Template:·/doc
This is a documentation subpage for Template:·. It may contain usage information, categories and other content that is not part of the original template page. |
This is the bold middot template, it looks like this: " · ".
It works similarly to the html+wiki markup sequence " '''·'''
". That is, a non-breaking space, a bolded middot and a normal space.
{{dot}} and {{middot}} redirect here and can be used as alternative names for this template.
This template is usually used for dotted lists, such as for link lists in navigation boxes. (For lists that have a font-size 80% or less of normal font-size, the bold middot "·" becomes too small. Then use the bullet "•" instead.)
This template is used when you want something smaller than a bullet "•", ndash "–" or mdash "—".
Normal usage
The recommended usage is to use no space before the template, a space can be used after the template, like this:
[[Salt]]{{·}}[[Pepper]]
Or like this:
[[Salt]]{{·}} [[Pepper]]
It will render one space on each side of the dot, like this:
If it line breaks then the line break will come after the dot, not before, like this:
For long dotted lists each list item can be put on its own line, with no spaces between each item and the template. Like this:
[[Salt]]{{·}} [[Pepper]]{{·}} [[Curry]]{{·}} [[Saffron]]
(It doesn't matter if there are no or some spaces at the end of the lines, after the templates.)
As before it will render one space on each side of the dots, like this:
And if it line breaks then the line break will come after one of the dots, not before, like this:
When using the template to separate words in italics (typically lists of artworks in navboxes), put it within the italics to display with proper spacing on both sides. Compare:
''[[Salt]]''{{·}} ''[[Pepper]]'' ''[[Salt]]{{·}} [[Pepper]]''
(This also improves code brevity and clarity.)
Usage issues
Putting one or more spaces before the template will cause it to render differently, like these examples:
[[Salt]] {{·}}[[Pepper]] [[Salt]] {{·}}[[Pepper]] [[Salt]] {{·}} [[Pepper]] [[Salt]] {{·}} [[Pepper]]
Then it will render with two spaces before the dot, and one after, like this:
And if it line breaks it might break before the dot, like this:
Alternatively an
can be added before and after the template to create extra padding around the middot.
Technical details
The space before the dot is a non-breaking space. That means it will not line break and will not collapse together with normal spaces that come before the template.
The space after the dot is a normal space. That means it wraps (allows line breaks) and it will collapse together with normal spaces that come after the template to form one single space.
Under some circumstances Mozilla Firefox gets some display problems, with the content occasionally sticking out of the (nav)box's right edge. A way to fix such problems is to use {{nowrap begin}} and its helper templates. (The exact nature of this problem is still under investigation.)
Dot size reference list
· | <small> middot |
· | middot |
· | <small> bold middot |
· | bold middot |
• | <small> bullet |
• | bullet |
• | bold bullet |
– | ndash |
— | mdash |
See also
There are several other templates with similar functionality:
- {{•}} - Bullet "•" is mostly used for dotted lists that use small font sizes.
- {{ndash}} - Ndash "–" is a short dash.
- {{mdash}} - Mdash "—" is a long dash.
When making dotted lists you might need to handle proper word wrapping (line breaking):
- Template:Tn - Prevents wraps inside links and only allows wraps between the links and in normal text, very useful for link lists and easy to use.
- Template:Tn - Prevents wraps in both text and links. For the really tricky wrapping cases when you need full control, for instance in very complex long link lists.