To create Paragraphs

Basic

• Simply start typing in the edit box
• Don't indent paragraphs when you type them
• Words will wrap and fill autmatically
• Use blank lines as separators between paragraphs

Intermediate

• %%% makes a linebreak (in headings and lists too)
• Four or more minus signs make a horizontal rule like the following:

To create Paragraph or Page Headings

Basic

• The exclamation point ( ! )at the start of a line in the edit box makes a small heading like the above heading

Intermediate

• Two exclamation points ( !! )at the start of a line makes a medium heading
• Three exclamation points ( !!! ) at the start of a line makes a large heading

To add Emphasis

Intermediate

• Use doubled single-quotes ( ' ) for emphasis (creates italics)
• The common mistake with this command is to use the double quote charaacter instead of using two single quote characters.
• Use doubled underscores ( _ ) for strong emphasis (creates bold)
• Mix them at will i.e. two single quotes and two underscores: bold italics
• Emphasis can be used multiple times within a line, but cannot cross line boundaries:

''this will not work because it is across multiple line boudaries in the edit box ''

To make Lists

If you would like to create an indented, bulleted list like the following:

Intermediate

• Type one line for each item on the list
• Place an asterick ( * ) in front of the line for first level of indent for bullet lists
  • Place two astericks ( ** ) for second level,
    • Three astericks for third level, etc..
  • The bullet and the indent are generated automatically at each level.

Advanced

• Use the # sign for numbered lists (you may mix the # and * at will)
• Use the semicolon-term-colon-definition for definition lists:

term here preceeded by the semicolon

definition here preceeded by the colon.

To change Fonts

Advanced

• Indent a line with one or more spaces to use the alternative font:

 This is in the alternative font because the sentence is prefaced with a space in the edit box.

This is not is not prefaced with a space and thus uses the default font

To create Indented Paragraphs

If you want to have quotes or other blocked, indented paragraphs in your copy:

Advanced

• the semicolon-colon combo-- works like the <BLOCKQUOTE> command in HTML in that it will indent the whole block of text

This is an indented block of text because it is preceeded by the semicolon and colon, one after the other in the edit box. Since it is also prefaced with two single quotes it is in italics as well. All text in this paragraph will be indented and italicized.

To create References Links to other pages

Reference Linkis to other pages is standard fare on a web page:

Basic

• You can create a reference link to a page elsewhere on the internet by entering the complete internet addess (URL) in the edit box like this: http://www.blumenthals.com
• Be sure to enter the http:// at the beginning or the link will not function
• You can also link to URL's by preceding URLs with "ftp:" or "mailto:" to create links automatically as in: mailto:mike@blumenthals.com that will automatically load the users mail program when clicked.
• Hyperlinks to other pages within this website are made by using WikiWords? (the question mark you see is an editing feature).
• A WikiWord? is any word that is at least two words long, with no spaces and the second and subsequent words start with a capital.

Intermediate

• Another way to create hyperlinks to internal or external pages is to enclose the internet address (URL) or wiki word in open and close square brackets ( ] ) like this: http://www.wcsb.org/. They will appear exactly as if they were entered without the brackets.
• You can create meaningful name links by adding your description inside of the starting square bracket . Place a bar ( | ) after the description and before the URL or RapidWeb word page name: the home page. Be sure to close the Description|URL reference with a square close bracket.
• The above technique allows you to create reference links that can be meaningful to mere mortals. I.E. Mike's shared links page instead of the ever internet like http://ezines.blumenthals.com/index.php?sharedlinks

Advanced

• You can suppress linking to RapidWeb word references and URLs by preceeding the word or URL (e.g. PhotoShop or http://not.linked.to/ ) with an exlamation point ( ! ) in the edit box.
• If you don't preceed the word PhotoShop? with an exclamation point the program would assume that you mean to create a new page and add the ?.
• [1], [2], [3], [4] noted at the bottom of the edit box refer to remote references used in an earlier version of this editing environement. Click on EditLinks at the bottom of edit box to enter URLs. These differ from the newer linking scheme; and references are unique to a page. The newer scheme mentioned above is much easier and preferred.
• URLs ending with .png, .gif, or .jpg if in square brackets place images inline, by themselves on the page:

HTML Mark-Up Language

You can insert HTML in the edit box if you would like an effect that is not supported in this markup language.

Advanced

• < and > are themselves
• The & characters will not work
• Start each line of HTML in the edit box with a bar (|).