(a cheat sheet for formatting forum posts) (Markdown)

[geoff.hom]

I wanted something visual to help me know what formatting is possible in a forum post, so I’m making this and sharing.

• How to use
  • When you want inspiration, just scroll down and see if any formatting sparks joy.
  • To reproduce that formatting, I tried to hint how to do that.
  • You can explore more on your own by looking into Discourse, the forum platform used.

• In forum posts, you can mix and match Markdown, BBCode, and HTML.
  • And emoji, of course , plus some other tricks in the formatting menu.
  • I’ll make separate posts/replies for that stuff.
• For listings/profiles/reviews/feedback, it’s a totally different system. Long story short—there seem very few formatting options.

---

basic syntax

• Heading 1 (there are six levels/sizes)

  • # Heading 1

• Heading 2

• Heading 3

• Heading 4

• Heading 5

• Heading 6

  • ###### Heading 6

• bold

  • **bold**

• italic

  • *italic* or _italic_

• blockquote
  blockquote, line 2

  blockquote, line 4

  • > blockquote
> blockquote, line 2
>
> blockquote, line 4

• (ordered list)

  1. item 1
     1. nested item 1
     2. nested item 2
  2. item 2
     • nested item 1 (unordered)
     • nested item 2 (unordered)
  3. item 3

  • 1. item 1
1. nested item 1 (it's not showing up, but indent 3+ spaces)
1. nested item 2 (align with above line)
1. item 2
* nested item 1 (unordered) (indent 3+ spaces)
* nested item 2 (unordered)
1. item 3

• (unordered list)

  • item 1

    • nested item 1
    • nested item 2

  • item 2

  • * item 1
* nested item 1 (it's not showing up, but indent 2+ spaces)
* nested item 2 (align with above)
* item 2

• code (aka preformatted text, monospace text)

  • `code (aka preformatted text, monospace text)` (those are backticks, under the ~ key)

• (horizontal rule/line)

  • ---

  • ---

• a link with custom title (this is TH.com)

  • [a link with custom title (this is TH.com)](https://www.trustedhousesitters.com)

  • vs the link’s official title
  • or the URL: https://www.trustedhousesitters.com

• (images)

  • (can use the Upload button in the toolbar)
  • (can scale to any %, not just 100/75/50%)
  • 
    
    
    (12%, 24%, 48%)

  • ![Little Cat|409x500, 12%](upload://afLTPyQzI2mgeMhwoIFHPrrlp4D.jpeg "the hover title") ![Little Cat|409x500, 24%](upload://afLTPyQzI2mgeMhwoIFHPrrlp4D.jpeg "the hover title; 24%") ![Little Cat|409x500, 48%](upload://afLTPyQzI2mgeMhwoIFHPrrlp4D.jpeg "hmm; 48%") (12%, 24%, 48%)

extended syntax

• (table)

  header 1	header 2
  row 1	column 2
  row 2	row 2, col 2

  • The easiest way to make a table is to use Excel or Google sheets, then copy-paste the table. Try it!

  • | header 1 | header 2 |
    | - | - |
    | row 1 | column 2 |
    | row 2 | row 2, col 2 |

• (fenced code block)

  • "lastName": "Smith"
    "age": 25
    

  • ``` text
    “lastName”: “Smith”
    “age”: 25
    ```

• strikethrough

  • ~~strikethrough~~

• (checkboxes)

  • (post Markdown cheat sheet to TH forums)
  • nap
  • write BBCode cheat sheet

  • * [] [x] (post Markdown cheat sheet to TH forums)
* nap
* [] write BBCode cheat sheet

• (emoji)

  • That is so funny!

  • That is so funny! :joy:

• (footnote)

  • To see footnote, click it, or may need to scroll to very end. ^[1]

  • To see footnote, or may need to scroll to very end. [^1]
[^1]: footnote 1.

• (the below don’t work)

  • (highlight) (highlight these ==very important words==)
  • (subscript) (H~2~O)
  • (superscript) (X^2^)

---

1. footnote 1. ↩︎

[Kelly]

@geoff.hom Thank you for this!

• You have been such a wonderful asset to the forum community!
• Since you have joined it has not gone unnoticed how much helpful content you have provided. Keep up the fantastic work!

[Saltrams]

I do love a fellow geek @geoff.hom will you marry me ?

PS; you really don’t have to answer that!
When the forum first began, I tried using html but it wouldn’t have it. You are probably aware that you can read up on the features at the platform’s site https://www.discourse.org/features

[Debbie-L]

@geoff.hom thank you so much for all your helpful insight. We appreciate all the help we can get and it is so great when it is from a like-minded member of our community who is really interested in helping others with their journey.

[geoff.hom]

Hi @Saltrams

I actually didn’t know what software the forums were using, and that was on my to-do list today to figure out! Thank you for saving me time! Yeah, I should’ve thought of that before reinventing the wheel. Lol.

I see that Discourse offers wiki posts, and in fact that are exactly 2 in the forums that appear to have been converted that way accidentally. No harm done.

But I was thinking that a TH wiki would be really great. Any plans to have wiki posts in our forums? @Angela_L?

On a related note, I also want to help members make well-formatted listings/profiles on the main TH website, but I’m not sure what web elements are being used, or specifically what formatting (e.g. Markdown) they accept. Any idea, @Saltrams? @Ben-ProductManager?

[Saltrams]

It’s been more than 2 years since I tinkered & tested with Website HTML @geoff.hom but at that time it seemed that no such refinements were possible.
Wouldn’t properly formatted listings and profiles be lovely ?

[Angela_L]

Hi @geoff.hom It looks as though you and @Saltrams are enjoying a little tekkie connection, I have to admit it’s not something I can or would contribute to but do enjoy your mutual interest … there may be other members who will join the “club”

[Saltrams]

Room for a “Geeks Corner” category on the forum @Angela_L ?

[Angela_L]

It did cross my mind @Saltrams although it looks as though it might be a group of two??