Using the Content Editor

Ledger uses CKEditor for creating and editing knowledge base articles and forum posts. This guide explains how to use the editor's formatting tools effectively.

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Basic Formatting

Headings

Click the "Heading" dropdown to create section headers. Use headings to organize your content into clear sections. Headings appear larger and bolder than regular text.

Bold and Italic

• Click Bold or press Ctrl+B to make text bold
• Click Italic or press Ctrl+I to make text italic
• Use bold for emphasis and italic for subtle highlighting

Lists

• Bulleted List: Creates unordered lists with bullet points (like this one)
• Numbered List: Creates ordered lists with numbers (1, 2, 3...)

Click the list button, type your first item, then press Enter to create additional items. Press Enter twice to exit the list.

Links

1. Select the text you want to link
2. Click the Link button
3. Paste or type the URL
4. Click Save

Links appear underlined and clickable. Use descriptive link text like "read the installation guide" rather than "click here."

Horizontal Lines

Click the Horizontal Line button to insert a dividing line across the page. Use these sparingly to separate major sections or create visual breaks.

Quotes

Select text and click the Block Quote button to format it as a quoted section. Block quotes appear indented with special formatting. Use these for:

• Quoting other sources
• Highlighting important notes
• Drawing attention to specific information

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Working with Code

The editor includes tools for displaying code, which is essential for technical documentation.

Inline Code

Use the Code button (looks like <>) to format short code snippets within sentences. For example: "Edit the config.php file" or "Use the $conn variable."

Code Blocks

For longer code examples:

1. Click the Code Block button
2. Select the programming language from the dropdown
3. Paste or type your code

Available languages:

• HTML - For markup and templates
• JavaScript - For client-side scripts
• CSS - For styles and design
• PHP - For server-side code
• Plain text - For generic text or configuration files

Code blocks preserve formatting, indentation, and line breaks. They also apply syntax highlighting based on the selected language, making code easier to read.

Example code block usage:

If you're documenting a PHP function, select "PHP" as the language. If you're showing database queries, "Plain text" works well. Choose the language that matches your content.

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Undo and Redo

• Undo: Reverses your last action (Ctrl+Z)
• Redo: Restores what you just undid (Ctrl+Y)

These buttons let you experiment without worry - you can always step backward if something doesn't look right.

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Best Practices

Structure your content:

• Start with a clear heading
• Break content into sections with subheadings
• Use lists to organize steps or related items
• Add horizontal lines between major sections if needed

Format code properly:

• Always use Code Block for multi-line code examples
• Select the correct language for syntax highlighting
• Use Inline Code for variable names, file names, and short commands within text

Keep it clean:

• Don't overuse bold or italic - reserve them for actual emphasis
• Use one list type consistently within a section
• Add line breaks between paragraphs for readability
• Preview your content before saving

Links and references:

• Link to related articles rather than duplicating content
• Use descriptive link text that explains where the link goes
• Test your links after saving to ensure they work

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Common Issues

Formatting disappears when pasting

If you paste content from Word or other editors, the formatting might not transfer correctly. Use the editor's formatting tools to reapply styles after pasting, or paste as plain text first.

Code formatting looks wrong

Make sure you've selected the correct language in the Code Block dropdown. Different languages have different syntax highlighting rules.

Lists won't indent properly

The editor supports single-level lists only. If you need nested lists, use multiple separate lists with text explaining the relationship.

Links don't work

Ensure you're including the full URL including https:// at the start. Relative links (like /page) may not work as expected.

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Support

Issues or question visit the Usage and Questions forum.

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