h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi, Bossel:

I know it's against the law to panic at this site , but.....
Under "First-time writers" in your "A view from a scout," you said:

"Pointing out too many typos in one go, asking to use GuideML,
using too few smileys, demanding more research, forgetting to
point out that it's basically okay, - the list of things which drive off a
first-time writer is a long one."

What is GuideML? None of the other websites that I've visited
have ever mentioned it, nor has knowledge of it been required.
I guess I'm willing to learn new things, but I wonde rhow long
it would take to learn it?

(Hoping that this finds you well )

All the best, Paul

(P.S. I will resist the urge to panic, because I'm
all out of Xanax)

Hi Paul

* sneaking over into personal space ... *

* long answer following *

GuideML is the Guide's own Markup Language, and essentially a HTML derivative (or subset, in parts). People who already know HTML will find it easier to use (because it's kind of a subset).

GuideML is being parsed and converted into HTML when a page is requested. Hence GuideML can use powerful Macro-like thingies and gadgets. For example, the tag in GuideML will be converted into some two lines of HTML tags with font attribute changes and whatnot. That's precisely what makes GuideML easier to use, and less prone to errors.

For a straightforward entry, no more than the following GuideML tags will be needed:

(embracing the whole thing)

..., ..., Paragraph, and *perhaps* the unordered (bullet) list, UL:


Item 1
Item 2


That's all you need. Compare that to the efforts you have to make in HTML in order to get the same appearance (provided you are familiar with it).

Anyway, you can have text mode entry/entries go into the Guide, no problem with that!

There's a whole bunch of manuals and help files centering around this place: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/GuideML-Clinic

Don't panic


Bossel

Aaah, forgot the 'learning by example' piece!

You can see how other researchers made up their entries and copy&paste the structure

Choose an entry (say, http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A584246 , the entry where this conversation is located. To see the GuideML behind it, just
- take out the 'A' from the A584246
- insert 'test' in its place:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/test584246

Of course you'll see some more than the basic tags mentioned above because there's a picture and a table and some boldface etc in it.


The 'test' feature works somewhat different for personal spaces:
- take out the 'U' from the U-number, eg, U132240 (which happens to be mine
- insert 'testuserpage' in its place:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/testuserpage132240


copy & paste as you like

Bossel