion between several of the regulars. Many of us made reference / linked to to the common markup, BBcode, Discourse wiki, etc. So many people linked to the same things it started to look like the explosion of articles about Rob Ford’s death we had a few days ago.
While this post may be redundant, does it really hurt anything?
ETA: Oh, and we can wiki in Discourse. We don’t have many wiki pages on the BBS so far…
5 Likes
It does when you open with tips on making your posts look like ransom notes 
Just use the semantic headings in markdown rather than encouraging giant font abuse. See http://commonmark.org/help
6 Likes
I’m a little lost here. Are we talking about bugs, features, creativity, or standards at this point?
4 Likes
sir,
you’ll find that I already added that link to the wiki, right there at the top. because the OP said to add to the wiki, not comments.
you’re welcome.
9 Likes
But last time I checked http://commonmark.org/help didn’t teach you how to do spoilers or strikethrough, also whats the harm? I know when I first tried to experiment with formatting in my BBS posts I was too embarrassed to ask anyone so I looked it up under meta and nothing came up, it took me a while to finally figure everything out and even at that and having looked through all of the resources like http://commonmark.org/help and such I still don’t know how a lot of the formatting actually works and I doubt I know how to do everything [Thats why this is wikied people, so you can add to it! @noahdjango gets it.]. Having a wiki with all the basic formatting info that is easily accessible, easy to understand, and easy to find [please pin @beschizza, pretty please with a cherry on top 
] as it actually exists on the BBS under meta instead of as a completely separate site seems like a good thing. No?
16 Likes
The bbcode for size shouldn’t even be supported. I will have it pulled from this release. Problem solved.
Now, as to why you would want your posts to look like ransom notes instead of words and paragraphs, I haven’t the foggiest idea.
1 Like
GIVE US OUR FREEDOM TO SHOUT OR THE PUPPY GETS IT!!!
(Seriously, is that your takeaway from this?)
18 Likes
Sigh… 'cause we like to have fun here. Remember fun? The message isn’t always just in the text qua text. The words carry most of the meaning, but how the words are presented can be important, too. Otherwise, you could as well display every single post and comment in 18-point Comic Sans, because who cares what it looks like as long as all the words are there?
You want the place to look as dry and tidy as an actuarial table, that’s your business. You might think @OtherMichael’s shtick would translate perfectly to 12-point Courier, or you might personally dislike the aesthetic effect of a wide range of font sizes (that “ransom note” effect). Only you know for sure.
But when it comes down to it, do you really need to make us tuck in our shirts every single moment of every day? Is it really so annoying when we play with (of all things) font sizes in Discourse?
24 Likes
