HTML Level 1 and 2 Manual

Home | Element Index | Forms | Screens & Colours | GIFs | Layout | Compatibility

Element Index > Text Blocks

<PRE> Element

Category: Text Blocks
Period: HTML 2.0
Status: core

Description

Preserves spaces and line breaks in preformatted text.

Syntax

<PRE>
fixed spacing
</PRE>

Attributes

WIDTH was recognised for expected line width in some material.

Usage Guidelines

• Use PRE for code samples, plain tables, logs and diagrams.
• Keep lines under about 72-80 characters for small screens.
• Escape literal less-than signs as &lt; in code examples.
• Do not use PRE for ordinary prose.

Common Mistakes

• Long PRE lines cause horizontal scrolling or ugly wrapping.
• A literal </PRE> inside a sample must be escaped.

Example Code

<PRE>
Name       Size
index.htm  4K
manual.htm 9K
</PRE>

Authoring Note

Write the document first, then test it in a graphical browser and a text browser. The page should remain understandable if images fail, colours are ignored, or the browser uses its own fonts.

Top | Home | All Elements