# Why no underline/spoiler/etc. formatting 'blocks' in the posting dialog **URL:** \ **Category:** Site Feedback\ **Created:** [February 18, 2022, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737 "2022-02-18T14:06:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737/1 "2022-02-18T14:06:56Z")
In this dialog interface, as I type, I see a ‘Quote,’ ‘Bold,’ ‘Italicized,’ ‘Link,’ ‘Blockquote,’ ‘Code,’ ‘Upload’ quick-blocks, and a few more at the top of the box. Why no “spoiler,” “underline” or other formatting tags? Could we add some of the more commonly used ones? There was a list of commonly used tags, for hard (type-it-in-yerself) code, but I can’t seem to find it. Tripler I suspect spoilers would be the first to be added and used. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737/2 "2022-02-18T14:19:02Z")
Small Type \< small\> Small Type \< /small\> Big Type \< big\>Big Type \< /Big\> strike through [s]strike through[/s] MainSuperscript \< sup\>Sup\< /sup\> Main Subscript \< sub\>Sub\< /sub\> * * * A line Break is \*\*\* or — surrounded by blank lines. So use the \*\*\* it’s easier. * * * Keyboard Text \< kbd\>Keyboard Text \< /kbd\> ``` holds spaces before text < pre> < /pre> ``` > **Summary or Dropdown spoiler** > > Dropdown Spoiler > This is spoiled > Available under the gear button or type [details="title] … [/details] [spoiler] tag ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737/3 "2022-02-18T14:40:43Z")
The spoiler is in the extras button on the right (with the cog wheel). [Here are some more.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-that-great-getting-up-morning-the-new-site-is-nearly-ready-for-you/855380/188) [This is handy too.](https://forum.digikey.com/t/an-unofficial-discourse-user-reference-guide/1125#heading--CodeFormatting) ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737/4 "2022-02-18T14:52:17Z")
I would love an underline button. I know there’s code for it, but I can’t ever remember it and I find underline better than italics for emphasis. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737/5 "2022-02-18T15:48:36Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > I would love an underline button. I know there’s code for it, but I can’t ever remember it and I find underline better than italics for emphasis. Just u and /u in brackets for underline ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737/6 "2022-02-20T17:17:14Z")
**SPOILER** : This post may contain some “_First World Problems_” you can identify with. . . @What_Exit, you bring up a good point–at some point, there was a thread with **all** of the BB tags referenced, with examples. I couldn’t find that thread, but if someone does, could it be pinned to the top? Here’s the crux of my point: I get into some serious _flow_ sometimes here on the SDMB, to where my muse takes over my fingers, separating my brain assuming I have one from the process, and I just write. Part of this textual flow uses the formatting for **emphasis** to help covey feelings/meaning my text otherwise wouldn’t. It’s a serious benefit to be able to go back, after writing a paragraph, to highlight text in the editor box, and click a button for the **bold** or _italics_. It’s a royal PITA to try to “hardcode” in some tags, either during composition or after, _especially_ when trying to remember if something is square bracketed ("[]") or pointy bracketed ("\< \>"). I can’t be the only guy that wants a small assortment of additional buttons. @pjd , that DigiKey reference is solid. . . thank you! The formatting still requires the hardcoding. I think @RitterSport is picking up what I’m laying down. I’m just calling it as I see it. Formatting is awesome! Hardcoding the more commonly-used ones is inefficient. Buttons’d help. . . even if it were a combo-dropdown like the “Settings” button w/multiple options. Tripler Yes, I have cake. . . why do you ask? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737/7 "2022-02-20T17:53:59Z")
Don’t get me wrong, I would love to have a lot more formatting buttons also. But as I have no control over that, I keep a cheat sheet handy and am happy to share what I know. I think maybe the full-size editor should come with all formatting as an additional tool bar. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737/8 "2022-02-20T22:12:42Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > But as I have no control over that, Wait, you’re a moderator. . . you **control _all_**! Tripler Who would we ask? @codinghorror? ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737/9 "2022-03-09T18:57:17Z")
You can type the tags using backtick like so `` ``` You can type the tags using backtick like so `` ``` See [Markdown Reference](https://commonmark.org/help) for more. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737/10 "2022-03-09T19:02:07Z")
Excellent, Thank you. As an example: `
 Holds extra spaces ` at start of line.

```
Holds extra spaces at start of line.
```

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737/11 "2022-03-09T21:59:04Z")




There are plugins that add more buttons. I have looked into trying to find a way to make a plugin run as userscript (i.e. locally on each users machine) but to no avail. (I don’t really get how to handle modules with userscripts, other than converting them to straight JS. Plus there’s code I’d need to import that I can’t seem to find.)

I did design the code for a working underline button (which can be easily modified with any tag or markup). But I’ve not yet found the optimal way to put the button into the box. Discourse uses a framework which loads pages differently, making it where traditional JavaScript techniques don’t work.

That said, I do think I could figure it out. I did figure out how to modify the preferences page to add new options. I’ve just not been able to work on my userscript since before Christmas, due to personal stuff.

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737/12 "2022-03-09T22:02:39Z")




@codinghorror Is there by any chance a way to detect when the post text box is activated, so I could easily inject the buttons at that point? YouTube helpfully fires events when it adds things to a page.

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**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2022, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-underline-spoiler-etc-formatting-blocks-in-the-posting-dialog/959737/13 "2022-03-10T19:35:23Z")




Ah, I’m not sure. I’d suggest searching on [https://meta.discourse.org](https://meta.discourse.org) to see if any topics on that exist, or general docs.