Dictator CMS

Markdown Syntax for Text Formatting

In Dictator, you can format text using either Markdown syntax, or HTML. For ease of use and readability, we strongly recommend using Markdown when possible.

Markdown syntax is a text-formatting standard created by John Gruber. It is widely used on blogging systems, online forums, and content management systems. It has been implemented in Dictator to simplify text formatting, and is preferable to using HTML tags to format your text. Use of Markdown is completely optional in Dictator and it can be turned off from each page’s settings tab. However, we recommend using it throughout your site if possible.

You can learn everything there is to know about Markdown syntax in less than 10 minutes. Below is a short overview of Markdown syntax covering the items that you are most likely to use in Dictator.

Italic Text

*text surrounded by one asterisk becomes italic*

Bold Text

**text surrounded by two asterisks becomes bold**

Making Links

Make links like this: [link text](url)
For example: [Click here for Google](http://www.google.com)
Would look like this: Click here for Google

Making Links in a New Window

Note that this technique is specific to Dictator CMS and is not officially part of the Markdown standard. In Dictaor, your link will open in a new window if you simply add a plus sign to the end of it.

For example: [Click here for Google](http://www.google.com)+
Works like this: Click here for Google

Bulleted Lists

To make bulleted lists, put a dash before each bullet item, for example, typing this:

 - Bulleted list item 1  
 - Bulleted list item 2   
 - Bulleted list item 3

Becomes this:

Have a bulleted list with another level of items? Just insert four or more spaces before the dash, for example:

 - Bulleted list item 1
      - Sub item 1
      - Sub item 2
      - Sub item 3
 - Bulleted list item 2
 - Bulleted list item 3

Becomes this:

Numbered Lists

If you start a line with a number and a period, Markdown assumes you are making a numbered list, for example:

1. Numbered list item 1
2. Numbered list item 2
3. Numbered list item 3

Becomes this:

  1. Numbered list item 1
  2. Numbered list item 2
  3. Numbered list item 3

Markdown keeps it’s own count, so even if you accidently type the wrong number, Markdown will correct it.

One problem you may run into is Markdown assuming you want to make a numbered list when you don’t. If you don’t want to make a numbered list, but you are starting a line with a number followed by a period, you should do it in one of these two ways:

1\. The slash tells Markdown to ignore this (but it will remove the slash for you)

1) Use something other than a period, like this parenthesis, and Markdown won’t try to make a numbered list.

Hard Returns (be sure to read this)

In regular text (not bulleted lists), Markdown doesn’t automatically insert a linebreak between two consecutive lines unless you put in a hard return (two blank spaces after the line). You don’t need to do this if there is an empty line between paragraphs, but you may find yourself having to do it if you are entering an address or something similar. For example:

Ryan Cramer Design <- put two blank spaces here
1160-E Devon Lane <- and here
Harrisonburg, VA

If you don’t put in two blank spaces, then the line will just print as “Ryan Cramer Design 1160-E Devon Lane Harrisonburg, VA”. For regular body copy consisting of paragraphs and bulleted lists, you do not need to use hard returns.

Headlines

Dictator already has headline fields (so you may not need to read further), but if you want to make your own headlines in the body copy just insert pound signs on the line you want to be a headline, like this:

# This is a BIG headline

## This is a sub-headline

### This is a smaller headline

Of course, the # signs would not appear with the headline, but they are shown here just for demonstration purposes. The actual size of these headlines will be determined by your site’s style sheet.

Horizontal Rule

If you want to put a large horizontal line across the entire line, just enter three or more dashes on their own line, like this:

----------

That line of dashes becomes this:

Block Quotes

Want to offset a quote in your body copy? Simply put a “>” as the first character in the line. You may be used to seeing this character used as identifying a quote in your email program. Here is an example of how to use it:

> “Live long and prosper.” —Spock

Becomes this:

“Live long and prosper.” —Spock

Em-DASH:

Occasionally you may want to use an em-dash “—”, instead of a regular dash (“-” aka the minus sign) in your text. But the only type you can enter from your web browser are regular dashes.

SmartyPants provides a solution. When you type two regular dashes together, i.e. “--”, SmartyPants will automatically convert that to an em-dash. For example:

Without achieving sufficient market scale within short investment horizons--as defined by venture capitalists’ expectations--they would be simply a footnote in history.

Becomes:

Without achieving sufficient market scale within short investment horizons—as defined by venture capitalists’ expectations—they would be simply a footnote in history.

For More Information

Visit John Gruber’s Markdown site—
http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/