2.14 Other Elements

Level 0

The Paragraph element indicates a paragraph. The exact indentation, leading, etc. of a paragraph is not defined and may be a function of other tags, style sheets, etc.

Typically, paragraphs are surrounded by a vertical space of one line or half a line. This is typically not the case within the Address element and or is never the case within the Preformatted Text element. With some HTML user agents, the first line in a paragraph is indented.

Example of use:

<H1>This Heading Precedes the Paragraph</H1>
<P>This is the text of the first paragraph.
<P>This is the text of the second paragraph. Although you
do not need to start paragraphs on new lines, maintaining
this convention facilitates document maintenance.
<P>This is the text of a third paragraph.

Level 0

The Preformatted Text element presents blocks of text in fixed-width font, and so is suitable for text that has been formatted on screen.

The <PRE> tag may be used with the optional WIDTH attribute, which is a Level 1 feature. The WIDTH attribute specifies the maximum number of characters for a line and allows the HTML user agent to select a suitable font and indentation. If the WIDTH attribute is not present, a width of 80 characters is assumed. Where the WIDTH attribute is supported, widths of 40, 80 and 132 characters should be presented optimally, with other widths being rounded up.

Within preformatted text:

• Line breaks within the text are rendered as a move to the beginning of the next line.

• The <P> tag should not be used. If found, it should be rendered as a move to the beginning of the next line.

• Anchor elements and character highlighting elements may be used.

• Elements that define paragraph formatting (headings, address, etc.) must not be used.

• The ASCII horizontal tab character must be interpreted as the smallest positive nonzero number of spaces which will leave the number of characters so far on the line as a multiple of 8. Its use is not recommended however.

NOTE: References to the "beginning of a new line" do not imply that the renderer is forbidden from using a constant left indent for rendering preformatted text. The left indent may be constrained by the width required.

<PRE WIDTH="80">
This is an example line.
</PRE>

NOTE: Within a Preformatted Text element, the constraint that the rendering must be on a fixed horizontal character pitch may limit or prevent the ability of the HTML user agent to render highlighting elements specially.

Level 0

The Line Break element specifies that a new line must be started at the given point. A new line indents the same as that of line-wrapped text.

Example of use:

<P>
Pease porridge hot<BR>
Pease porridge cold<BR>
Pease porridge in the pot<BR>
Nine days old.

Level 0

A Horizontal Rule element is a divider between sections of text such as a full width horizontal rule or equivalent graphic.

Example of use:

<HR>
<ADDRESS>, CERN</ADDRESS>
</BODY>