A ReStructuredText Primer=========================:Author: Richard Jones:Version: $Revision: 1.17 $:Copyright: This document has been placed in the public domain... contents::The text below contains links that look like "(quickref__)". Theseare relative links that point to the `Quick reStructuredText`_ userreference. If these links don't work, please refer to the `masterquick reference`_ document.__.. _Quick reStructuredText: quickref.html.. _master quick reference: http://docutils.sourceforge.net/docs/user/rst/quickref.htmlStructure---------From the outset, let me say that "Structured Text" is probably a bitof a misnomer. It's more like "Relaxed Text" that uses certainconsistent patterns. These patterns are interpreted by a HTMLconverter to produce "Very Structured Text" that can be used by a webbrowser.The most basic pattern recognised is a **paragraph** (quickref__).That's a chunk of text that is separated by blank lines (one isenough). Paragraphs must have the same indentation -- that is, lineup at their left edge. Paragraphs that start indented will result inindented quote paragraphs. For example:: This is a paragraph. It's quite short. This paragraph will result in an indented block of text, typically used for quoting other text. This is another one.Results in: This is a paragraph. It's quite short. This paragraph will result in an indented block of text, typically used for quoting other text. This is another one.__ quickref.html#paragraphsText styles-----------(quickref__)__ quickref.html#inline-markupInside paragraphs and other bodies of text, you may additionally marktext for *italics* with "``*italics*``" or **bold** with"``**bold**``".If you want something to appear as a fixed-space literal, use"````double back-quotes````". Note that no further fiddling is doneinside the double back-quotes -- so asterisks "``*``" etc. are leftalone.If you find that you want to use one of the "special" characters intext, it will generally be OK -- reStructuredText is pretty smart.For example, this * asterisk is handled just fine. If you actuallywant text \*surrounded by asterisks* to **not** be italicised, thenyou need to indicate that the asterisk is not special. You do this byplacing a backslash just before it, like so "``\*``" (quickref__), orby enclosing it in double back-quotes (inline literals), like this:: ``\*``__ quickref.html#escapingLists-----Lists of items come in three main flavours: **enumerated**,**bulleted** and **definitions**. In all list cases, you may have asmany paragraphs, sublists, etc. as you want, as long as the left-handside of the paragraph or whatever aligns with the first line of textin the list item.Lists must always start a new paragraph -- that is, they must appearafter a blank line.**enumerated** lists (numbers, letters or roman numerals; quickref__) __ quickref.html#enumerated-lists Start a line off with a number or letter followed by a period ".", right bracket ")" or surrounded by brackets "( )" -- whatever you're comfortable with. All of the following forms are recognised:: 1. numbers A. upper-case letters and it goes over many lines with two paragraphs and all! a. lower-case letters 3. with a sub-list starting at a different number 4. make sure the numbers are in the correct sequence though! I. upper-case roman numerals i. lower-case roman numerals (1) numbers again 1) and again Results in (note: the different enumerated list styles are not always supported by every web browser, so you may not get the full effect here): 1. numbers A. upper-case letters and it goes over many lines with two paragraphs and all! a. lower-case letters 3. with a sub-list starting at a different number 4. make sure the numbers are in the correct sequence though! I. upper-case roman numerals i. lower-case roman numerals (1) numbers again 1) and again**bulleted** lists (quickref__) __ quickref.html#bullet-lists Just like enumerated lists, start the line off with a bullet point character - either "-", "+" or "*":: * a bullet point using "*" - a sub-list using "-" + yet another sub-list - another item Results in: * a bullet point using "*" - a sub-list using "-" + yet another sub-list - another item**definition** lists (quickref__) __ quickref.html#definition-lists Unlike the other two, the definition lists consist of a term, and the definition of that term. The format of a definition list is:: what Definition lists associate a term with a definition. *how* The term is a one-line phrase, and the definition is one or more paragraphs or body elements, indented relative to the term. Blank lines are not allowed between term and definition. Results in: what Definition lists associate a term with a definition. *how* The term is a one-line phrase, and the definition is one or more paragraphs or body elements, indented relative to the term. Blank lines are not allowed between term and definition.Preformatting (code samples)----------------------------(quickref__)__ quickref.html#literal-blocksTo just include a chunk of preformatted, never-to-be-fiddled-withtext, finish the prior paragraph with "``::``". The preformattedblock is finished when the text falls back to the same indentationlevel as a paragraph prior to the preformatted block. For example:: An example:: Whitespace, newlines, blank lines, and all kinds of markup (like *this* or \this) is preserved by literal blocks. Lookie here, I've dropped an indentation level (but not far enough) no more exampleResults in: An example:: Whitespace, newlines, blank lines, and all kinds of markup (like *this* or \this) is preserved by literal blocks. Lookie here, I've dropped an indentation level (but not far enough) no more exampleNote that if a paragraph consists only of "``::``", then it's removedfrom the output:: :: This is preformatted text, and the last "::" paragraph is removedResults in::: This is preformatted text, and the last "::" paragraph is removedSections--------(quickref__)__ quickref.html#section-structureTo break longer text up into sections, you use **section headers**.These are a single line of text (one or more words) with adornment: anunderline alone, or an underline and an overline together, in dashes"``-----``", equals "``======``", tildes "``~~~~~~``" or any of thenon-alphanumeric characters ``= - ` : ' " ~ ^ _ * + # < >`` that youfeel comfortable with. An underline-only adornment is distinct froman overline-and-underline adornment using the same character. Theunderline/overline must be at least as long as the title text. Beconsistent, since all sections marked with the same adornment styleare deemed to be at the same level:: Chapter 1 Title =============== Section 1.1 Title ----------------- Subsection 1.1.1 Title ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Section 1.2 Title ----------------- Chapter 2 Title ===============This results in the following structure, illustrated by simplifiedpseudo-XML:: <section> <title> Chapter 1 Title <section> <title> Section 1.1 Title <section> <title> Subsection 1.1.1 Title <section> <title> Section 1.2 Title <section> <title> Chapter 2 Title(Pseudo-XML uses indentation for nesting and has no end-tags. It'snot possible to show actual processed output, as in the otherexamples, because sections cannot exist inside block quotes. For aconcrete example, compare the section structure of this document'ssource text and processed output.)Note that section headers are available as link targets, just usingtheir name. To link to the Lists_ heading, I write "``Lists_``". Ifthe heading has a space in it like `text styles`_, we need to quotethe heading "```text styles`_``".Document Title / Subtitle`````````````````````````The title of the whole document is distinct from section titles andmay be formatted somewhat differently (e.g. the HTML writer by defaultshows it as a centered heading).To indicate the document title in reStructuredText, use a unique adornmentstyle at the beginning of the document. To indicate the document subtitle,use another unique adornment style immediately after the document title. Forexample:: ================ Document Title ================ ---------- Subtitle ---------- Section Title ============= ...Note that "Document Title" and "Section Title" above both use equalssigns, but are distict and unrelated styles. The text ofoverline-and-underlined titles (but not underlined-only) may be insetfor aesthetics.Images------(quickref__)__ quickref.html#directivesTo include an image in your document, you use the the ``image`` directive__.For example:: .. image:: images/biohazard.pngresults in:.. image:: images/biohazard.pngThe ``images/biohazard.png`` part indicates the filename of the imageyou wish to appear in the document. There's no restriction placed onthe image (format, size etc). If the image is to appear in HTML andyou wish to supply additional information, you may:: .. image:: images/biohazard.png :height: 100 :width: 200 :scale: 50 :alt: alternate textSee the full `image directive documentation`__ for more info.__ ../../ref/rst/directives.html__ ../../ref/rst/directives.html#imagesWhat Next?----------This primer introduces the most common features of reStructuredText,but there are a lot more to explore. The `Quick reStructuredText`_user reference is a good place to go next. For complete details, the`reStructuredText Markup Specification`_ is the place to go [#]_.Users who have questions or need assistance with Docutils orreStructuredText should `post a message`_ to the `Docutils-Usersmailing list`_. The `Docutils project web site`_ has moreinformation... [#] If that relative link doesn't work, try the master document: http://docutils.sourceforge.net/docs/ref/rst/restructuredtext.html... _reStructuredText Markup Specification: ../../ref/rst/restructuredtext.html.. _post a message: mailto:docutils-users@lists.sourceforge.net.. _Docutils-Users mailing list: http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/docutils-users.. _Docutils project web site: http://docutils.sourceforge.net/