25
votes
Accepted
Code formatting: backticks or four spaces?
You know that every code formatting uses fixed width font. But they also draw a grey box around what you wrote. The difference is now in this grey box:
Backticks work like a text marker. They put ...
- 104k
16
votes
Accepted
Unexpected formatting with code in list
The problem is the list. When using lists, you need to multiply the indentation by the list level (see this answer's source to understand better):
No list, 4 spaces indents code:
this is code
List ...
- 96.8k
15
votes
Accepted
Should the keys be written in uppercase?
I propose to look at the archetype: Although there seem to be keyboards with lower-case ctrl, I think it’s save to say that most keyboards have Ctrl with initial capital letter. I never saw a key ...
- 38.7k
14
votes
How to use keyboard 'icon' in markdown?
This is HTML that works also in the used Markup language here on StackExchange. You would write <kbd>F1</kbd> to achieve F1 (when it is surrounded by ` for code formatting, HTML is ignored)...
- 104k
12
votes
Please don't use underscores for formatting
Disagree.
If it is supported somewhere, it should be supported everywhere. (Or nowhere but I think no one is going to convert all existing posts.) So I would rather ask for adding the support to “SE ...
- 10.9k
11
votes
Standards for editing
I want to focus first on one of your questions that I consider very important:
Links: should they be shown like "I followed this link" or like "I followed https://foo".
It is true that ...
- 115k
11
votes
Accepted
How do you handle questions that include Ubuntu pastebin links?
In my opinion you have three options:
If the pastebins aren't huge just embed them in the post.
Ask the OP to reupload the pastebins without expiration.
Reupload the pastebins yourself without ...
- 12.1k
10
votes
Accepted
Can't format question properly because of character limit
This is indeed an annoying problem.
I think your edit removing some parts of the output which were unnecessary was fine. It was also a good idea to leave a note of what you had removed, because ...
ZannaMod
- 68.5k
9
votes
Automatically wrapping lines in Ask Ubuntu
Click the gray circle with a question mark inside it in the upper right corner of the Ask Ubuntu markdown editor to show the link for advanced help (in red letters) which tells all the rules for ...
- 108k
9
votes
Can someone elaborate for me the rule on using the back tick for emphasis?
No, backticks should not be used for emphasis. There are various reasons for this:
Consider blind users using screen reading software. Such context tags (<code>) help them know what they're ...
- 96.8k
9
votes
Why does the little help box call them "backticks" when they're graves?
Both names, "grave (accent)" and "backtick" apply to the same character.
"grave" is more common in the linguistic field and when it's actually combined with a letter (like "è").
"backtick" is the ...
- 104k
8
votes
Unexpected formatting with code in list
When your code is inside an ordered or unordered list you will need to indent it 8 spaces to get proper code formatting. I dunno if this is documented anywhere.
- 56.5k
8
votes
What should I do when a user persistently insists on poor formatting and resists formatting improvements?
In this case I would suggest doing nothing, because the post is readable as it is. It would look prettier if its two list items were in an actual ordered list, but the 1), 2) formatting is readable ...
- 115k
8
votes
How do you handle questions that include Ubuntu pastebin links?
I agree with BeastOfCaerbannog, wholly.
The system can handle large-ish pastes and will tell you when it can't. Just remember that you don't have to indent you can use ~~~ fences before and after code ...
OliMod
- 287k
7
votes
Accepted
How to properly add code in comment
In comments you are limited to just test test which is generated by the code:
`test test`
There is no way to get the larger code bar like in your example or in the line above this in a comment. ...
Thomas WardMod
- 71k
7
votes
Transcribing syslog and preserving the line breaks
You need to apply code formatting to the copy/pasted code.
This can be done by first copy/pasting in the content from the logs, then selecting the copied-in text completely, and hitting the button ...
Thomas WardMod
- 71k
7
votes
Accepted
Should abbreviations and acronyms be discouraged?
You haven't given an example, so I'm not sure which acronyms and abbreviations you've seen that could cause problems. As Fabby pointed out, many tech-related things are better known by their acronyms ...
ZannaMod
- 68.5k
7
votes
How should I paste from my terminal?
✅ Please use code fences. Here's how to do it:
Copy/Paste directly from your terminal into the editing box on Ask Ubuntu.
Do not make any alterations to the text you just pasted.
Add a new line ...
- 11.6k
6
votes
Standards for editing
Walls of text should be separated into paragraphs to make posts more readable.
Paths should be formatted as code. Example: /path/to/file
Errors should usually be formatted the same as code inside a ...
- 108k
5
votes
How do I put scrollable preformatted / code blocks in my question?
Originally you asked about "Embedded Frames", which implies HTML iframe tags. Those don't work and are disabled for a reason - you can embed almost anything inside those from external sites, and that ...
Thomas WardMod
- 71k
5
votes
Code formatting: backticks or four spaces?
Just an example as I have nothing to add to ByteCommander's excellent answer:
The ls / command gives the following output
bin dev initrd.img lib32 media proc sbin temp var
boot ...
- 34.1k
5
votes
Presentation of code should include explanation in a separate comment section
My two cents to just those two points you raised:
users may mistakenly take in code comments as part of the provided solution
The syntax highlighting prevents that very well, for example:
#!/bin/...
- 38.7k
5
votes
Accepted
How do I add files to posts?
You cannot attach a file, like you would in email. That isn’t supported. You have a few options:
Use a pastebin - there are many if you search, Ubuntu also has one. Do read the note about pastebins ...
- 2,815
4
votes
Accepted
How do I use the grey formatting in a comment?
I was using the wrong character. I thought the directions said to use the apostrophe character ( ' ) but they said to use the backtick character ( ` ) which was a subtle difference that I wasn't ...
- 1
4
votes
Should abbreviations and acronyms be discouraged?
One of the Universal Serial Bus ports on my Universal Serial Bus hub is not recognised. Is this due to the Peripheral Component Interconnect or the Central Processing Unit or the Universal Extensible ...
- 34.1k
4
votes
Use ISO 8601 or some localized format to display question, answer, edit, and comment dates instead of the "customary" M/D/Y
I'd prefer a more common date format too, though none in particular as long as it lists day, month, and year in either this or the reverse order.
The display of hierarchical data tuples in an order ...
- 35.5k
4
votes
How do I add images to posts?
Have some image data in the clipboard and press ctrl+v while in the editor, click "Add Picture" and immediately, the image is in place.
For super-fast copy-pasting a screenshot with Ubuntu, copy-...
- 25.7k
4
votes
How do I add images to posts?
At the Top bar of this image, there is a picture of a canvas (end of the second row of options). click on that and it will bring up another box (see bottom image). From that it should be quite simple ...
- 377
4
votes
Accepted
Make blockquote formatting button not destroy the source layout!
The problem only happens with short lines (or rather, with lines containing short enough words), where the editor wraps a paragraph, leading it to fit as many words as it can into each line.
...
- 190k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible