This is the template documentation page for Template:•.

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This is the bullet template; it looks like this: " • "... also known as {{bull}} for those of us who know searching for graphics dots is slow and painful. (Letters, however, are easy to find on ALL KEYBOARDS)

It works similarly to the html markup sequence " • ". That is, a non-breaking space, a bullet and a normal space.

{{bull}} and {{bullet}} redirect here and can be used as alternative names for this template.

This template is used when you want a bigger bullet than a bold middot "·", but something smaller than a ndash "–" or mdash "—". For instance for dotted lists that have a font-size 80% or less of normal font-size, since then bold middot "·" becomes too small.

Normal usage

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

[[Salt]]{{•}} [[Pepper]]

It will render one space on each side of the bullet, like this:

SaltPepper

If it line breaks then the line break will come after the bullet, 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:

 [[Salt]]{{•}}
 [[Pepper]]{{•}}
 [[Curry]]{{•}}
 [[Saffron]]

(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 bullets, like this:

SaltPepperCurrySaffron

And if it line breaks then the line break will come after one of the bullets, not before, like this:

SaltPepper
CurrySaffron

Incorrect usage

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If the template is used slightly wrong it will in some cases still behave well. For instance if there are no or several spaces after the template. Like these examples:

[[Salt]]{{•}}[[Pepper]]
[[Salt]]{{•}}   [[Pepper]]

Both of them will render exactly as before, with just one space on each side of the bullet, like this:

SaltPepper

And it will still only line break after the bullet, like this:

Salt
Pepper

But putting one or more spaces before the template will cause problems, like these examples:

[[Salt]] {{•}}[[Pepper]]
[[Salt]]   {{•}}[[Pepper]]
[[Salt]] {{•}} [[Pepper]]
[[Salt]]   {{•}}   [[Pepper]]

Then it will render with two spaces before the bullet, and one after, like this:

Salt  • Pepper

And if it line breaks it might break before the bullet, like this:

Salt
 • Pepper

Technical details

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The space before the bullet 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 bullet 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.


See also

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There are several other templates with similar stream formatting purposes and such (or related) functionality:

  • {{·}} – Bold middot ["·"] (·): is mostly used for dotted lists.
  • {{}}{{••}} / {{bull}}{{bull2}}: are used for bullet separated lists.
  • {{-•}} - {{-bull}}: Creates a line break, bullet and non-breaking space. Equivalent to the HTML markup: <br/>&bull;&nbsp;.
  • {{ndash}} – Ndash "–" is a short dash.
  • {{mdash}} – Mdash "—" is a long dash.
  • {{\}} – For the occasional slash "/" in lists.* {{••}}/{{bull2}}/{{bullet2}} – The same kind of bullet but it "sticks" before a list item, instead of after a list item. It's useful in navigation lists so the links are prefixed by an attached bullet when wrapping occurs, instead of creating lines with hanging bullets at the lines ends, and the next lines beginning sans a lead bullet.
  • {{ibull}} && Wrap control templates follow next below.
Template:Ibull(More details and templates in See also details section below.)

Template:Usage div

  • {{ibull}} combines the subsidiary subordinate indentation of {{indent}} template (the {{I}} short form) and the {{Bull}} template. The effect of {{Ibull}} is shown below by example in the usage lines beginning with:

    {{ibull|2}} {{tl|nowraplinks}} – Prevents ... and also {{ibull}} {{tl|nowrap begin}} – Prevents wraps in both text...

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

See also details

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  • {{}} –creates the the html markup sequence ["&nbsp;&bull; "] (Note the plain 'regular' space and the non-break spaces on the flanks of both sides.)Template:Ibull(aka {{bull}})
  • {{••}} – This {{••}}/{{bull2}} template is similar to {{•}} but reverses the order of "&nbsp;" with the corresponding 'regular space' on either side of the bullet (•), so wraps at any given lines end with list data a bit differently.Template:Ibull(aka {{bull2}})
  • {{-}} –Use {{-}} after any floating elements and before elements you do not wish to float together with the first set. Template:Ibull(aka: ["<br clear="all" />"])
  • {{bullist}} – builds a bullet separated list, similar to a Comma separated list, but with delimiters as bullet characters flanked by spaces— one non-breaking space and one normal regular (soft) space.
  • {{ibull}} – an adaptation of {{I}}+{{bull}}: Gives upto twelve monospace cast spaces followed by a bullet and space. Template:IbullDefault effect is seen above in the lines incorporating "(aka: ..." phrasing, and this line which incorporates a non-default space prefixed stream.

  • Dot size reference list

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    Out
    put
    HTML effect name How-to
    (Code to impliment)
    ·

    <small> middot
     
    <small>&middot;</small>
    ·
    middot
     
    '''&middot;'''
    ·
    <small> bold middot
    <small>'''&middot;'''</small>
    Out
    put
    HTML effect name How-to
    (Code to impliment)
    · bold middot '''&middot;''' or
    <b> &middot; </b>

     

       <small> bullet
     
    <small>&bull;</small> or
    <small> {{bull}} </small>
    bullet &bull; or
    {{bull}}
    Out
    put
    HTML effect name How-to
    (Code to impliment)
    bold bullet '''&bull;''' or
    '''{{bull}}''' or <b>{{bull}}</b> etc.

      ndash
     
    &ndash;

      mdash
     
    &mdash;