(:Summary: PmWiki's basic edit syntax:)(:Audience: authors (basic) :) The pages on this site are [[wiki(WikiWeb)]]-based pages, which means that pages can be created and edited by multiple authors. To edit a page, click the '''Edit''' link that exists '''somewhere''' on the page, usually in the header or footer. Some pages may be [[password(s)]]-protected, depending on the system's security policies, but many systems allow open editing of pages. PmWiki is not [[(Wikipedia:)WYSIWYG]] - When editing a page, you see the ''markup text'' that describes the content of the page. The basic rules for page markup are simple: # Use a blank line to start a new paragraph [-[[#Paragraphs|more]]-]. # To make a list, start each line with # for numbered (ordered) lists or * for bulleted (unordered) lists [-[[#lists|more]]-]. # To make a heading, start a line with two or more ! marks; !! is a subheading, and !!! is a sub-subheading [-[[#headings|more]]-]. # To emphasize text, enclose it in 2 or 3 ''single quotes''; [@''text''@] for italics or [@'''text'''@] for bold [-[[#emphasis|more]]-]. # To make a [[#links | link to another page]], enclose the page's name in double brackets; for example [@[[basic editing]]@] links to this page. # To make a [[#links|link to another site]], type its address, such as [[http://example.com/ | [=[[http://example.com/]]=] ]]. Email links must have "mailto:" before such as [[mailto:xyz@example.com | [=mailto:xyz@example.com=] ]] '''If you want to experiment with editing a page, try it on the [[Main/Wiki Sandbox]].''' You can [[Main/WikiSandbox?action=edit | edit the Wiki Sandbox]] without affecting anything important on this site. On talk pages and discussions, it's courteous to '''sign''' your contribution; using [=~~=]~ effectively 'signs' the name that you provide in the Author field on the Page Edit form. !! Examples of common markups The tables below demonstrate many of the common markups used to format pages. The left column shows what to write to achieve the effect, the right column shows the effect of the markup. More details are available from the [[text formatting rules]] and other documentation pages. An exhaustive list of default markup is available as the [[markup master index]]. !!! [[#Paragraphs]]Paragraphs and line breaks [[#markupheaders]] (:table class='markup horiz' align='center':) (:cellnr class='markup1':) [-'''What to type'''-] (:cell class='markup2':) [-'''What it looks like'''-] (:tableend:) [[#markupheadersend]] (:markup class=horiz:) Consecutive lines will be merged together as part of the same paragraph. One or more empty lines will start a new paragraph. (:markupend:) (:markup class=horiz:) Two backslashes at the end of a line \\ force a line break. Or use this markup: [[<<]] to force a break. (:markupend:) Further reading: * [[text formatting rules]] for more information on linebreaks, indented or hanging paragraphs. * [[wiki styles]] for centered or right justified paragraphs and "floating" text (boxes), borders and much more. !!![[#lists]]Lists Start each line with # for numbered (ordered) lists or * for bulleted (unordered) lists: (:markup class=horiz:) * Bullet list * Another item ** More asterisks produce sub-items ** etc. (:markupend:) (:markup class=horiz:) # Numbered lists # Another item ## more hashes produce sub-items (:markupend:) (:markup class=horiz:) # List types # can be mixed ** numbered list with unordered sub-list (:markupend:) (:if false:) if someone thinks definition lists are "basic": (:markup class=horiz:) : Definition list : list of definitions : item : the item's definition : another item : that item's definition :: indentation : more leading colons produce deeper lists (:markupend:) (:ifend:) Learn more about [[Text Formatting Rules#BulletedLists|lists]] (including [[Text Formatting Rules#DefinitionLists|definition lists]]) and [[(PmWiki:)list styles]]. !!![[#headings]] Headings Headings are useful for creating a "well-structured" page. They're not just for making big text. (:include {$FullName}#markupheaders#markupheadersend:) (:markup class=horiz:) !! Major Subheading !!! Minor Subheading !!!! And More !!!!! Subheadings (:markupend:) !!![[#emphasis]] Text Emphasis To emphasize, enclose text in apostrophes (single-quote marks), not double-quotes. (:include {$FullName}#markupheaders#markupheadersend:) (:markup class=horiz:) ''Emphasize'' (italics), '''strong''' (bold), '''''very strong''''' (bold italics). (:markupend:) !!![[#links]] Links To make a link to another page, enclose the page's name in double square brackets. (:include {$FullName}#markupheaders#markupheadersend:) (:markup class=horiz:) Practice editing in the [[wiki sandbox]] (:markupend:) Note that words are automatically ''capitalized'' in page titles. The link above links to the page WikiSandbox. Text after a pipe (|) is used as the link text: (:markup class=horiz:) Practice editing in the [[WikiSandbox | practice area]]. (:markupend:) (:comment is this still "basic" or should it be removed? :) Endings become part of the link text, parentheses hide parts of the link name: (:markup class=horiz:) [[wiki sandbox]]es. [[(wiki) sandbox]]. (:markupend:) When linking to a page in a different [[WikiGroup]], provide the group name, followed by a separator, and then the page name: (:markup class=horiz:) [[Main.Wiki Sandbox]] shows group + name [[Main/Wiki Sandbox]] shows only name (:markupend:) Links to external sites (:markup class=horiz:) bare url: http://www.pmwiki.org link text: [[http://www.pmwiki.org | PmWiki home]] (:markupend:) Links as reference to external sites (:markup class=horiz:) bare url: http://www.pmwiki.org link text: [[http://www.pmwiki.org | #]] (:markupend:) (:comment is this still "basic" or should it be removed? :) Colons make [[InterMap]] (also called InterWiki) links to other wikis: (:markup class=horiz:) What's an [[Wikipedia:aardvark]], anyway? (:markupend:) Links to [[nonexistent pages]] are displayed specially, to invite others to create the page. PmWiki supports more link types and a lot of display options, see [[Links]] to learn more. !!!Preformatted text Preformatted text is displayed using a monospace font and not generating linebreaks except where explicitly indicated in the markup. Note that very long lines of preformatted text can cause the whole page to be wide. For preformatted text with markup (e.g. emphasis) being processed, start each line with a space: (:markup class=horiz:) Lines that begin with a space are formatted exactly as typed in a '''fixed-width''' font. (:markupend:) If you don't want Wiki markup to be processed, use [=[@ @]=]. Can also be used inline. (:markup class=horiz:) [@ Text escaped this way has the HTML ''code'' style @] (:markupend:) !!! Escape sequence If you don't want Wiki markup to be processed, but lines reformatted use [@[= =]@]. Can also be used inline. (:markup class=horiz:) [= markup is ''not'' processed but lines are reformatted =] (:markupend:) !!! Horizontal line (:markup class=horiz:) Four or more dashes at the beginning of a line ---- produce a "horizontal rule" (:markupend:) !!! Tables Simple tables use double pipe characters to separate cells: (:markup class=horiz:) || border=1 ||! head 1 ||! head 2 ||! head 3 || || cell 1 || cell 2 || cell 3 || (:markupend:) See [[Tables|simple tables]] and [[Table Directives|advanced tables]] to learn more about the rich feature set of PmWiki tables. !!! Images See [[Images]] (:if false:) IMO this is not "basic" and should be removed from this page --OliverBetz !!!Indented and "hanging" paragraphs (:markup class=horiz:) -> An arrow (->) indents content. Line up text to continue the indent. -->Longer arrows (-->) indent further. ->faq<< [[#faq]] [[#beginning]] Q: I'm new to PmWiki, where can I find some basic help for getting started? A: The [[Basic Editing]] page is a good start. From there, you can just follow the navigational links at the top or the bottom of the page (they are called [[Wiki Trails]]) to the next pages, or to the [[Documentation Index]] page, which provides an outline style index of essential documentation pages, organized from basic to advanced. Q: How do I include special characters such as Copyright (©) and Trademark (® or ™) on my wiki pages? A: See [[special characters]] on how to insert special characters that don't appear on your keyboard. Q: How can I preserve line-breaks from the source text? A: PmWiki normally treats consecutive lines of text as being a paragraph, and merges and wraps lines together on output. This is consistent with most other wiki packages. An author can use the [@(:linebreaks:)@] directive to cause the following lines of markup text in the page to be kept as separate lines in the output. Or a wiki administrator can set in ''config.php'' @@$HTMLPNewline = '
';@@ to force literal new lines for the whole site. Q: Can I just enter HTML directly? A: By default (and by design), PmWiki does not support the use of HTML elements in the editable markup for wiki pages. There are a number of reasons for this described in the [[PmWiki Philosophy]] and [[Audiences]]. Enabling HTML markup within wiki pages in a collaborative environment may exclude some potential authors from being able to edit pages, and pose a number of display and security issues. However, a site administrator can use the [[Cookbook:Enable HTML]] recipe to enable the use of HTML markup directly in pages. Q: Where can I find more documentation? A: See the [[Documentation Index | documentation index]] and the [[markup master index]] pages.