This is the "slash" template, which produces " / ", i.e. anon-breaking space followed by a(forward-)slash character. It is most often used to indicate alternatives within a (horizontal) list of items, such as:
- item 1
- item 2
- item 3a / 3b / 3c
- item 4
- item 5
- (etc)
The template is named using thebackslash character (" \ ") asslashes cannot be used in page names.
Usage
To maintain good linewrapping, there should be no space between the template and whatever precedes it. There's also no need to include a space after the template, although doing so should not affect its function.
[[Salt]]{{\}}[[Black pepper|Pepper]] ...produces... Salt / Pepper
If linewrapping (i.e. aline-break) is required, the template ensures it occursafter the slash, not before:
- Salt /
- Pepper
For long slashed lists, each list item can be put on its own line with no spaces between each item and the template, like this:
[[Salt]]{{\}}[[Black pepper|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 slashes, like this:
- Salt /Pepper /Curry /Saffron
Also, if it line breaks, then the line break will comeafter one of the slashes, not before, like this:
- Salt /Pepper /
- Curry /Saffron
Incorrect usage
If the template is used slightly wrong, it will, in some cases, still behave well. For instance, if there are zero or several spaces after the template, like these examples:
[[Salt]]{{\}}[[Black pepper|Pepper]][[Salt]]{{\}} [[Black pepper|Pepper]]Both of them will render exactly as before, with just one space on each side of the slash, like this:
- Salt /Pepper
And it will still only line breakafter the slash, like this:
- Salt /
- Pepper
However, putting one or more spaces before the template will cause problems, like these examples:
[[Salt]] {{\}}[[Black pepper|Pepper]][[Salt]] {{\}}[[Black pepper|Pepper]][[Salt]] {{\}} [[Black pepper|Pepper]][[Salt]] {{\}} [[Black pepper|Pepper]]Then, it will render withtwo spaces before the slash and one after, like this:
- Salt /Pepper
Also, if it line breaks, it might breakbefore the slash, like this:
- Salt
- /Pepper
Technical details
The space before the slash is anon-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 slash 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, slashed 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
- Other templates using non-breaking spaces to format inline presentation:
{{·}} or{{dot}}, the "boldmiddot" template (producing " ·") formerly used to create horizontal lists.{{•}} or{{bullet}}, used to produce the Unicode-style bullet character.{{spaced en dash}}, primarily used in the same way as this "slash" template to produce linewrap-friendly textual asides and/or emphasized phrases.
- WP:HLIST, which addresses horizontal lists on Wikipedia.
- {{flatlist}}, a template that can be used to create horizontal ("flat") lists.
Wrap control templates
- When making dotted lists, you might need to handle proper word wrapping (line breaking):
- {{nowraplinks}} to prevent wraps inside links and only allows wraps between the links and in normal text, very useful for link lists and easy to use.
- {{nowrap begin}}...{{nowrap end}} to prevent wraps in both text and links. For the really tricky wrapping cases when you need full control, for instance in very complex link lists.
- For further information, seeWikipedia:Line-break handling, the how-to guide detailing how to handle line wrapping at Wikipedia.
Dot and dash size reference list
| Output | HTML effect name | Code to use |
| · | small middot | {{small|·}} |
| · | middot | '''·''' |
| · | small bold middot | {{small|'''·'''}} |
| · | bold middot | '''·'''
or <b>·</b> |
| • | small bullet | {{small|•}}
or {{small|{{bull}}}} |
| • | bullet | •
or {{bull}} |
| • | bold bullet | '''•'''
or '''{{bull}}'''
or <b>{{bull}}</b> |
| – | ndash | – |
| — | mdash | — |
