# POLL: Typographer on or off
**URL:** https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583
**Category:** Site Feedback
**Created:** [December 11, 2019, 8:00pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583 "2019-12-11T20:00:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Cecile](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Cecile)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2019, 8:00pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583/1 "2019-12-11T20:00:40Z")
Typographer is a markdown tool that prettifies text such as —for - - , “ ” for " " and so on.
I turned it off this morning to prevent it to change in the event that someone posts code as regular text instead of using the code block tool.
In case you didn’t notice, it’s the control \ in the editor tool bar.
Should we keep it disabled or should we promote using the code block tool?
`Some code here`
> A quote here
Regular text
_Poll ([view on site](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583/1))_
Thank you
---
### Author:  [@Bobino](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Bobino)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2019, 8:24pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583/2 "2019-12-11T20:24:52Z")
As an FYI, from [https://markdown-it.github.io/](https://markdown-it.github.io/) here is what I can tell typographer impacts:
```auto
## Typographic replacements
(c) (C) (r) (R) (tm) (TM) (p) (P) +-
test.. test... test..... test?..... test!....
!!!!!! ???? ,, -- ---
"Smartypants, double quotes" and 'single quotes'
```
would give the following
> © © ® ® ™ ™ § § ±
>
> test… test… test… test?.. test!..
>
> !!! ??? , – —
>
> “Smartypants, double quotes” and ‘single quotes’
@Cecile correct me if there are other substitutions taking place
I'll let everyone make their own minds and answer the poll.
---
### Author:  [@Bobino](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Bobino)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2019, 8:41pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583/4 "2019-12-11T20:41:17Z")
@Cecile I think in the original post ([Script not parsing valid JSON](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/script-not-parsing-valid-json/582)), the user tried using the \ button, as the
> indent preformatted text by 4 spaces
indicates. Kevin simply did not get what he was expecting out of the button. To some, it is counter-intuitive to insert the content, select it and then click on the button. Many users would expect an opening marker and a closing marker with the cursor set in between, waiting for their input. In that sense, I guess it does require some form of training.
---
### Author:  [@Malcolm](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Malcolm)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2019, 8:41pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583/5 "2019-12-11T20:41:43Z")
I like the tool. I want to keep it.
malcolm
---
### Author:  [@Bobino](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Bobino)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583/6 "2019-12-11T20:43:37Z")
@Malcolm, make sure to cast a vote in the poll and not only add a comment. (You may already have voted, then disregard my reply)
---
### Author:  [@Bobino](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Bobino)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2019, 8:46pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583/7 "2019-12-11T20:46:10Z")
@Malcolm, just checking: you know that there are just a few substitutions it handles and the rest of the markdown is still handled right?
Out of curiosity, when is it you last used it?
---
### Author:  [@Cecile](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Cecile)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583/8 "2019-12-11T20:53:56Z")
User used the **quote** tool: see difference below
> This is done by selecting the whole phrase afterwards and clicking quote
`This is done by selecting the whole phrase afterwards and clicking code`
> This is done by typing the “\>” first and then the text
> note you have to put a “\>” at the beginning of a new phrase following a hard line break
`This is done by typing the ` ` before and after typing code
---
### Author:  [@Bobino](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Bobino)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2019, 9:49pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583/9 "2019-12-11T21:49:11Z")
@Cecile sorry to disagree, the user did not use the quote tool. The text "indent preformatted text by 4 spaces" gets inserted automatically when you are at the beginning of a line, have no selection **and click on the code button**.
If you have something on the same line your cursor is on then it inserts "`Preformatted text`" where that is selected for you to replace the text.
So the user did the first, but left the text there and proceeded to insert his own text below, explaining why that text was not formatted.
---
### Author:  [@Cecile](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Cecile)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2019, 10:53pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583/10 "2019-12-11T22:53:11Z")
Thank you for clarifying. But I am trying what you are saying and it works for me if I tap the tool before starting to type
```
Test one tap
```
Text
```
`Test two taps`
```
Text
```
Even if I deselect, erase or reselect and overwrite, or move the cursor outside the selection
```
`Testing return Inside a pair of diacritics all stays on one line `
Testing returns
Working on my iPhone atm
---
### Author:  [@Bobino](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Bobino)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2019, 3:15pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583/11 "2019-12-12T15:15:37Z")
Yes, if you replace the text it inserts, it will always work. People who see the inserted text as a opening/closing marker won't replace it, they will write under it. That why I say its behavior is not universally understood.
---
### Author:  [@jwilling](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/jwilling)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2019, 8:03am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/poll-typographer-on-or-off/583/12 "2019-12-16T08:03:28Z")
I say leave it off. Em dashes and smart quotes are incredible nuisances that only cause pain in developer forums.
Leaving off makes the editor more forgiving, which is a net win.