SirRandomage at 15:37, 10 May 2010

2010-05-10T15:37:48Z

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	This is the '''bold middot''' template, it looks like this: " '''·''' ".		This is the '''bold middot''' template, it looks like this: " '''·''' ".

SirRandomage: new

2010-05-10T15:36:53Z

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{{Documentation subpage}}

{{shortcut|Template:Dot|Template:Middot}}
__NOTOC__
This is the '''bold middot''' template, it looks like this: " '''·''' ".

It works similarly to the html+wiki markup sequence "<code>'''&nbsp;<nowiki>'''&middot;'''</nowiki>''' </code>". That is, a [[non-breaking space]], a bolded middot and a normal space.

{{tl|dot}} and {{tl|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 [[Template:•|bullet]] "•" instead.)

This template is used when you want something smaller than a [[Template:•|bullet]] "•", [[Template:Ndash|ndash]] "–" or [[Template:Mdash|mdash]] "—".

=== Normal usage ===

The recommended usage is to use ''no'' space before the template and one space after the template, like this:

<nowiki>[[Salt]]{{·}} [[Pepper]]</nowiki>

The template can also be used with no space after it, but then the code does not wrap in the edit window thus making editing harder. Like this:

<nowiki>[[Salt]]{{·}}[[Pepper]]</nowiki>

Both examples will render one space on each side of the dot, like this:
:[[Salt]] '''·''' [[Pepper]]

If it line breaks then the line break will come ''after'' the dot, not before, like this:
:[[Salt]] '''·'''
:[[Pepper]]

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:
<pre><nowiki>
[[Salt]]{{·}}
[[Pepper]]{{·}}
[[Curry]]{{·}}
[[Saffron]]</nowiki></pre>

(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:
:[[Salt]] '''·''' [[Pepper]] '''·''' [[Curry]] '''·''' [[Saffron]]

And if it line breaks then the line break will come ''after'' one of the dots, not before, like this:
:[[Salt]] '''·''' [[Pepper]] '''·'''
:[[Curry]] '''·''' [[Saffron]]

When using the template to separate words in italics (typically lists of artworks in [[Template:navbox|navboxes]]), put it ''within the italics'' to display with proper spacing on both sides. Compare:

<nowiki>''[[Salt]]''{{·}} ''[[Pepper]]''</nowiki>
<nowiki>''[[Salt]]{{·}} [[Pepper]]''</nowiki>


<div style="font-size:90%">
:''[[Salt]]''{{·}} ''[[Pepper]]''
:''[[Salt]]{{·}} [[Pepper]]''
</div>

(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:
<nowiki>[[Salt]] {{·}}[[Pepper]]</nowiki>
<nowiki>[[Salt]] {{·}}[[Pepper]]</nowiki>
<nowiki>[[Salt]] {{·}} [[Pepper]]</nowiki>
<nowiki>[[Salt]] {{·}} [[Pepper]]</nowiki>

Then it will render with ''two'' spaces before the dot, and one after, like this:
:[[Salt]]  '''·''' [[Pepper]]

And if it line breaks it might break ''before'' the dot, like this:
:[[Salt]]
:'''·''' [[Pepper]]

Alternatively an <code>&nbsp;</code> 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 dotted link lists misbehave. They might get unexpected line wraps or they might expand outside the box they are enclosed in. The how-to guide [[Wikipedia:Line break handling]] explains when that happens and how to fix it.

=== Dot size reference list ===

{| style="text-align:center; background:transparent;"
| style="width:1.7em;" | <small>·</small>
| align="left" | <small> middot
|-
| ·
| align="left" | middot
|-
| <small>'''·'''</small>
| align="left" | <small> bold middot
|-
| '''·'''
| align="left" | bold middot
|-
| <small>•</small>
| align="left" | <small> bullet
|-
| •
| align="left" | bullet
|-
| '''•'''
| align="left" | bold bullet
|-
| –
| align="left" | ndash
|-
| —
| align="left" | mdash
|}

=== See also ===

There are several other templates with similar functionality:

* {{tn|•}} – Bullet "•" is mostly used for dotted lists that use small font sizes.
* {{tl|ndash}} – Ndash "–" is a short dash.
* {{tl|mdash}} – Mdash "—" is a long dash.
* {{tn|\}} – For the occasional slash "/" in lists.

When making dotted lists you might need to handle proper word wrapping (line breaking):

* {{tl|nowraplinks}} – Prevents wraps inside links and only allows wraps between the links and in normal text, very useful for link lists and easy to use.
* {{tl|nowrap begin}} – Prevents wraps in both text and links. For the really tricky wrapping cases when you need full control, for instance in very complex link lists.
* [[Wikipedia:Line break handling]] – The how-to guide detailing how to handle line wrapping on Wikipedia.

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SirRandomage at 15:37, 10 May 2010

SirRandomage: new