How should I format text in my posting?
FPF postings use plain text formatting to improve readability.
Front Porch Forum’s plain text formatting ensures that every member can read their Forum issues across devices. Here are some tips about how to format your message for maximum clarity using plain text:
- Add extra line breaks - Large blocks of text can be hard to read. Break up your message by adding an empty line (hitting "Enter" or “Return” twice) between paragraphs. Line breaks do count towards your posting character limit.
- Capitalize headings - Use capital letters to create section headings.
- Manually add lists - Automatic bulleted or numbered lists don't transfer. Create your own lists using dashes, asterisks, or numbers.
Formatting to avoid:
- Hyperlinked text - Hyperlinked words (e.g., "click here") do not work in FPF postings. You must include the full web address (URL) in your message (i.e. https://www.frontporchforum.com). When published, it will automatically turn into a clickable link.
- Unicode, styled, or rich text - Rich text features like bolding, italics, colors, and styled typography are not supported on FPF. Any styling included in your message will be stripped away, or may appear as jumbled characters.
- Tables, columns, and grids - Avoid copy-pasting grids or tables into your posting. While they may look aligned on your screen, numbers often run together, making them impossible to read. Instead, list data vertically or use simple punctuation (commas, pipes, dashes, etc.) to separate items. Consider including a full web address (URL) to an external document for complex data.
- Multiple asterisks, symbols, and emojis - Our system may remove overused asterisks, emojis, and other symbols.
- Tabs or multiple spaces - Our system may remove tabbed spacing or multiple single spaces.
Keeping your formatting simple ensures more FPF members can read your message clearly.