Don't forget the link. Here's how to post one, Part Next

[Show_Biz]

http://this_bad_link_has_no_space_in_front.com

IMPORTANT: if you want to use "automatic links" put a space in front of it or the software won't add {url} and {/url}.

http://this_good_link_DOES_have_a_space.com

Please reference columns you are talking about like this:

Cecil's column:

What is Don McLean's song "American Pie" all about? (14-May-1993) (http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_398b.html)

That's like this, but with [square brackets] wherever you see {curly ones}.

Cecil's column:

{url="http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_398b.html"}What is Don McLean's song "American Pie" all about? (14-May-1993){/url}


Easy way: click on the quote field below and copy.
Don't forget go back to where you want to comment and paste into your message.
Then edit to fit your reference.

[Show_Biz]

(boost)

[Show_Biz]

• The small print people start answers with was entered in the "Post subject:" slot
• to get a blue line (light, bold, or italic) make it look like a link (click Quote below to see how it's done)
This is not a real link. (http://)
I just like blue. (http://)


• Replace the {'s with ['s for small letters raised or lowered.
{sub} and {sup}
• To find smilies :) :p start to reply, and on the top of that page are tiny blue links named "Smilies" and "vB code"
• To use bold, italic or underscore, see "vB code"

BE SURE TO PREVIEW BEFORE YOU POST. THESE THINGS GET EASILY CONFUSED BY TYPOS.

[Show_Biz]

(boost)

[Oncle Bière]

Here's a new twist, combining-wise.

Iswote's sig is

__________________
Welcomed (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=23611) by Cecil

[brachyrhynchos]

Okay, let's see how this looks...


Easy way: click on the quote field below and copy.
Don't forget go back to where you want to comment and paste into your message.
Then edit to fit your reference.


So far, so good. Now let's try the link with alternative text:

For a great site about mosquitoes, go here (http://www-rci.rutgers.edu/~insects/njmos.htm)

Far-out! Thanks Show_Biz.

[Show_Biz]

To put special characters into a message, use the
Character Map accessory.
(In Windows in the Start/ Programs/ Accessory list.
Apple has a similar tool.)

It displays a grid of all the characters. (Be sure you're in the same font you see on SDMB, or they won't show up.)
You click on a character, and it appears in the window. Push Copy and then come back to the post window and Paste (under the Edit pulldown, or ctrl-v).

That's all there is to it. Nothing to remember, no long hex codes.

[SoSueMe]

(boost)

[Show_Biz]

Here's a trick discovered by Arnold Winkelried, which puts a colored box around a smiley.
And here's where it all started
the origin of our new smiley ;j (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=25352)

You don't need an actual link to get the color:
:) :( :cool: :confused: ("")

Click on Quote button to see details.

[hflathead]

Here's a trick discovered by Arnold Winkelried, which puts a colored box around a smiley.
And here's where it all started
the origin of our new smiley ;j (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=25352)

You don't need an actual link to get the color:
:) :( :cool: :confused: ("]:) :( :cool: :confused: [/url]

Click on Quote button to see details.


[url=")
:) ;):g

[Monster104]

Well, just so I get this right, I'll practice posting my site I just got up.

Visit my site! (http://www.go.to/monster104)

[Lumpy Pants]

It seems to change color, blue to red to purple, when you touch it.

[ReservoirDog]

Chicago weather (http://www.weather.com/weather/us/zips/60610.html)

[Rodd Hill]

Colditz Guard (http://www.islandnet.com/~kingdave/cold.jpg)

[AM/PM]

Colditz Guard (http://www.islandnet.com/~kingdave/cold.jpg)

[Wicked Blue]

search (http://www.yahoo.com)

[annalamerino]

Originally posted by :D
Parties are good!
I brought a friend for you. He's 100 too.
_^_
+ +
| U |
| V |
___

[Nilvedman]

This thread has been a huge help, so...
(boost)

[tshirts]

This was probably correcting a bug of some kind on oversizing the gif box.

[1 2 3 4 me]

Hover your cursor over the Quote link, and get the post# in the browser status line. (Or some other methods mentioned.)

Then plug it into the links below, which goes to where I found this out (the one pointed to will be positioned at the bottom of the screen)

Arnold's link (at bottom of screen):
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=575103#post575103

Arnold's method to get post# (at bottom of screen):
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=576812#post576812

[Michi]

my first attempt at a link ever...please don't laugh if it doesnt work

To learn more about my hospital, look here. (http://www.sptimes.com/News/071200/Floridian/Healing_one_of_the_fa.shtml)

[Profane]

Ok here is my test http://www.straightdope.com

[Profane]

another test my favorite site (www.straightdope.com)

[Profane]

trying again my favorite site

[Profane]

argh! here I go again hoping this works ("http://www.straightdope.com)

[Profane]

crossed fingers (www.straightdope.com)

[Profane]

Yay!!!!!!

[Chronos]

Don't cheer yet, lunasea... Did you try the link? it points to http://boards.straightdope.com/www.straightdope.com . I think that this is due to forgetting the http:// in front of the address.

[Gregor Samsa]

Let's try this...

http://www.latrinalia.com

[Show_Biz]

Originally posted by CnoteChris
Can someone, anyone, please explain to me how to post a URL under the name of whatever you want?

For instance, saying 'here' as oposed to reprinting the entire URL. I've asked this before and was directed to the vB code page. I've printed it, read it, and still can't figure it out. I don't understand what I'm missing but it's something.

Can anyone explain it?

Any help is always appreciated.

Thanks, Chris.

Here's your answer CnoteChris, plus a few other neat formatting tricks.

[Hodiggity]

Hey everybody, don't mind me....

My test (http://www-scf.usc.edu/~abau)

[as_u_wish]

http://www.mustardweb.com/indes.html

[as_u_wish]

http://www.mustardweb.com/

http://www.mustardmuseum.com/

[tshirts]

Originally posted by Chronos
So, if I type

The Straight Dope

I'll get

The Straight Dope (http://www.straightdope.com)

Originally posted by Achernar
So, Chronos, are you just saying that you typed in:

The Straight Dope

Pretty darn clever. :) [/B]

Clever isn't a good enough word. I love the problem analysis that went into this. I sure hope you have a good hi-tech job Chronos, as you certainly have the talent for one.

[dpr]

Thanks btw.

I've just realised I never acknowledged what a help this thread was.

[Chronos]

I sure hope you have a good hi-tech job Chronos, as you certainly have the talent for one.Theoretical physicist... I imagine that that counts as "hi-tech", but I'll let you decide if it's good.
I actually got the idea for this from an old IRC trick, btw. In most IRC programs, if you have a / at the beginning of a line, it's interpreted as a command: /join #straightdope , for example, would open up the straightdope room. The problem comes when you're trying to show a newbie what to type, and one solution (thought up by someone else) was to put in a color code for black on white background at the beginning (the default, anyway), so the / wasn't at the beginning of the line anymore. This is just a variant on that idea.

[Real Radio]

practicing url
[url]http://www.mustardweb.com/indes.html[url]

[Real Radio]

Originally posted by Real Radio
practicing url
http://www.mustardweb.com/indes.html[url]

[Real Radio]

practicing url
http://www.mustardweb.com/indes.html

[Real Radio]

Originally posted by Chronos
I sure hope you have a good hi-tech job Chronos, as you certainly have the talent for one.Theoretical physicist... I imagine that that counts as "hi-tech", but I'll let you decide if it's good.
I actually got the idea for this from an old IRC trick, btw. In most IRC programs, if you have a / at the beginning of a line, it's interpreted as a command: /join #straightdope , for example, would open up the straightdope room. The problem comes when you're trying to show a newbie what to type, and one solution (thought up by someone else) was to put in a color code for black on white background at the beginning (the default, anyway), so the / wasn't at the beginning of the line anymore. This is just a variant on that idea.

[Real Radio]

Originally posted by dpr
Thanks btw.

I've just realised I never acknowledged what a help this thread was.

[Poirot]

I was just about to add the bug that a link can't be at the start of the post, but it's already up there.
This thread needs to be re-cut, I think. The blue boxes around the smilies are also history.

[Et tu]

I wish I'd seen this thread yesterday. It could have spared me some confusion, since I made a post name look like regular words, and I see everyone uses blue links here.
They could be a whole lot easier to type though.
I had to preview 3 times to catch all my errors with quote marks, etc.

[Rysdad]

search (http://search.aol.com/)

[lolagranola]

Testing this out...

A site (http://www.80s.com/OnBoard/forum.html)

[Spider Woman]

Trying to post a link:

http://www.cnn.com/books/crossword/

[Typo Negative]

test
text ("http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=25307')

[Typo Negative]

trying again dammit
text (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=25307)

[Typo Negative]

woooohoooooo!!!!!

[Typo Negative]

prcatice, don't mind me. this is cool sports site (http://www.espn.go.com/)

[lee]

test :-)

[iampunha]

Okay, so how do I do those box thingies where people make points?

There's an example of them pretty high up on page one of this thread.

[Show_Biz]

Originally posted by Chronos
You can do e-mail links in vB, just like any other URL. Try the following:
Eyke
which should turn into
Eyke (mailto:eyke@operamail.com)

[Chronos]

iampunha, do you mean like
This,
that, and
the other thing?

I did it with the following code:
This,
that, and
the other thing?

[La King]

[list] • •
•��ž�Ž��¤
•��ž�Ž��¤
•��ž�Ž��¤
•��ž�Ž��¤

[La King]

Originally posted by Show_Biz
To put special characters into a message, use the
Character Map accessory.
(In Windows in the Start/ Programs/ Accessory list.
Apple has a similar tool.)

It displays a grid of all the characters. (Be sure you're in the same font you see on SDMB, or they won't show up.)
You click on a character, and it appears in the window. Push Copy and then come back to the post window and Paste (under the Edit pulldown, or ctrl-v).

That's all there is to it. Nothing to remember, no long hex codes.

[BarnStormer]

Originally posted by Omniman
It's always the non-nerds who invent the best ease-of-use features.

You would push Quote and get this:

Originally posted by Sangria in this exact post in Greatest ratio of posts to views (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=704980#post704980)
It all seems too hard for the average poster.
What would be nice is if the "Quote" button put the code for that post into the window.

They already have the poster's name and then the link would be right with it.

Then you could cut and paste it to wherever you wanted in one step, without having to assemble the pieces.

This is a GREAT idea, that vB code would automatically create the spcific-post link.

You should suggest it to them at their forum.
Be aware, though, that even though it's an easy thing to code and they may do it, it could be a year before it came back installed at SDMB.

Good luck with it.
vBulletin Community Forum (http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/index.php)

[Wump]

[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=37729]look at me(don't really)

[Wump]

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=37729lalala

[Gregor Samsa]

Just a test

notareallink (http://www.fakelink.com)

[JavaMaven1]

Don't mind me...

"http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/newreply.php?action=newreply&threadid=25307"a test

[JavaMaven1]

Dagnabit. Trying again...

a test (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/newreply.php?action=newreply&threadid=25307)

[Klaatu]

http://www.yahoo.com

[Show_Biz]

I know there are a number of tests already, and sometimes I'm grateful whenever the thread is boosted, but I would like it to remain for advice and collection of hints on creating links and special text.

Thanks for your support. I'm glad it lasted so long, despite many trips to the "backlist".

One day, of course, this stuff should be collected and put somewhere permanent. (Perhaps in one of the unused "Archive and Not Postable" forums we've just discovered?)

To see what I'm talking about, go here, and be sure to select Show All Threads, and then click on Louie's thread.

Straight Dope Message Board > ARCHIVES --The Reference Section (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=8&daysprune=1000)

But I'm not much of an editor, and all requests for "premanent threads" have been turned down several times, so don't hold your breath on that one.

Also, some people, like Louie, worked long and hard editing, only to find their work tossed aside like yesterday's newspaper. (Well, that is the a familiar problem for the SDMB sponsor, so I guess they think we are also used to it.)

But do help people (it's not just newbies) who ask for this information by pointing them here.
Don't forget the link. Here's how to post one, Part Next (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=25307)

Thanks again.

[Scarlett67]

Some of my favorite sites are Nitpickers, (http://www.nitpickers.com) NetRadio,[url] and of course [url="http//www.straightdope.com"]Straight Dope. (http://www.netradio.com)

Here's (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=39308) an interesing thread.

What fun! (if it turns out)

[Scarlett67]

Originally posted by Scarlett67
Some of my favorite sites are Nitpickers, (http://www.nitpickers.com) NetRadio, (http://www.netradio.com) and of course Straight Dope. (http://www.straightdope.com)

Here's (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=39308) an interesting thread.

What fun! (if it turns out)

[Show_Biz]

This boost is for an oldbie's request:
Originally posted by spooje
How do you make fine print in a post? I just figured out bolding and italics, but how do you make the small print? Originally posted by Show_Biz
The best way to learn all the text tricks is this thread:
(I try to add tricks in as they get discovered elsewhere)
Don't forget the link. Here's how to post one, Part Next (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=25307)

With 1000 posts, I'm surprized you haven't seen it yet.
(A lot of people tell me it's one of the few threads they have bookmarked.)

[UncleBeer]

Some additional information on Louie's tutorial. That would be an excellent thread to reference, if we were to allow HTML coding again. As it now stands, none of that is applicable.

[tshirts]

Here's the link to Louie's thread
Straight Dope Message Board > ARCHIVES --The Reference Section (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=8&daysprune=1000)

[bibliophage]

Originally posted by tshirts
Here's the link to Louie's thread
Straight Dope Message Board > ARCHIVES --The Reference Section (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=8&daysprune=1000) Wasn't that forum completely empty last month (except for the e-zine announcement)? Or did I just have the daysprune set to 2 days? (I could have sworn I clicked on "show all threads".) In {Hank Hill voice}Whut th' Hell?{/Hank Hill voice} (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=35301) even TubaDiva said "The archive forums are closed to new posts anyway, so they're just empty." Whut th' Hell?

[tshirts]

I'd say he (or somebody else) would be better off with the idea above of starting over. This thread is getting a little shopworn. Too many test posts to wade past. Something like Louie's thread would be easier to use.

[tshirts]

Here's the link to Louie's thread
be sure to select "Show All Threads"
Straight Dope Message Board > ARCHIVES --The Reference Section (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=8&daysprune=1000) [/QUOTE]

[TubaDiva]

All I got to say is I dunno.

I'm sorry if Louie's feelings are hurt, but as has already been noted we do not allow the use of html so it's redundant. It doesn't make what he did any less special, but what would we do with it now?

How about I close this thread as it currently stands and we start anew? ShowBiz, you wanna take another run at it?

I'll leave it open until I get a reply.

your humble TubaDiva
Administrator

[Adriatic Ionian Ægean]

This thread looks too useful to close before a new one is available. There shouldn't be any hurry. It seems a lot of threads are closed lately when I first run into them, and it seems like they should be allowed to continue as long as people are posting. They disappear soon enough on their own.

[magdalene]

[url=http://www.poets.org]It's about time I learned how to do this.

[magdalene]

Crap!

Okay, here (http://www.poets.org) is my favorite poetry site.

And here (http://www.poems.com) is my second favorite.

And this better work, because it's just embarrassing that I don't know how to do this.

[magdalene]

crappity crap crap! (Sorry TubaDiva)

http://www.poems.com ( here??

[magdalene]

Aaaahhhhh....quotes.

Poets! (http://www.poets.org)

[Edward The Head]

Testies, one, two, three?!?

my home page (http//www.angelfire.com/md/bmain)

[Edward The Head]

my real page (http://www.angelfire.com/md/bmain) lets see if this works then.

[Sweet Sue]

([B]checking to see if I can refer to specific post (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=794503#post794503 ) )
O
º
(:))
+
A
"

[TubaDiva]

ShowBiz, since you originated the thread, you want to take another crack at this?

We can incorporate this into the FAQ -- or at least link to it -- we're open to different ways of handling this information.

Please don't put any more test posts in this thread.

And Sue? If you can't say anything worthwhile, don't say anything at all, okay? Your schtick is boring and irritating. It's very similar to people with overlong signature lines, a waste of bandwidth and inconsiderate as well.

your humble TubaDiva
Administrator

[Show_Biz]

You've been wanting to close this thread for some time, for your own inscrutable reasons, so I suppose you will, only God knows why.

I presume it's because it's the only one with staying power in this forum?

Or because it's one of the handful that wasn't a test?

And the bandwidth crack above means you have no idea what bandwidth is and what it's components are. Spreading out a message vertically doesn't create bandwidth. Have someone who cares explain it to you.

I have no time for people who's main focus is attacking newbies for "creating bandwidth". Go pay a programmer to do it. Should cost under $1,000.

[UncleBeer]

Trying to get yourself banned, Show_Biz? Blatant attacks on the administration is a pretty damned good way to accomplish that. Obviously, you haven't read the "Don't be a jerk rule."

[TubaDiva]

I don't understand why you're so upset and hostile.

Since you originated this thread -- and it is helpful to other people -- I thought you would want to perpetuate it. Or at least have a hand in it.

As far as the other nasty things you had to say, you're greatly mistaken and I'm quite perplexed as to why you're being so ugly.

your humble TubaDiva
Administrator

[Soupy]

Originally posted by User 10K
It's a lot easier to hit the quote button and then edit out the part you don't want to quote.

That way, you keep the original poster's name in italics, and won't forget part of the coding.

Like I can start doing italics with [ i ] but then forget myself and close it off with [ /b ], making a mess. Fortunately, I always preview.

BTW, you don't have to use curley brackets to show the coding. Just put a space inside the [ ] and it won't be recognized as a code. The space nearly disappears when it's displayed

[tshirts]

Originally posted by tshirts
Originally posted by SterlingNorth
I've yet to figure out how to transfer my Armadillo art
signature from the Fathom board to here without it
collapsing on itself. If you want to see the test thread (http://fff.fathom.org/ubb/Forum12/HTML/000101.html), be my guest.

Here's one way to do it. I leave it to you to see if it works in a sig.


------------------
.:: 7777: : - .
/:' / / / /' ` :: >/|/
.', | | | | ` / ( e\ SterlingNorth
-==~-'`---Xm````-mr ' ` -_\
One of these days somebody is actually going to notice
that if you convict an innocent person and execute him,
the problem is that the murderer is still free.

The other main trick is to replace blanks with "hard
blanks"= Alt0160 typed as Altkey down 0 1 6 0 Altkey up

But watch out- The hard blanks cannot be copied out of the
post window without converting to "soft blanks" that are stripped out. To get a row of hard blanks, store them in
Notepad and copy from there. Not elegant, but it works.

[tshirts]

Here ALT-0160 is used to prevent the URL in the example from turning into a [blue] link.

Originally posted by tshirts
Here's the Hyperlink for a definition of URL [b]Hyperlink for a definition of URL (http://wombat.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/foldoc.cgi?query=url)
Here's the same URL itself http://wombat.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/foldoc.cgi?query=url

[tshirts]

Sometimes you want to show how vB control codes (for bolding, etc) are to be typed, and need to disable executing the codes.

A lot of people find inadvertantly that putting control codes into the Post Subject line, as I have above prevents them from being converted. That's of limited use, so is almost always a mistake.

The easy way is to use blanks to split up the code, and it won't get converted.

Originally posted by User 10K
It's a lot easier to hit the quote button and then edit out the part you don't want to quote.
That way, you keep the original poster's name in italics, and won't forget part of the coding.
Like I can start doing italics with [ i ] but then forget myself and close it off with [ /b ], making a mess. Fortunately, I always preview.
BTW, you don't have to use curley brackets to show the coding. Just put a space inside the [ ] and it won't be recognized as a code. The space nearly disappears when it's displayed

But if you don't even want the spaces, break up the code by
putting ][/i] into it, as this poster did.

Originally posted by Uart
To update your signature, click the "Profile" icon at the top of the page.
Then put stuff into the signature slot.
You can use to bold and [sub] to shrink, and :) for :), etc.

[Gunslinger]

You can link using a smiley and nothing else!

:D (http://www.3weasel.20m.com)

Nifty, eh?

[Wanderlust]

Testing colored text.

It seems to change color, blue to red to purple, when you touch it. These are your browser's "hover" color and "referenced link" colors.

It also depends on how large the font is

Any text can be made bold blue ("]Any text can be made blue with a null link[/url]
Any text can be made small blue
Any text can be made bold blue ("]Any text can be made blue with a null link
Any text can be made small blue
[b][url=")[b][/i]

[Show_Biz]

Like this one, that breaks up.
http://www.islam- qa.com/QA/5|Jurisprudence_and_Islamic_Rulings (Fiqh)/Alhudood_WatTa'azeerat(_Punishment_and_Judicial_ Sentences_)/Punishment_of_one_who_leaves_Islaam.27031998.696.shtml

The cure seems to be to hide the length by using the NAMED link format:

Originally posted by Louie
Re: really long link (
see if this works...

[url="http://www.islam- qa.com/QA/5|Jurisprudence_and_Islamic_Rulings(Fiqh)/Alhudood_WatTa'azeerat(_Punishment_and_Judicial_ Sentences_)/Punishment_of_one_who_leaves_Islaam.27031998.696.shtml")

[Show_Biz]

Originally posted by bibliophage
You can't manipulate the font face or font size directly. (I'm still waiting for [font face="symbol"], btw). There is a way to get a smaller type. Use the sub and sup tags (superscript and subscript) together.

[/i]][/i]]This is the way[/sup][/sub]

[sup]This is the way. It seems to work better if you view it with Netscape Navigator than with MS Internet Explorer.
I wonder if [sub]this will work Originally posted by Derleth
stepstepstep Heaven
Hey, a Stairway to Heaven!
(Testin' 'til someone makes me stop.:D)Originally posted by Pot o' Gold
Heaven
stepstepstep

[barflyer]

Originally posted by bibliophage
You can't manipulate the font face or font size directly. (I'm still waiting for [font face="symbol"], btw). There is a way to get a smaller type. Use the sub and sup tags (superscript and subscript) together.

[/i]][/i]]This is the way[/sup][/sub]

[sub][sup]This is the way. It seems to work better if you view it with Netscape Navigator than with MS Internet Explorer.
It was woking for me (that is, your quote showed both sizes at the same baseline) on Internet Explorer. Then I changed versions,
and now the small print is below the line. :confused:

[Show_Biz]

Originally posted by Bottle of Smoke
Quite simple, Soul of the Machine. Click on you Profile button to display your profile. Then look at the end of the URL at the top of your browser window. It should say userid=8633 (your number). Antthracite most likely just changed this number to 100, then 200, etc. to pull up the profiles of those users.

[Show_Biz]

To find a username by number, put the number into this link:


http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=6247

To find a username by name, put the number into this link:


http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?action=getinfo&username=show_biz

Note, if the name contains blanks, your browser may insert %20 in their stead.
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?action=getinfo&username=C%20K%20Dexter%20Haven

If it doesn't, you can add "+" signs
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?action=getinfo&username=C+K+Dexter+Haven

[FormerlyKnownAsBlank]

I've seen a lot of threads lately that were already answered in this thread, so I'm boosting it for another day's run.

[Sir Rhosis]

Moving into the 21st Century... maybe.

{url="http://j-turner.com/jennyagutter/"}Jenny Agutter lives at my house--NOT!{/url}

Sir Rhosis

[Saki]

Originally posted by Arnold Winkelried
There are several ways to show coding examples with the vBcode included in the post. One method (mentioned above) is to include a "blank" tag inside the "real" tag. The method I prefer is to use [ and ] for the beginning and ending square brackets, like so:

[b]bold example[/b]
will become
bold example

[Arnold Winkelried]

This thread was becoming unwieldy with all the test posts so I included the information herein (or most of the information) in the technical issues FAQ.