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<p class="note">'''Please refer to [[Page_notes#Formatting text|these notes]] before editing this page.'''</p>
When writing text in Moodle there are several formats you can choose to produce your text.


Formatting text can refer to the electronic typesetting of characters or the layout of a content area. The HTML editor has tools that can assist you with both.  Please refer to the [[HTML editor]] page for more information about each of the tools. 
==Formatting text options==


Most people will format text using the HTML editor in the non HTML code mode ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WYSIWYG WYSIWYG]).  The HTML editor has many common word processing tools and thus is familiar.  Here are a few that are the most basic.
By default, the [[Text editor]] is available for all text areas in Moodle and the format is automatically set to HTML format.


==Font family, size, format style==
However, if the setting 'When editing text' in ''Settings > My profile settings > Edit profile'' is set to 'Use standard web forms', then various format options are available in a dropdown menu below the text area.


Select the format by using the pulldown menu which is part of the [[HTML editor]] tool, located below the area where you enter text.
[[File:Format dropdown.png]]
[[File:HTML_editor_group_font_style.png|thumb|center| The basic font, size format group]]
<gallery caption="Showing partial pulldown menus" >
File:HTML editor font family.PNG|Font family
File:HTML editor font size.PNG|Font size
File:HTML editor format.PNG|Format style
</gallery>


:''Tip:'' Remember that different browsers may produce different looking formats of the same content area in Moodle.
==HTML format==
 
When writing HTML in Moodle, you are free to use almost any HTML tags you like to produce the effect you want.
 
Note that scripting (eg Javascript or VB Script) is not allowed, and will be removed automatically.
 
Your code will normally be printed on the page within a table cell, so:


==Format styles==
* There is no need to use any <HEAD> or <BODY> tags
*Paragraph
* Be careful about unmatched </TABLE> tags that may mess up the display.
*Address format
*Preformatted format
*Headings


==HTML editor auto-format==
Anything starting with www. or http:// will automatically be turned into a clickable link, for example [http://www.moodle.org www.moodle.org] (assuming the [[Convert URLs into links filter]] is enabled by an administrator).
When you save your text, the HTML editor may automatically apply special formats to your text. For example it may convert <nowiki>http://moodle.org</nowiki> to a hyperlink, if the site has[[Convert URLs into links]] turned on.


Smiley characters such as :-) will automatically become their graphical equivalents in Moodle 1.x. Since Moodle 2.0, the administrator has to enable [[Display emoticons as images]] filter.
This format assumes the text is pure HTML. If you are using the text editor to edit text then this is the default format - all the commands in the toolbar are producing HTML for you.


As with most word processors, using the enter key to insert a blank line, will automatically start a new paragraph.
Even if you are not using the text editor, you can use HTML code in your text and it should come out exactly as you intended.


Many hot keys are available, instead of using the icon on the tool bar. For example, block text so it is highlighted and pressing Ctrl+b will change the text to''' bold'''. Put your mouse pointer over an icon, without clicking, on the HTML editor to discover the description and the hot key for that function.
==Moodle auto-format==
 
This format is best for when you are using normal web forms for entry (instead of using the text editor). Just type text normally, as if you were sending an email.
 
When you save your text, Moodle will do a number of things to automatically format your text for you.
 
As for HTML format, websites will automatically be turned into a clickable link (assuming the [[Convert URLs into links filter]] is enabled by an administrator).
 
Smiley characters such as :-) will automatically become their graphical equivalents (assuming the [[Display emoticons as images filter]] is enabled by an administrator).
 
[[Image:Smilies.png]]
 
Your line breaks will be retained, and blank lines will start new paragraphs.
 
You can even embed HTML code if you want to and it will be retained.


==HTML format==
[[Image:Html tags.png]]
[[Image:Html tags.png]]
Some users are comfortable in formatting directly in HTML code.  The HTML editor allows this option.  Novice users can use this option to see how the HTML editor


* There is no need to use any <HEAD> or <BODY> tags
==Plain text format==
* Visual Basic and other codes may not work. Please see [[JavaScripts]] and [[Multimedia plugins]] for more information about inserting these into the content area.
 
This format is useful when you need to include lots of code or HTML that you want to be displayed exactly as you wrote it.
 
It still translates spaces and new lines, but otherwise your text isn't touched.
 
==Markdown text format==
 
[[Markdown]] format tries to make it easy as possible to type well-formatted XHTML pages using nothing but text written more or less like you would write an email.
 
It's very good for writing clean text pages with some headings and some lists but without many links or images. It is an excellent choice when accessibility of the generated page is important.
 
An unordered list may be created with asterisks (*).


For complete syntax description, see: http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax Moodle 1.6 has extended features called Markdown Extra: for ''additional'' features see http://www.michelf.com/projects/php-markdown/extra/


==Tips and Tricks==
==Tips and Tricks==
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If that doesn't work you can try installing a UTF-8 Unicode font from: http://titus.fkidg1.uni-frankfurt.de/unicode/tituut.asp. (This has at least helped XP users that weren't seeing stars in the ratings.)
If that doesn't work you can try installing a UTF-8 Unicode font from: http://titus.fkidg1.uni-frankfurt.de/unicode/tituut.asp. (This has at least helped XP users that weren't seeing stars in the ratings.)


[[Category:Teacher]]
[[de:Text formatieren]]
 
[[de:Formatierung]]

Latest revision as of 19:48, 27 January 2012

When writing text in Moodle there are several formats you can choose to produce your text.

Formatting text options

By default, the Text editor is available for all text areas in Moodle and the format is automatically set to HTML format.

However, if the setting 'When editing text' in Settings > My profile settings > Edit profile is set to 'Use standard web forms', then various format options are available in a dropdown menu below the text area.

Format dropdown.png

HTML format

When writing HTML in Moodle, you are free to use almost any HTML tags you like to produce the effect you want.

Note that scripting (eg Javascript or VB Script) is not allowed, and will be removed automatically.

Your code will normally be printed on the page within a table cell, so:

  • There is no need to use any <HEAD> or <BODY> tags
  • Be careful about unmatched tags that may mess up the display.

Anything starting with www. or http:// will automatically be turned into a clickable link, for example www.moodle.org (assuming the Convert URLs into links filter is enabled by an administrator).

This format assumes the text is pure HTML. If you are using the text editor to edit text then this is the default format - all the commands in the toolbar are producing HTML for you.

Even if you are not using the text editor, you can use HTML code in your text and it should come out exactly as you intended.

Moodle auto-format

This format is best for when you are using normal web forms for entry (instead of using the text editor). Just type text normally, as if you were sending an email.

When you save your text, Moodle will do a number of things to automatically format your text for you.

As for HTML format, websites will automatically be turned into a clickable link (assuming the Convert URLs into links filter is enabled by an administrator).

Smiley characters such as :-) will automatically become their graphical equivalents (assuming the Display emoticons as images filter is enabled by an administrator).

Smilies.png

Your line breaks will be retained, and blank lines will start new paragraphs.

You can even embed HTML code if you want to and it will be retained.

Html tags.png

Plain text format

This format is useful when you need to include lots of code or HTML that you want to be displayed exactly as you wrote it.

It still translates spaces and new lines, but otherwise your text isn't touched.

Markdown text format

Markdown format tries to make it easy as possible to type well-formatted XHTML pages using nothing but text written more or less like you would write an email.

It's very good for writing clean text pages with some headings and some lists but without many links or images. It is an excellent choice when accessibility of the generated page is important.

An unordered list may be created with asterisks (*).

For complete syntax description, see: http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax Moodle 1.6 has extended features called Markdown Extra: for additional features see http://www.michelf.com/projects/php-markdown/extra/

Tips and Tricks

  • Wrong Characters Showing - If some users do not see the same characters or figures, have them check their browser settings for their character settings. At Moodle.org, the recommended default character decoding set is UTF-8. On a Firefox browser, this can be found in Tools>Options>Fonts & colors>advanced>default character decoding pull down menu.

If that doesn't work you can try installing a UTF-8 Unicode font from: http://titus.fkidg1.uni-frankfurt.de/unicode/tituut.asp. (This has at least helped XP users that weren't seeing stars in the ratings.)