How do you get those nice one line down returns when you post?

July 4, 2006 1:15 AM

How do you get those nice one line down returns when you post?
(I tried HTML, didn't see it in the FAQ. WTF am I doing wrong?)
posted by Smedleyman to MetaFilter-Related at 1:15 AM (15 comments total)

I'm

not

sure

what

you're

talking

about

posted by puke & cry at 1:37 AM on July 4, 2006

usually you can just type <br> at the end of a line
and not actually start a new line in the compose box
and you'll get a single carriage return
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:40 AM on July 4, 2006

Just skip lines

when

you're

entering

text.

Or use

blockquote for that y2karl effect.

posted by puke & cry at 1:43 AM on July 4, 2006

Ironic question, given that I just finished (good-naturedly) poking you with a stick for your consistently oddball paragraphing in comments.

I've never tried to do a line break in a post to the front page, I don't think, but <br />, as jessamyn says, is probably your friend in that situation, if simply pressing the ENTER key doesn't do it for you.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:53 AM on July 4, 2006

what jessamyn said. I use that all the time and it works.

I just finished (good-naturedly) poking you with a stick for your consistently oddball

take it to the blue!!!
posted by matteo at 2:00 AM on July 4, 2006

'K I'll just try the br thing. Yeah, Enter doesn't do it for me. (Don't get me started on this computer)
posted by Smedleyman at 2:08 AM on July 4, 2006

The trick is to omit typing enter at all.

So you type "check this<br>out" and you should get

check this
out
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 2:14 AM on July 4, 2006

This should get my head
out of my rear end.
Say...it works! Thanks!
posted by Smedleyman at 2:21 AM on July 4, 2006

N e x t

W e e k :

A

T u t o r i a l

o n

k e r n i n g.
posted by Smart Dalek at 4:56 AM on July 4, 2006

Why do you need paragraph breaks in front page posts? Your first example is an atrocious waste of space on the front page; I wish one of the mods would fix it.
posted by mediareport at 6:20 AM on July 4, 2006

Actually, Smedleyman, it appears you put two br's after every line, so you got two breaks instead of one. I went in and edited the post to remove one.

The front page posting box ignores carriage returns and it does that purposely, since I don't think vertical front page space should be taken up unless you have a good reason to do it (and then, you should know HTML to make it happen).
posted by mathowie (staff) at 6:42 AM on July 4, 2006

you should know HTML to make it happen

Thus keeping the magic in the hands of a select few.
posted by timeistight at 8:33 AM on July 4, 2006

HTML is a dark and unattainable mystery.

HTML is secret sauce.

Robert Johnson had to give his soul to the devil to learn HTML.
posted by cortex at 9:04 AM on July 4, 2006

Press Shift+Enter. A Word 2.0 trick.
posted by punilux at 1:49 PM on July 4, 2006

Yeah, stavrosthewonderchicken, it's like trying to guide a sled down a tsunami for me. It's a poor workman that blames his tools, but, y'know, since computer-wise I am a poor workman, who additionally has poor tools, that old saw only insults me so much.
posted by Smedleyman at 2:13 PM on July 5, 2006