LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS

Subject: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: Trapper
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 04:36 PM

Line Breaks

Here's another attempt to explain line breaks when you want lyrics or whatever to appear on separate lines. You need to add these characters to the end of every line that you want to be separated from the following line. If you want a BLANK line between them, put TWO sets of these characters in a row.

They look like this:

<br>

In plain english,

1. Go to the end of the line.
2. Hold down the SHIFT key.
3. Press the COMMA (,) key. This will type the < ("Less Than") character.
4. Type the letters BR.
5. Hold down the SHIFT key again.
6. Type the PERIOD (.) key. This will type the > ("Greater Than") character.
7. You have now typed ... <br> !
8. Repeat the process at the end of every line.

For the advanced course, you can "CUT AND PASTE" the <br>, thereby saving yourself

all that typing. To do that:

1. Move your mouse so that the cursor is RIGHT BEFORE the < character.
2. Press and hold down the LEFT mouse button.
3. Drag the mouse to the right until you pass the > character, and the whole

   <br> phrase is highlighted.

4. On the menu bar, click on EDIT, then on COPY. You have now "copied" the <br>

   phrase to your computer's "clipboard".

5. Position your mouse at the end of a line.
6. Click there with your LEFT mouse button.
7. Click EDIT on the menu bar, then PASTE. VOILA!
8. Repeat the process wherever you want a line break.

TRY IT! It's WAY easier than it sounds!

- Al

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: MudGuard
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 05:11 PM

Maybe these are line-breaks for American beginners. If I press SHIFT-COMMA, I get a semicolon (;)on my German keyboard. And SHIFT-PERIOD will result in a colon (:).

Btw, starting with XHTML 1.0, tags have to be lowercase, i.e. <BR> won't work anymore in a few years, so start using <br> right now!

Yes - non-Americans are allowed on the Internet! ;-)

MudGuard

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: mousethief
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 05:27 PM

Who let all these furners on our 'net?

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: Dani
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 05:41 PM

Joe Offer will be glad you did this. I feel empowered!

Thanks.

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: Trapper
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 05:46 PM

Mudguard-

Thanks for the clarification... I never imagined keyboards would be different. What are the keyboard combinations for your German keyboard for the Less Than (<) and Greater Than (>) symbols?

How about anyone else? Are those keys in a different spot on YOUR keyboard?

- Al

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: Noreen
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 06:00 PM

I think Joe Offer would perhaps be more pleased if you read the relevant section in the FAQs that he spent a lot of time assembling and no-one seems to notice...

(Not criticising you, Trapper, just wondering how to make the info more accessible or obvious).

MudGuard, thanks for that info. I didn't know that. It's not in the FAQs, is it???? *nervous grin*

Noreen

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 06:08 PM

Beginners,

Copy and paste the HTML tricks you learn how to use, into a word processor document. As they accumulate you will have lots of clever little things saved up. Then you just open your word processor window while you are a-Catting, and copy/paste into your posts. Some people even do their post-writing in that window to spell check it and then move it over to the posting window.

After you have used these little templates for a bit, the logic of how HTML commands begins to seep into your mind and soon you are using it really WELL. Now me, I can't see worth sh*t, till I get new glasses, so I still make lots of boo-boos when I go beyond my templates. But it all comes in time.

---

If you're new around here, also see THIS treasure trove of tips, tricks, and tales. The content changes from time to time, because it is still a new work in progress, so go see whassup if you have not looked lately!

---

~Susan

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: aussiebloke
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 06:42 PM

Nicely explained - always fun displaying html codes...
<br><br>
Give it a go - code virgins - it's as easy as Trapper makes it look, and if you think this is fun, read the FAQ for further and better particulars on using html coding here at mudcat, and mebbe elsewhere...
<br><br>
If you've never ever done any html coding never ever ever, the good old line break is a great place to start. Tell your friends that you:



L e a r n e d    i t    r i g h t    h e r e    a t    M u d c a t

How about it? You come here an unsuspecting folkie/muso type, and go away a html code geek. Ya gotta love this place.
<br><br>
Practice a few posts with line breaks here in this thread, and you've taken your first step on the long road to geekdom.
<br><br>
Your post should look something like this example before you hit the submit button, use one or two pairs of breaky code thingys to get the spacing desired, your mileage may vary...
<br><br>
cheers
<br><br>
Martin
Shameless-player-of-the-bodhrán-in-public

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: Stewie
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 07:57 PM

If you are using Word, you can make it even easier for yourself. The good Joe Offer taught me the following trick. If I can do it, anyone can.

1. In a Word document, type your song with appropriate line breaks as you would like them to appear.

2. Go to the bar at the top of the screen and open the 'edit' menu.

3. Choose the 'Replace...' option and click.

4. A 'Find and Replace' box will appear with the cursor in the 'Find what' sub-box.

5. On the right hand side of the main box, you will find a button labelled 'More'. Click this.

6. At the very bottom of the main box, you will now find a button labelled 'Special'. Click this.

7. You will now find a list from which you choose 'Paragraph mark' and click. This will put a paragraph mark (a circumflex followed by the letter p) in the 'Find what' sub-box.

8. Position your cursor over the 'Replace with' sub-box and left click the mouse to insert it. Type your line break symbol as explained above (br between angle brackets), then go to the 'Special' button again and once again click on 'Paragraph mark'. You should then have in the 'Replace with' sub-box the line break symbol immediately followed by the paragraph mark.

9. Choose the 'Replace all' button on the right-hand side of the main box and click.

10. Voila! In one fell swoop, the machine will insert all your line break symbols at the end of each line and between verses.

11. Open the 'Edit' menu again and click on the 'Select all' option.
12. Put your cursor within the highlighting and right click on mouse. Choose 'copy' and click.
13. Go to the Mudcat reply to message box on the thread, right click on mouse, choose 'paste' and click.

It's not nearly as complicated as it looks. Good luck.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 08:22 PM

Joe Offer tried very hard to help Dani to understand how to make <br> line breaks. How could I have failed? Why is it that she listens to Aminal Al, and not to me?
Oh, well, Al's a good man. I knew him before there was a Mudcat. As I recall, we first swapped Boy Scout songs in 1992.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 08:41 PM

Joe, sometimes we newfolk just need to hear it over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over till

BAMMM! It sinks in!

Or we need to hear it eight different ways from eight different people. Folk process, adult learning, alla da same same.

~S~

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: gnu
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 08:42 PM

Ok, I'm going to try one.

\__ __/
0 0
oo
\___/

gnu

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: gnu
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 08:44 PM

If at first you don't suceed, try again tomorrow. G'night.

gnu

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 09:03 PM

gnu, an easy way to make what you tried line up is to put <pre> at the start and </pre> at the end. Th stuff between the pre tags should line up as you typed it. You still need the line breaks.

Jon

  \__      __/
     0    0
       oo
      \___/
  

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: Dani
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 09:22 PM

FAQ'S? We have them HERE?

You're absolutely right, Joe, and I apologize. You are not unappreciated. You're a national treasure, and cute to boot.

I'm just so busy, and so lazy, that until information is put right under my NOSE, and frequently, I don't see it. Ask my partner ;)

Dani

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: Trapper
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 11:31 AM

Jon-

<PRE> and <POST> tags are good for a whole block of text but if you want to space out individual spaces you can also do it with &nbsp;. You can put in an individual space between characters like this...

Space&nbsp;Break

... with the result looking like...

Space Break

You can also put multiple &nbsp; tags in to create the effect that gnu was looking for like this...

\__&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;__/<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;oo<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\__/<br>

With the end result looking like this....

\__      __/
    0    0
      oo
     \__/

In fact, Gnu, you could "cut and paste" the code above into your "signature" area of your emails...

- Al

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: LR Mole
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 11:43 AM

Like
this?

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: LR Mole
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 11:44 AM

HEY!

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 12:34 PM

Dani, what did you think of my leaving that link there like that, to the FAQ? Did that work for you? I am trying to insert them where I spot new members. It's a good FAQ. So much easier than what we used to have to do to find out stuff-- and getting better every time it's adjusted.

~Susan

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: gnu
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 01:04 PM

Wow. Thanks guys.

\__      __/
    0    0
      oo
     \__/

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: gnu
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 01:25 PM

OK...this is a test of the gnu signature system.

Happy gnu

\__      __/
    0    0
      oo
     \__/

Confused gnu

\__      __/
    0    0
      oo
     -

Surprised gnu

\__      __/
    0    0
      oo
     o

Wise gnu

\__      __/
    0    0
      oo
     ___
    (   )

Sad gnu

\__      __/
    0    0
      oo
     /\

Well oiled gnu

\__      __/
    *    *
      oo
     \__/

Too oiled gnu

\__      __/
    +    +
      oo
     \__/

My apologies for taking up your time and space with this test.

gnu

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: gnu
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 01:34 PM

Last one - I promise

\__      __/
    0    0
      oo
     ___
    (      )

\__      __/
    0    0
      oo
       -

Thanks again.

gnu

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: gnu
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 01:37 PM

Trapper... it's your fault. I am far too lazy to have found or attempted this on my own. Thanks.

\__      __/
    0    0
      oo
     \__/

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: gnu
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 02:23 PM

Asked Max if my graphic sig's were OK or a waste of cyberspace space. He replied yes, but that he wouldn't ask me not to use them. A rIIIght gentleman, 'ee is.

I will not use them. Hey, space is space, man. It costs !

Thanks for the prompt reply Max.

gnu

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: MudGuard
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 02:23 PM

Trapper, there is no <POST> tag in HTML. See for all available tags.

On the German keyboard, the < is on the key to the left of the y key (which is in the place of your z key). On the same key is the > (reachable via shift).

All letters except y and z are in the same place.

Main reason the layout is different is the need for the umlauts (äÄöÖüÜ) which take 3 keys. There is also the need for the ß so most of the punctuation is in different places on the German keyboard and some characters reachable only with the Alt-Gr Key (like the pipe or the curly braces).

MudGuard The < on the

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: Trapper
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 02:29 PM

Correct you are, Mudguard! What I MEANT was...

</PRE>

- Al

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: aussiebloke
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 09:55 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: pattyClink
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 03:57 PM



There was a new poster from Jackson,

who couldn't break lines without askin'

til Aussie and Trapper

kept on and kept after

and now in line breaks she is baskin'

Subject: RE: LINE BREAKS FOR... BEGINNERS
From: aussiebloke
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 08:51 PM

all right - limericks and line breaks rule! Onya Pattie