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Welcome to the 'GuideML' section of the h2g2 FAQ. This is where you can find information about GuideML, the markup language of the Guide.
If you want to see a complete list of questions answered by the h2g2 FAQ, you can go to the h2g2 FAQ Index at any time.
Contents of this Section
What is GuideML and how can I find out how to use it?
GuideML is the markup language of the Guide, and you can find out all about how to use it at the GuideML Clinic, where you will also find a list of all the tags that GuideML supports.
In a nutshell, GuideML is a tag-based XML system that enables you to change the look of text in an entry, and to change its layout. That's it, really, and if you've ever come across HTML, you'll find it very easy to pick up - indeed, a number of the tags are based on HTML tags in the first place.
We find the easiest way to learn GuideML is to use it, and the GuideML Clinic is a very handy place to check out for tips on usage, known bugs and so on. You might also like to read the Introduction to GuideML.
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How do I create an entry in GuideML?
When you create an entry in the Guide Entry editor, you can choose the type of the entry using the three buttons below the entry edit box. Simply ensure that the entry type is set to GuideML, and that your entry is in the right format (in other words it has the right structure for a GuideML entry, as described here).
You can convert text entries to GuideML by changing the entry type, but please note you still have to ensure the entry body is in correctly-structured GuideML; all this conversion does it to add <GUIDE> and <BODY> tags in the right places.
In Brunel only, GuideML entries come with a handy JavaScript-powered set of buttons for entering common GuideML tags. These work differently depending on which browser you use. Internet Explorer 5 and onwards are the most sophisticated, and will insert the relevant tags either round the selection, or at the caret; other browsers simply insert the tags at the end of the text area; and browsers that don't support JavaScript, or which have it turned off, will not support these buttons.
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How do I put pictures in my GuideML entries?
You can include pictures in GuideML entries by using the <PICTURE> tag.
If you want to use a picture from h2g2's own collection, then you should use the <PICTURE BLOB> version of the tag. You can find a large collection of graphics for your own use here, along with the GuideML you need to use the pictures in your entries.
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Can I upload pictures to h2g2?
Currently you can't upload pictures to h2g2, and can't use off-site pictures either. However, at some stage in the future we do hope to offer some kind of image uploading facility.
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What's 'Approved GuideML'?
Approved GuideML is a specific subset of GuideML that's allowed into the Edited Guide. It's fine for Researchers to use all sorts of flashy and groovy markup tags on their pages, but the Editors have picked a subset that allows them to maintain a grip on the quality in the Edited Guide. Flashing text might be great for fans of psychedelia, but not in the edited section of the Guide. Furthermore, some GuideML tags, like <BOX>, have been 'deprecated' from the Edited Guide, but are still supported by the system; we'll just remove them from entries as they go through the editing system, but feel free to use them in entries that you don't intend to submit to the Peer Review system.
The GuideML Clinic lists the tags that we will allow through our editing process (when used correctly, of course), and the entry on Using Approved GuideML in the Edited Guide explains how to use them in the Edited Guide. If you're looking to write entries for consideration in the Peer Review system, then stick to these tags and these tags only to improve your chances of having something accepted into the Edited Guide.
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What's this 'GuideML parser' I keep hearing about?
The GuideML parser is the software that takes everything that you enter into Guide Entries, Conversation Forums or Journals and displays it, in a different way depending on the skin being used. During this process the parser also does some clever things, like turning :-) into a smiley face in Conversation Forums and Journals.
It also tries to report any GuideML syntax errors so you can fix them.
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Can I include JavaScript in my GuideML entries?
No, you cannot include JavaScript in your entries.
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Can I include HTML in my GuideML entries?
You can include most HTML tags in your GuideML entries, as long as they follow the GuideML syntax rules. For example, to include a horizontal rule in your entries you should use <HR/> instead of <HR>.
The best way to find out whether you can use specific HTML tags in GuideML is to try them out. You can't break anything, after all, and the worst that can happen is that it doesn't work.
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Why doesn't the <LINK> tag work properly with URLs that have & in them?
It is illegal to use standalone ampersands anywhere in GuideML (this applies to all XML languages). Instead of the & you should use & - even in URLs in tags like <LINK HREF>.
The Guide Entry Editor does its best to trap illegal use of ampersands, but stick to the golden rule: anywhere you want an ampersand, write & and you will get one. This is how XML works, because the ampersand is one of the few reserved characters.
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My entry/Personal Space has suddenly become wider than my screen. What has happened?
Your browser tries to resize your page to fit its window by wrapping text. However, if you have included a really long word (such as a URL) in your Journal, or a really long title in a header or box title, then you can make it impossible for the site to resize your page.
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