BBCode on the New Site

This is the primer on using the BBCode syntax on the site after the upgrade. Most of the BBCode discussed here are generic and standard. We've documented them before and there are already good pages on the legacy site that cover them.

This is a summary of those commands, but more importantly a review of the new-site software capability to render the not-so-common BBCodes. And, this is a page to cover the custom BBCodes that were invented for the legacy site that are being re-imaged in the new software upgrade.

The goal is that this page become input to the review and restyling of the new site documentation for using BBCode.

The principles that we are going to lean towards are:

1. BBCodes are to be discouraged.
2. Use the built-in editor features to style text/posts.

At some point in the not too distant future, support of BBCode will be sunset -- mostly because the Vendor of the software will sunset those capabilities. But, before then we can get the upper-hand and encourage users to avoid them.

BBCode for Linking to Posts and Threads

Code: [post]

Creates a link to a individual post in the Forums

Synopsis

[post=post_number] flavor text [/post]

Concept of Operation

Each post on the site has a post ID number. Each post is part of a topic with a topic ID number.

A Topic contains one or more Posts.

Remember to use the POST ID, not the TOPIC ID

How to find the POST ID -- when hovering over post in question there's a link that refers to the time when the post was made. In that URL is a component of the comment=number. The number is the post ID.

Therefore if the number of the post (post ID) was 1234, then to form a link with BBCode is simple:

Example

[post=1234]This is a link to the post by post ID 1234[/post]

But, there's an easier way that should be encouraged. If you think you are required to use [post] BBCode to simply link to a post, that is not correct. Copying and pasting a URL into a new post is sufficient. The choice is yours, though.

See Also

[topic] [quote]

Code [topic]

Form a link to the topic by a topic ID.

Synopsis

[topic=number] flavor text [/topic]

Concept of Operation

Each post on the forums belongs to a parent Topic. A Topic is the thread -- all of the posts in the Topic belong to the thread, otherwise known as the topic.

The topic has a unique ID number.

Use the Topic ID to fulfill the use of the BBCode for making a link to a specific topic.

Example

If a Topic ID was 1234, then the usage is:

[topic=1234] flavor text [/topic]

See Also

[post] [quote]

Code [quote]

To render the expression of quoting the post of another user, one of the methods is to use [quote] BBCode.

Synopsis

[quote] Un attributed quote [/quote]
[quote name="Noun"] The source of the quote is Noun [/quote]
[quote name='MEMBER_NAME' date='date_format' post='POST_ID']
  Attributed quotation from MEMBER_NAME on date sourced by POST_ID
[/quote]

Syntax	Format
date_format	month day year hh:mm period
month	Jan - Dec
day	1-31
year	YYYY
hh	0-59
mm	0-59
period	AM, PM

Concept of Operation

In the first usage, the [quote] stands alone, non-attributed, no reference, no author, no date. Just pulling a quote out of thin air.

The second usage at least tries to attribute the quotation to something or someone. Definitely not linked to any post in the site.

The third tries to make some connection to past content posted to the site: To use [quote] manually in the third case, the author needs to supply a lot of detail.

But, why bother. Use the built in feature of + Quote in each posting.

The first two usages are acceptable, the last usage if done manually is not.

It's generally encouraged to quote another post (even if the quote is abridged from the original detail). The quote provides context.

Please think carefully -- the site provides [quote] capability just by clicking on the icon to quote a member. Use it instead of trying to manually set the parameters of a [quote].

Example

[quote]A stitch in time saves nine.[/quote]
[quote name="The Old Bard said:"]Thou shalt not follow the NULL pointer, for chaos and madness await thee at its end.[/quote]
[quote name="sibomots" date="Jan 1 1970 00:00 AM" post="1"]Thank you Ken Thompson[/quote]

See Also

[post] [topic]

Code [spoiler], [hidden]

Similar BBCode for hiding content from the user unless they really want to see it. One form prefaces with the label that the content contains spoilers -- it might ruin your enjoyment of the overall content discussed if you read further. ("Don't tell me what happens at the end, don't spoil it"). The [hidden] works the same way except the prefix in the post doesn't describe the content as something which could spoil the surprise of the object content.

Synopsis

[spoiler] content [/spoiler]
[hidden] content [/hidden]

Concept of Operation

Posts sometimes can get long and embedding images especially can make a post awkward to scroll through. Typically, members who are mindful of the patience and willingness of other members to wade through gaudy posts will use [hidden] to just hid gratuitious content just to keep the overall Topic (thread/post) clean and neat. If someone wants to see the media, they can always click on the button generated by the code [hidden].

[spoiler] works exactly the same as [hidden] except that the HTML generated will prefix the special content with the word Spoiler -- which is to mean that the content the user may choose to unlock might spoil the surprise of the overall topic discussed. A movie, book, song, post or result or whatever the case may be -- if you don't want to have the suprise ruined, don't unlock the [spoiler]. Also, if you are writing about something that is fresh and new and there is a reasonable chance that divulging carelessly will ruin the surprise for others -- please use [spoiler] or don't discuss it all together. No one wants to hear "everybody dies at the end" when someone is discussing a story they have not read/seen yet and plan to.

Then again, to use [spoiler] on something that is ancient like,

In Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader [spoiler] reveals he is Luke Skywalker's father [/spoiler]

Really? We need this kept secret? No.

Balance what is truly a spoiler from what is not.

Use [hidden] with restraint, but also with a sense of keeping posts/threads clean and neat looking.

Example

[hidden]
content that is long, gaudy, or full of images that break the flow of the page
[/hidden]

[spoiler]
Obiwan Kenobi dies in Episode 4
[/spoiler]

See Also

[quote]