Convention for Rich Text Formatting
The method is simple and easy to learn. A vertical bar or pipe is used to define the beginning and end of the text you wish to format. The pipe is a computer keyboard key ( | ) consisting of two vertical lines, one above the other which may look like a full vertical line. The symbol is commonly found on the same keyboard key as the back slash key. The following are guidelines for applying formatting to text:
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Rich Text Formatting
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Start Format
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End Format
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Bold
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|b (start bold)
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||b (end bold)
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Italics
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|i (start italics)
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||i (end italics)
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Underline
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|u (start underline)
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||u (end underline
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Superscript
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|+ (start superscript)
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||+ (end superscript)
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Subscript
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|- (start subscript)
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||- (end subscript)
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A single pipe followed by the applicable code defines the start of formatting; a double pipe followed by the applicable code defines the end of formatting.
Example 1: Bold an author in a string
String: Rucker JC, Hamilton SR, Bardenstein D, Isada CM
Format using the pipe: Rucker JC, |bHamilton SR||b, Bardenstein D, Isada CM
Result: Rucker JC, Hamilton SR, Bardenstein D, Isada CM
Example 2: Enter a superscript
String: Stable Isotope5N
Format using the pipe: Stable Isotope |+5||+N
Result: Stable Isotope5N
To apply more than one formatting feature to text, string along a pipe and code, followed by the next pipe and code, etc., to start formatting. To end formatting, string along a double pipe and code for each formatting feature.
Example 3: Bold and underline a journal title
Journal Title: JAMA
Format using multiple pipes: |u|bJAMA||u||b
Result: JAMA
Important: If the user does not end Rich Text Formatting, it will continue to subsequent records.
