> > I'm attempting to preview an not-yet-posted message here, that
> > contains a ZTree command that uses a pair of "greater-than" and
> > "lesser-than" characters.
> > However, the ZTree forum software treats that as an HTML command,
> > and hides it.
>
> No, the forum software doesn't treat it at all, and then the
> browser treats it as HTML. The forum software only processes it
> when trying to extract the text for a reply -- and will most likely
> mess that up.
You're right -- the "hiding" is done by the browser(s).
>
> > How can I format a "visible" html-like character string in a
> > message?
> >
> > I tried using the ( pre ... /pre ) preformatted text codes, but
> > it doesn't work.
OK, it seems that a 'space' must be added after each < and before each > , or the browser will "eat" that entire HTML element, or anything else that's between the first < , and the last >.
All I wanted to do was display (a hypothetical ZTree Search-and-Replace string) "U_I" between < and > characters -- but my browser(s) won't do that, even when I properly enclose the "pseudo-HTML" element between the < pre > and < /pre > tags.
U_I without < > ................... < pre >U_I< /pre >
U_I with < > ......................... < pre >< /pre >
U_I with < > (and spaces) ...... < pre >< U_I >< /pre >
In fact, if the spaces are not added, a single tag like this -- < pre > --, won't even display.
..