The <ENTITY> tag allows you insert numerical character entities - such as π - which are illegal in GuideML. It can also be used to enter textual character entities, but it's easier simply to use entities like π rather than the more long-winded <ENTITY TYPE="pi"/>.

Syntax and Usage

<ENTITY TYPE="...type..."/>

This will insert an entity into your article. The ...type... should be the part of an entity that comes after the & but before the semi-colon - all the tag does is to add an ampersand to the start of the argument, and a semi-colon to the end.

Known Issues

Some browsers don't display all entities properly, so before blaming GuideML, check that your browser isn't at fault. Netscape 4.73 on a Mac, for example, can't display the pi symbol properly if it's given as a textual entity π, but displays it fine if it's a numerical entity π. However the latter is illegal in GuideML, so if you want to make sure the pi symbol displays properly in Netscape, you should use <ENTITY TYPE="#960"/> instead of <ENTITY TYPE="pi"/> or π, even though both of these are perfectly legal.

Example One

The copyright symbol is ©.

Example Two

The copyright symbol is ©.

Example Three

The copyright symbol is ©.

Further Information

• The GuideML Clinic
• Special Character Codes in GuideML and HTML