3 FAQ tagged with html


How do I use HTML in my posts? Why don't I see the B, I, Link buttons sometimes in the posting area?

If you know how to use HTML, you can include an abbreviated list of HTML tags in your posts, including a, b, strong, i, em, ul, li and blockquote.

The format for adding italics, for example, is: <em>italicized word</em>
The format for adding a link to example.com is: <a href="http://example.com">example.com</a>

If you use a modern browser, you'll see B/I/link buttons below the compose/comment box that you can use to add basic formatting. UBB code does not work in MetaFilter. There is also a restriction on using html to make the words "posted by" in small size in comments to keep people from making comments looking like they're being posted by others.

Not all HTML is allowed. If you stick to simple text formating (b, strong, i, em, a) and lists (ul/li/ol) you'll be ok. Things like tables, embeded video code, javascript, images, and inline styles will be stripped out.

Here's a short screencast showing how to use the buttons to insert HTML for you:


(tags: ) March 6, 2006 - back to questions

My HTML seemed to work in the live preview but don't come through correctly. Is this a bug or intentional?

The live preview seen below the comment forms shows a real-time approximation of your comment, but does not go through the extensive text filtering done on the server side. As a result, it's possible to place almost any HTML code into a comment and reproduce it in the live preview area, but that code is stripped out once the comment is posted to the site.

If you are wondering if your HTML code will display properly, please use the Preview button before your post. The Preview button will render things like &lt; into < however, so before you post, you have to re-type things like angle brackets into their &lt; format. We are aware that this is a less-than-perfect solution.
(tags: ) October 17, 2006 - back to questions

If my post has more than one link, or the link isn't first, do I need to use the URL box?

The "URL" and "Link title" fields are there for your convenience. If you have a one link post you can just fill them in and go. If you want to make a post with a few links, or without the beginning text as your link, you can skip those boxes (but don't skip the title box) and just write the HTML for the links in the post yourself.
(tags: ) January 11, 2007 - back to questions