Using the Quote Function

[gregc]

Paul of Covington

I highlight first, then hit the Add Quote.

sometimes this doesn't include all of the selected text and the end {/quote}

[Murphy Siding]

tree68

A lot of folks seem to have trouble using the quote function here on the forum.  This can make it hard to separate the original post from the reply.

By and large it appears the problem is that folks don't realize where the end of the material they are quoting actually is.

So, here's the hint, if you will.

If you quote a post (or a portion thereof) it will show up in the box where you are writing your reply.  You need to scroll all the way to the bottom and locate the closing "tag."  That tag will look like this:  {/quote} except that instead of {} will be [].  

You can start your reply after the ending tag (all ending tags start with a slash).

The forum software adds a number of blank lines after the last line of your quoted material.  This is what gets people into trouble.  I generally delete all the blank lines so the ending tag (/quote) is right at the end of the quoted material.  Then I add my reply.

Added value:  If you want to reply separately to each of a number of sections of a post, you can add quote and /quote tags numerous times.  Just make sure you add them in pairs.

I sometimes copy the opening quote tag, which includes the information about the original poster, then use that as the opening quote tag for each section.

So, a proper quote will look like the following before you hit the post button.  I'll again use curved brackets instead of square.

{quote}This is the line you are quoting from another post.{/quote}

And here is your reply.

This will look like this:

 

This is the line you are quoting from another post.

 

 

And here is your reply.

I realize that not everyone is a command line commando, but this simple fix will help reduce the confusion that occurs when someone's reply ends up within the material they quoted.  Sometimes it's not even at the end, but rather in the middle of the quoted post.

Feel free to use a portion of this post for quoting (highlight a line or two, then click on the "quote" button) and add a simple reply to see it first hand.

 

     It took forever and a lot of coaching from other members to teach me how to quote things. I still screw up about 1 in 10 and have to go back and fix them.

[tree68]

Paul of Covington

Looks like I'm not the only insomniac wandering the forums.

Actually, I was "checking in" after getting home from volunteering at the local PBS station.  At that hour I'm normally fast asleep...

[tree68]

Mookie

Are we on the same page?

You're on exactly the right page - start after the second quote indicator...

[Euclid]

It used to be that when you selected a part, or all, of the post you are replying to; and clicked "Add Quote nto your Post"; the quoted text would fully appear in the post composition box; and your cursor would be parked at the end of that quoted text.  Then you just type your reply without a need to relocate the cursor, and the reply naturally follows the quote and is desplayed as distinct from the quote when you post.

However, now, at times, when you select the portion of the post you are replying to and "Add Quote to you Post", only the cursor appears in the composition box.  As I recall, the word quote in quote brackets also appears with the cursor; just above the cursor; so it appears to be the normal function; except the quoted text is not displayed.  

So, it is natural to assume that your cursor is sitting below the quote and ready for your new text, just as it normally is. 

But actually the cursor is parked after the first quote marker rather than after the last quote marker.  So it is parked inside of the quoted text.  But you cannot recognize that because the quote is not shown in the composition box.

This has happened to me several times lately, and I only discovered it after making the post and seeing the whole thing displayed.  So I had to go back and edit it to correct the quote structure.

There was a time when I had concluded that this was happening only when I selected a portion of the text I was replying to for a quote.  So I got into the habbit of always selection the entire text, and then deleteing the parts I did not want to quote as it was displayed in the composition box.  This always avoid the problem, but it is probably due to the fact that you see the entire quote in the composition box, and where your cursor is located before you being the reply.

So I conclude that this quote behavior is due to the system radomly misplacing the cursor when quoted material appears in the post compostion box.

[BaltACD]

Normally, I will write my response. Move my cursor to the top of my response and then hit the QUOTE button to bring in the material I am responding to.

The forum software adds lines to quoted items when they are brought into the new resulting post.  I normally go back and delete the added lines to make the entire post more readable. 

[Paul of Covington]

Mookie

I just click on add quote, highlight what I want to quote and then start writing after the 2nd quote indicator. Then I do a post preview and if it looks ok - post it. Are we on the same page?

   I highlight first, then hit the Add Quote.

   I remembered the preview function from many years ago and thought we had lost it, so I was going to ask you about it, but I started checking the icons and found it.   Who'd a thunk it would be a magnifying glass?   It's always been a problem with me when it comes to computers that I seem to be iconically illiterate.   All those little pictures just don't mean anything to me.

   Looks like I'm not the only insomniac wandering the forums.

[Mookie]

ChuckCobleigh

some folks are quite adept at this, some not so much so, but it really is pretty easy.

I'm confused.  I just click on add quote, highlight what I want to quote and then start writing after the 2nd quote indicator.  Then I do a post preview and if it looks ok - post it.  Are we on the same page?

[ChuckCobleigh]

tree68

You can start your reply after the ending tag (all ending tags start with a slash).

The forum software should put the cursor in the post body box at the end of the endquote tag.  At least it does that for me.

tree68

Added value:  If you want to reply separately to each of a number of sections of a post, you can add quote and /quote tags numerous times.  Just make sure you add them in pairs.

If you select a particular part of the post you're replying to and click the "Add Quote to your Post" box, that part will be added as a separate quote with the cursor after the endquote tag.  That can be repeated as necessary, but make sure the cursor is where you want that quote inserted, I guess, because that's where the quote will be placed.

As Larry notes, some folks are quite adept at this, some not so much so, but it really is pretty easy.

[Paul of Covington]

   I wonder if part of the problem is that the Reply box is so small.   I might be a little paranoid, but I always start by going to the bottom right corner and stretching the box WAY down to be sure I see it all.

[tree68]

A lot of folks seem to have trouble using the quote function here on the forum.  This can make it hard to separate the original post from the reply.

By and large it appears the problem is that folks don't realize where the end of the material they are quoting actually is.

So, here's the hint, if you will.

If you quote a post (or a portion thereof) it will show up in the box where you are writing your reply.  You need to scroll all the way to the bottom and locate the closing "tag."  That tag will look like this:  {/quote} except that instead of {} will be [].  

You can start your reply after the ending tag (all ending tags start with a slash).

The forum software adds a number of blank lines after the last line of your quoted material.  This is what gets people into trouble.  I generally delete all the blank lines so the ending tag (/quote) is right at the end of the quoted material.  Then I add my reply.

Added value:  If you want to reply separately to each of a number of sections of a post, you can add quote and /quote tags numerous times.  Just make sure you add them in pairs.

I sometimes copy the opening quote tag, which includes the information about the original poster, then use that as the opening quote tag for each section.

So, a proper quote will look like the following before you hit the post button.  I'll again use curved brackets instead of square.

{quote}This is the line you are quoting from another post.{/quote}

And here is your reply.

This will look like this:

This is the line you are quoting from another post.

And here is your reply.

I realize that not everyone is a command line commando, but this simple fix will help reduce the confusion that occurs when someone's reply ends up within the material they quoted.  Sometimes it's not even at the end, but rather in the middle of the quoted post.

Feel free to use a portion of this post for quoting (highlight a line or two, then click on the "quote" button) and add a simple reply to see it first hand.