Lists

Anything about use of this forum : NOT about cycling
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thirdcrank
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Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Lists

Post by thirdcrank »

On the posting screen there are three buttons (?) for formatting lists. I think I've worked out how to do bullet points starting with a dot. I presume their being three means there are other options for anybody who knows how to do it. May somebody with that knowledge point me to the instructions or post a mickey mouse guide. Pretty please.
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admin
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Re: Lists

Post by admin »

Here are the BBcodes for some example lists:

Bullets:

[list][*]Item one[*]Item two[*]Item three[/list]

Numbered:

[list=1][*]Item one[*]Item two[*]Item three[/list]

Roman numerals:

[list=i][*]Item one[*]Item two[*]Item three[/list]

Letters:

[list=a][*]Item one[*]Item two[*]Item three[/list]
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admin
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Re: Lists

Post by admin »

And the resulting display with BBcode on:

Bullets:
  • Item one
  • Item two
  • Item three
Numbered:
  1. Item one
  2. Item two
  3. Item three
Roman numerals:
  1. Item one
  2. Item two
  3. Item three
Letters:
  1. Item one
  2. Item two
  3. Item three
thirdcrank
Posts: 36764
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Lists

Post by thirdcrank »

Thanks for going to the trouble to display that in so much detail. I hope I don't seem churlish when I say I'll probably stick to plain bullet points.

FWIW, I spent quite a while faffing with a test post to see if I could work it out for myself before starting this thread after I had comprehensively failed. Things that probably seem instinctive to computer experts are often a mystery to me.
slowster
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Re: Lists

Post by slowster »

A post which contains a list is much more likely to be quoted in part(s), and a problem with using the numbered list or Roman numerals function is that if another poster subsequently selectively quotes part of the list, e.g. to refer to just one or more specific numbered items, the number/Roman numeral changes in the quote from what it was in the original post. Thus if Item 3 is selectively quoted in isolation, it is automatically renumbered as 1:
admin wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 4:37pm
  1. Item three
If a poster does this for multiple items in a list, in order to quote and respond to each item separately, the result is:
admin wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 4:37pm
  1. Item one
admin wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 4:37pm
  1. Item two
admin wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 4:37pm
  1. Item three

I think the only way someone quoting just part of a numbered list can overcome this, is to delete the automated numbering, and renumber manually, which is a tedious pain in the neck.

In my opinion, the convenience of the feature for a poster using the function is outweighed by the confusion it can cause if the list is subsequently quoted in part, and by the extra work for the poster doing the quoting to delete the automated numbering and type in the numbers manually in order to prevent such confusion.
thirdcrank
Posts: 36764
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Lists

Post by thirdcrank »

Thanks for that useful warning.

When I began exploring the "list" features, I assumed that by first highlighting an area of text containing paragraphs then clicking one of the list buttons, the paragraphs would be marked with bullet points. ie I was looking for a way not to highlight one paragraph at a time.
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