% Pandoc User's Guide % John MacFarlane % January 27, 2012 Synopsis ======== pandoc [*options*] [*input-file*]... Description =========== Pandoc is a [Haskell] library for converting from one markup format to another, and a command-line tool that uses this library. It can read [markdown] and (subsets of) [Textile], [reStructuredText], [HTML], [LaTeX], and [DocBook XML]; and it can write plain text, [markdown], [reStructuredText], [XHTML], [HTML 5], [LaTeX] (including [beamer] slide shows), [ConTeXt], [RTF], [DocBook XML], [OpenDocument XML], [ODT], [Word docx], [GNU Texinfo], [MediaWiki markup], [EPUB], [Textile], [groff man] pages, [Emacs Org-Mode], [AsciiDoc], and [Slidy], [Slideous], [DZSlides], or [S5] HTML slide shows. It can also produce [PDF] output on systems where LaTeX is installed. Pandoc's enhanced version of markdown includes syntax for footnotes, tables, flexible ordered lists, definition lists, delimited code blocks, superscript, subscript, strikeout, title blocks, automatic tables of contents, embedded LaTeX math, citations, and markdown inside HTML block elements. (These enhancements, described below under [Pandoc's markdown](#pandocs-markdown), can be disabled using the `--strict` option.) In contrast to most existing tools for converting markdown to HTML, which use regex substitutions, Pandoc has a modular design: it consists of a set of readers, which parse text in a given format and produce a native representation of the document, and a set of writers, which convert this native representation into a target format. Thus, adding an input or output format requires only adding a reader or writer. Using `pandoc` -------------- If no *input-file* is specified, input is read from *stdin*. Otherwise, the *input-files* are concatenated (with a blank line between each) and used as input. Output goes to *stdout* by default (though output to *stdout* is disabled for the `odt`, `docx`, and `epub` output formats). For output to a file, use the `-o` option: pandoc -o output.html input.txt Instead of a file, an absolute URI may be given. In this case pandoc will fetch the content using HTTP: pandoc -f html -t markdown http://www.fsf.org If multiple input files are given, `pandoc` will concatenate them all (with blank lines between them) before parsing. The format of the input and output can be specified explicitly using command-line options. The input format can be specified using the `-r/--read` or `-f/--from` options, the output format using the `-w/--write` or `-t/--to` options. Thus, to convert `hello.txt` from markdown to LaTeX, you could type: pandoc -f markdown -t latex hello.txt To convert `hello.html` from html to markdown: pandoc -f html -t markdown hello.html Supported output formats are listed below under the `-t/--to` option. Supported input formats are listed below under the `-f/--from` option. Note that the `rst`, `textile`, `latex`, and `html` readers are not complete; there are some constructs that they do not parse. If the input or output format is not specified explicitly, `pandoc` will attempt to guess it from the extensions of the input and output filenames. Thus, for example, pandoc -o hello.tex hello.txt will convert `hello.txt` from markdown to LaTeX. If no output file is specified (so that output goes to *stdout*), or if the output file's extension is unknown, the output format will default to HTML. If no input file is specified (so that input comes from *stdin*), or if the input files' extensions are unknown, the input format will be assumed to be markdown unless explicitly specified. Pandoc uses the UTF-8 character encoding for both input and output. If your local character encoding is not UTF-8, you should pipe input and output through `iconv`: iconv -t utf-8 input.txt | pandoc | iconv -f utf-8 Creating a PDF -------------- Earlier versions of pandoc came with a program, `markdown2pdf`, that used pandoc and pdflatex to produce a PDF. This is no longer needed, since `pandoc` can now produce `pdf` output itself. To produce a PDF, simply specify an output file with a `.pdf` extension. Pandoc will create a latex file and use pdflatex (or another engine, see `--latex-engine`) to convert it to PDF: pandoc test.txt -o test.pdf Production of a PDF requires that a LaTeX engine be installed (see `--latex-engine`, below), and assumes that the following LaTeX packages are available: `amssymb`, `amsmath`, `ifxetex`, `ifluatex`, `listings` (if the `--listings` option is used), `fancyvrb`, `enumerate`, `ctable`, `url`, `graphicx`, `hyperref`, `ulem`, `babel` (if the `lang` variable is set), `fontspec` (if `xelatex` or `lualatex` is used as the LaTeX engine), `xltxtra` and `xunicode` (if `xelatex` is used). `hsmarkdown` ------------ A user who wants a drop-in replacement for `Markdown.pl` may create a symbolic link to the `pandoc` executable called `hsmarkdown`. When invoked under the name `hsmarkdown`, `pandoc` will behave as if the `--strict` flag had been selected, and no command-line options will be recognized. However, this approach does not work under Cygwin, due to problems with its simulation of symbolic links. [Cygwin]: http://www.cygwin.com/ [`iconv`]: http://www.gnu.org/software/libiconv/ [CTAN]: http://www.ctan.org "Comprehensive TeX Archive Network" [TeX Live]: http://www.tug.org/texlive/ [MacTeX]: http://www.tug.org/mactex/ Options ======= General options --------------- `-f` *FORMAT*, `-r` *FORMAT*, `--from=`*FORMAT*, `--read=`*FORMAT* : Specify input format. *FORMAT* can be `native` (native Haskell), `json` (JSON version of native AST), `markdown` (markdown), `textile` (Textile), `rst` (reStructuredText), `html` (HTML), `docbook` (DocBook XML), or `latex` (LaTeX). If `+lhs` is appended to `markdown`, `rst`, `latex`, the input will be treated as literate Haskell source: see [Literate Haskell support](#literate-haskell-support), below. `-t` *FORMAT*, `-w` *FORMAT*, `--to=`*FORMAT*, `--write=`*FORMAT* : Specify output format. *FORMAT* can be `native` (native Haskell), `json` (JSON version of native AST), `plain` (plain text), `markdown` (markdown), `rst` (reStructuredText), `html` (XHTML 1), `html5` (HTML 5), `latex` (LaTeX), `beamer` (LaTeX beamer slide show), `context` (ConTeXt), `man` (groff man), `mediawiki` (MediaWiki markup), `textile` (Textile), `org` (Emacs Org-Mode), `texinfo` (GNU Texinfo), `docbook` (DocBook XML), `opendocument` (OpenDocument XML), `odt` (OpenOffice text document), `docx` (Word docx), `epub` (EPUB book), `asciidoc` (AsciiDoc), `slidy` (Slidy HTML and javascript slide show), `slideous` (Slideous HTML and javascript slide show), `dzslides` (HTML5 + javascript slide show), `s5` (S5 HTML and javascript slide show), or `rtf` (rich text format). Note that `odt` and `epub` output will not be directed to *stdout*; an output filename must be specified using the `-o/--output` option. If `+lhs` is appended to `markdown`, `rst`, `latex`, `beamer`, `html`, or `html5`, the output will be rendered as literate Haskell source: see [Literate Haskell support](#literate-haskell-support), below. `-o` *FILE*, `--output=`*FILE* : Write output to *FILE* instead of *stdout*. If *FILE* is `-`, output will go to *stdout*. (Exception: if the output format is `odt`, `docx`, or `epub`, output to stdout is disabled.) `--data-dir=`*DIRECTORY* : Specify the user data directory to search for pandoc data files. If this option is not specified, the default user data directory will be used: $HOME/.pandoc in unix and C:\Documents And Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\pandoc in Windows. A `reference.odt`, `reference.docx`, `default.csl`, `epub.css`, `templates`, `slidy`, `slideous`, or `s5` directory placed in this directory will override pandoc's normal defaults. `-v`, `--version` : Print version. `-h`, `--help` : Show usage message. Reader options -------------- `--strict` : Use strict markdown syntax, with no pandoc extensions or variants. When the input format is HTML, this means that constructs that have no equivalents in standard markdown (e.g. definition lists or strikeout text) will be parsed as raw HTML. `-R`, `--parse-raw` : Parse untranslatable HTML codes and LaTeX environments as raw HTML or LaTeX, instead of ignoring them. Affects only HTML and LaTeX input. Raw HTML can be printed in markdown, reStructuredText, HTML, Slidy, Slideous, DZSlides, and S5 output; raw LaTeX can be printed in markdown, reStructuredText, LaTeX, and ConTeXt output. The default is for the readers to omit untranslatable HTML codes and LaTeX environments. (The LaTeX reader does pass through untranslatable LaTeX *commands*, even if `-R` is not specified.) `-S`, `--smart` : Produce typographically correct output, converting straight quotes to curly quotes, `---` to em-dashes, `--` to en-dashes, and `...` to ellipses. Nonbreaking spaces are inserted after certain abbreviations, such as "Mr." (Note: This option is significant only when the input format is `markdown` or `textile`. It is selected automatically when the input format is `textile` or the output format is `latex` or `context`, unless `--no-tex-ligatures` is used.) `--old-dashes` : Selects the pandoc <= 1.8.2.1 behavior for parsing smart dashes: `-` before a numeral is an en-dash, and `--` is an em-dash. This option is selected automatically for `textile` input. `--base-header-level=`*NUMBER* : Specify the base level for headers (defaults to 1). `--indented-code-classes=`*CLASSES* : Specify classes to use for indented code blocks--for example, `perl,numberLines` or `haskell`. Multiple classes may be separated by spaces or commas. `--normalize` : Normalize the document after reading: merge adjacent `Str` or `Emph` elements, for example, and remove repeated `Space`s. `-p`, `--preserve-tabs` : Preserve tabs instead of converting them to spaces (the default). Note that this will only affect tabs in literal code spans and code blocks; tabs in regular text will be treated as spaces. `--tab-stop=`*NUMBER* : Specify the number of spaces per tab (default is 4). General writer options ---------------------- `-s`, `--standalone` : Produce output with an appropriate header and footer (e.g. a standalone HTML, LaTeX, or RTF file, not a fragment). This option is set automatically for `pdf`, `epub`, `docx`, and `odt` output. `--template=`*FILE* : Use *FILE* as a custom template for the generated document. Implies `--standalone`. See [Templates](#templates) below for a description of template syntax. If no extension is specified, an extension corresponding to the writer will be added, so that `--template=special` looks for `special.html` for HTML output. If the template is not found, pandoc will search for it in the user data directory (see `--data-dir`). If this option is not used, a default template appropriate for the output format will be used (see `-D/--print-default-template`). `-V` *KEY[=VAL]*, `--variable=`*KEY[:VAL]* : Set the template variable *KEY* to the value *VAL* when rendering the document in standalone mode. This is generally only useful when the `--template` option is used to specify a custom template, since pandoc automatically sets the variables used in the default templates. If no *VAL* is specified, the key will be given the value `true`. `-D` *FORMAT*, `--print-default-template=`*FORMAT* : Print the default template for an output *FORMAT*. (See `-t` for a list of possible *FORMAT*s.) `--no-wrap` : Disable text wrapping in output. By default, text is wrapped appropriately for the output format. `--columns`=*NUMBER* : Specify length of lines in characters (for text wrapping). `--toc`, `--table-of-contents` : Include an automatically generated table of contents (or, in the case of `latex`, `context`, and `rst`, an instruction to create one) in the output document. This option has no effect on `man`, `docbook`, `slidy`, `slideous`, or `s5` output. `--no-highlight` : Disables syntax highlighting for code blocks and inlines, even when a language attribute is given. `--highlight-style`=*STYLE* : Specifies the coloring style to be used in highlighted source code. Options are `pygments` (the default), `kate`, `monochrome`, `espresso`, `zenburn`, `haddock`, and `tango`. `-H` *FILE*, `--include-in-header=`*FILE* : Include contents of *FILE*, verbatim, at the end of the header. This can be used, for example, to include special CSS or javascript in HTML documents. This option can be used repeatedly to include multiple files in the header. They will be included in the order specified. Implies `--standalone`. `-B` *FILE*, `--include-before-body=`*FILE* : Include contents of *FILE*, verbatim, at the beginning of the document body (e.g. after the `
` tag in HTML, or the `\begin{document}` command in LaTeX). This can be used to include navigation bars or banners in HTML documents. This option can be used repeatedly to include multiple files. They will be included in the order specified. Implies `--standalone`. `-A` *FILE*, `--include-after-body=`*FILE* : Include contents of *FILE*, verbatim, at the end of the document body (before the `` tag in HTML, or the `\end{document}` command in LaTeX). This option can be be used repeatedly to include multiple files. They will be included in the order specified. Implies `--standalone`. Options affecting specific writers ---------------------------------- `--self-contained` : Produce a standalone HTML file with no external dependencies, using `data:` URIs to incorporate the contents of linked scripts, stylesheets, images, and videos. The resulting file should be "self-contained," in the sense that it needs no external files and no net access to be displayed properly by a browser. This option works only with HTML output formats, including `html`, `html5`, `html+lhs`, `html5+lhs`, `s5`, `slidy`, `slideous`, and `dzslides`. Scripts, images, and stylesheets at absolute URLs will be downloaded; those at relative URLs will be sought first relative to the working directory, then relative to the user data directory (see `--data-dir`), and finally relative to pandoc's default data directory. `--offline` : Deprecated synonym for `--self-contained`. `-5`, `--html5` : Produce HTML5 instead of HTML4. This option has no effect for writers other than `html`. (*Deprecated:* Use the `html5` output format instead.) `--ascii` : Use only ascii characters in output. Currently supported only for HTML output (which uses numerical entities instead of UTF-8 when this option is selected). `--reference-links` : Use reference-style links, rather than inline links, in writing markdown or reStructuredText. By default inline links are used. `--atx-headers` : Use ATX style headers in markdown output. The default is to use setext-style headers for levels 1-2, and then ATX headers. `--chapters` : Treat top-level headers as chapters in LaTeX, ConTeXt, and DocBook output. When the LaTeX template uses the report, book, or memoir class, this option is implied. If `--beamer` is used, top-level headers will become `\part{..}`. `-N`, `--number-sections` : Number section headings in LaTeX, ConTeXt, or HTML output. By default, sections are not numbered. `--no-tex-ligatures` : Do not convert quotation marks, apostrophes, and dashes to the TeX ligatures when writing LaTeX or ConTeXt. Instead, just use literal unicode characters. This is needed for using advanced OpenType features with XeLaTeX and LuaLaTeX. Note: normally `--smart` is selected automatically for LaTeX and ConTeXt output, but it must be specified explicitly if `--no-tex-ligatures` is selected. If you use literal curly quotes, dashes, and ellipses in your source, then you may want to use `--no-tex-ligatures` without `--smart`. `--listings` : Use listings package for LaTeX code blocks `-i`, `--incremental` : Make list items in slide shows display incrementally (one by one). The default is for lists to be displayed all at once. `--slide-level`=*NUMBER* : Specifies that headers with the specified level create slides (for `beamer`, `s5`, `slidy`, `slideous`, `dzslides`). Headers above this level in the hierarchy are used to divide the slide show into sections; headers below this level create subheads within a slide. The default is to set the slide level based on the contents of the document; see [Structuring the slide show](#structuring-the-slide-show), below. `--section-divs` : Wrap sections in `
...
A shortcut form can also be used for specifying the language of
the code block:
```haskell
qsort [] = []
```
This is equivalent to:
``` {.haskell}
qsort [] = []
```
To prevent all highlighting, use the `--no-highlight` flag.
To set the highlighting style, use `--highlight-style`.
Lists
-----
### Bullet lists ###
A bullet list is a list of bulleted list items. A bulleted list
item begins with a bullet (`*`, `+`, or `-`). Here is a simple
example:
* one
* two
* three
This will produce a "compact" list. If you want a "loose" list, in which
each item is formatted as a paragraph, put spaces between the items:
* one
* two
* three
The bullets need not be flush with the left margin; they may be
indented one, two, or three spaces. The bullet must be followed
by whitespace.
List items look best if subsequent lines are flush with the first
line (after the bullet):
* here is my first
list item.
* and my second.
But markdown also allows a "lazy" format:
* here is my first
list item.
* and my second.
### The four-space rule ###
A list item may contain multiple paragraphs and other block-level
content. However, subsequent paragraphs must be preceded by a blank line
and indented four spaces or a tab. The list will look better if the first
paragraph is aligned with the rest:
* First paragraph.
Continued.
* Second paragraph. With a code block, which must be indented
eight spaces:
{ code }
List items may include other lists. In this case the preceding blank
line is optional. The nested list must be indented four spaces or
one tab:
* fruits
+ apples
- macintosh
- red delicious
+ pears
+ peaches
* vegetables
+ brocolli
+ chard
As noted above, markdown allows you to write list items "lazily," instead of
indenting continuation lines. However, if there are multiple paragraphs or
other blocks in a list item, the first line of each must be indented.
+ A lazy, lazy, list
item.
+ Another one; this looks
bad but is legal.
Second paragraph of second
list item.
**Note:** Although the four-space rule for continuation paragraphs
comes from the official [markdown syntax guide], the reference implementation,
`Markdown.pl`, does not follow it. So pandoc will give different results than
`Markdown.pl` when authors have indented continuation paragraphs fewer than
four spaces.
The [markdown syntax guide] is not explicit whether the four-space
rule applies to *all* block-level content in a list item; it only
mentions paragraphs and code blocks. But it implies that the rule
applies to all block-level content (including nested lists), and
pandoc interprets it that way.
[markdown syntax guide]:
http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax#list
### Ordered lists ###
Ordered lists work just like bulleted lists, except that the items
begin with enumerators rather than bullets.
In standard markdown, enumerators are decimal numbers followed
by a period and a space. The numbers themselves are ignored, so
there is no difference between this list:
1. one
2. two
3. three
and this one:
5. one
7. two
1. three
*Pandoc extension*.
Unlike standard markdown, Pandoc allows ordered list items to be marked
with uppercase and lowercase letters and roman numerals, in addition to
arabic numerals. List markers may be enclosed in parentheses or followed by a
single right-parentheses or period. They must be separated from the
text that follows by at least one space, and, if the list marker is a
capital letter with a period, by at least two spaces.[^2]
[^2]: The point of this rule is to ensure that normal paragraphs
starting with people's initials, like
B. Russell was an English philosopher.
do not get treated as list items.
This rule will not prevent
(C) 2007 Joe Smith
from being interpreted as a list item. In this case, a backslash
escape can be used:
(C\) 2007 Joe Smith
Pandoc also pays attention to the type of list marker used, and to the
starting number, and both of these are preserved where possible in the
output format. Thus, the following yields a list with numbers followed
by a single parenthesis, starting with 9, and a sublist with lowercase
roman numerals:
9) Ninth
10) Tenth
11) Eleventh
i. subone
ii. subtwo
iii. subthree
Pandoc will start a new list each time a different type of list
marker is used. So, the following will create three lists:
(2) Two
(5) Three
1. Four
* Five
If default list markers are desired, use `#.`:
#. one
#. two
#. three
### Definition lists ###
*Pandoc extension*.
Pandoc supports definition lists, using a syntax inspired by
[PHP Markdown Extra] and [reStructuredText]:[^3]
Term 1
: Definition 1
Term 2 with *inline markup*
: Definition 2
{ some code, part of Definition 2 }
Third paragraph of definition 2.
Each term must fit on one line, which may optionally be followed by
a blank line, and must be followed by one or more definitions.
A definition begins with a colon or tilde, which may be indented one
or two spaces. The body of the definition (including the first line,
aside from the colon or tilde) should be indented four spaces. A term may have
multiple definitions, and each definition may consist of one or more block
elements (paragraph, code block, list, etc.), each indented four spaces or one
tab stop.
If you leave space after the definition (as in the example above),
the blocks of the definitions will be considered paragraphs. In some
output formats, this will mean greater spacing between term/definition
pairs. For a compact definition list, do not leave space between the
definition and the next term:
Term 1
~ Definition 1
Term 2
~ Definition 2a
~ Definition 2b
[^3]: I have also been influenced by the suggestions of [David Wheeler](http://www.justatheory.com/computers/markup/modest-markdown-proposal.html).
[PHP Markdown Extra]: http://www.michelf.com/projects/php-markdown/extra/
### Numbered example lists ###
*Pandoc extension*.
The special list marker `@` can be used for sequentially numbered
examples. The first list item with a `@` marker will be numbered '1',
the next '2', and so on, throughout the document. The numbered examples
need not occur in a single list; each new list using `@` will take up
where the last stopped. So, for example:
(@) My first example will be numbered (1).
(@) My second example will be numbered (2).
Explanation of examples.
(@) My third example will be numbered (3).
Numbered examples can be labeled and referred to elsewhere in the
document:
(@good) This is a good example.
As (@good) illustrates, ...
The label can be any string of alphanumeric characters, underscores,
or hyphens.
### Compact and loose lists ###
Pandoc behaves differently from `Markdown.pl` on some "edge
cases" involving lists. Consider this source:
+ First
+ Second:
- Fee
- Fie
- Foe
+ Third
Pandoc transforms this into a "compact list" (with no `` tags around "First", "Second", or "Third"), while markdown puts `
` tags around
"Second" and "Third" (but not "First"), because of the blank space
around "Third". Pandoc follows a simple rule: if the text is followed by
a blank line, it is treated as a paragraph. Since "Second" is followed
by a list, and not a blank line, it isn't treated as a paragraph. The
fact that the list is followed by a blank line is irrelevant. (Note:
Pandoc works this way even when the `--strict` option is specified. This
behavior is consistent with the official markdown syntax description,
even though it is different from that of `Markdown.pl`.)
### Ending a list ###
What if you want to put an indented code block after a list?
- item one
- item two
{ my code block }
Trouble! Here pandoc (like other markdown implementations) will treat
`{ my code block }` as the second paragraph of item two, and not as
a code block.
To "cut off" the list after item two, you can insert some non-indented
content, like an HTML comment, which won't produce visible output in
any format:
- item one
- item two
{ my code block }
You can use the same trick if you want two consecutive lists instead
of one big list:
1. one
2. two
3. three
1. uno
2. dos
3. tres
Horizontal rules
----------------
A line containing a row of three or more `*`, `-`, or `_` characters
(optionally separated by spaces) produces a horizontal rule:
* * * *
---------------
Tables
------
*Pandoc extension*.
Three kinds of tables may be used. All three kinds presuppose the use of
a fixed-width font, such as Courier.
**Simple tables** look like this:
Right Left Center Default
------- ------ ---------- -------
12 12 12 12
123 123 123 123
1 1 1 1
Table: Demonstration of simple table syntax.
The headers and table rows must each fit on one line. Column
alignments are determined by the position of the header text relative
to the dashed line below it:[^4]
- If the dashed line is flush with the header text on the right side
but extends beyond it on the left, the column is right-aligned.
- If the dashed line is flush with the header text on the left side
but extends beyond it on the right, the column is left-aligned.
- If the dashed line extends beyond the header text on both sides,
the column is centered.
- If the dashed line is flush with the header text on both sides,
the default alignment is used (in most cases, this will be left).
[^4]: This scheme is due to Michel Fortin, who proposed it on the
[Markdown discussion list](http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/markdown-discuss/2005-March/001097.html).
The table must end with a blank line, or a line of dashes followed by
a blank line. A caption may optionally be provided (as illustrated in
the example above). A caption is a paragraph beginning with the string
`Table:` (or just `:`), which will be stripped off. It may appear either
before or after the table.
The column headers may be omitted, provided a dashed line is used
to end the table. For example:
------- ------ ---------- -------
12 12 12 12
123 123 123 123
1 1 1 1
------- ------ ---------- -------
When headers are omitted, column alignments are determined on the basis
of the first line of the table body. So, in the tables above, the columns
would be right, left, center, and right aligned, respectively.
**Multiline tables** allow headers and table rows to span multiple lines
of text (but cells that span multiple columns or rows of the table are
not supported). Here is an example:
-------------------------------------------------------------
Centered Default Right Left
Header Aligned Aligned Aligned
----------- ------- --------------- -------------------------
First row 12.0 Example of a row that
spans multiple lines.
Second row 5.0 Here's another one. Note
the blank line between
rows.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Table: Here's the caption. It, too, may span
multiple lines.
These work like simple tables, but with the following differences:
- They must begin with a row of dashes, before the header text
(unless the headers are omitted).
- They must end with a row of dashes, then a blank line.
- The rows must be separated by blank lines.
In multiline tables, the table parser pays attention to the widths of
the columns, and the writers try to reproduce these relative widths in
the output. So, if you find that one of the columns is too narrow in the
output, try widening it in the markdown source.
Headers may be omitted in multiline tables as well as simple tables:
----------- ------- --------------- -------------------------
First row 12.0 Example of a row that
spans multiple lines.
Second row 5.0 Here's another one. Note
the blank line between
rows.
-------------------------------------------------------------
: Here's a multiline table without headers.
It is possible for a multiline table to have just one row, but the row
should be followed by a blank line (and then the row of dashes that ends
the table), or the table may be interpreted as a simple table.
**Grid tables** look like this:
: Sample grid table.
+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| Fruit | Price | Advantages |
+===============+===============+====================+
| Bananas | $1.34 | - built-in wrapper |
| | | - bright color |
+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
| Oranges | $2.10 | - cures scurvy |
| | | - tasty |
+---------------+---------------+--------------------+
The row of `=`s separates the header from the table body, and can be
omitted for a headerless table. The cells of grid tables may contain
arbitrary block elements (multiple paragraphs, code blocks, lists,
etc.). Alignments are not supported, nor are cells that span multiple
columns or rows. Grid tables can be created easily using [Emacs table mode].
[Emacs table mode]: http://table.sourceforge.net/
Title block
-----------
*Pandoc extension*.
If the file begins with a title block
% title
% author(s) (separated by semicolons)
% date
it will be parsed as bibliographic information, not regular text. (It
will be used, for example, in the title of standalone LaTeX or HTML
output.) The block may contain just a title, a title and an author,
or all three elements. If you want to include an author but no
title, or a title and a date but no author, you need a blank line:
%
% Author
% My title
%
% June 15, 2006
The title may occupy multiple lines, but continuation lines must
begin with leading space, thus:
% My title
on multiple lines
If a document has multiple authors, the authors may be put on
separate lines with leading space, or separated by semicolons, or
both. So, all of the following are equivalent:
% Author One
Author Two
% Author One; Author Two
% Author One;
Author Two
The date must fit on one line.
All three metadata fields may contain standard inline formatting
(italics, links, footnotes, etc.).
Title blocks will always be parsed, but they will affect the output only
when the `--standalone` (`-s`) option is chosen. In HTML output, titles
will appear twice: once in the document head -- this is the title that
will appear at the top of the window in a browser -- and once at the
beginning of the document body. The title in the document head can have
an optional prefix attached (`--title-prefix` or `-T` option). The title
in the body appears as an H1 element with class "title", so it can be
suppressed or reformatted with CSS. If a title prefix is specified with
`-T` and no title block appears in the document, the title prefix will
be used by itself as the HTML title.
The man page writer extracts a title, man page section number, and
other header and footer information from the title line. The title
is assumed to be the first word on the title line, which may optionally
end with a (single-digit) section number in parentheses. (There should
be no space between the title and the parentheses.) Anything after
this is assumed to be additional footer and header text. A single pipe
character (`|`) should be used to separate the footer text from the header
text. Thus,
% PANDOC(1)
will yield a man page with the title `PANDOC` and section 1.
% PANDOC(1) Pandoc User Manuals
will also have "Pandoc User Manuals" in the footer.
% PANDOC(1) Pandoc User Manuals | Version 4.0
will also have "Version 4.0" in the header.
Backslash escapes
-----------------
Except inside a code block or inline code, any punctuation or space
character preceded by a backslash will be treated literally, even if it
would normally indicate formatting. Thus, for example, if one writes
*\*hello\**
one will get
*hello*
instead of
hello
This rule is easier to remember than standard markdown's rule,
which allows only the following characters to be backslash-escaped:
\`*_{}[]()>#+-.!
(However, if the `--strict` option is supplied, the standard
markdown rule will be used.)
A backslash-escaped space is parsed as a nonbreaking space. It will
appear in TeX output as `~` and in HTML and XML as `\ ` or
`\ `.
A backslash-escaped newline (i.e. a backslash occurring at the end of
a line) is parsed as a hard line break. It will appear in TeX output as
`\\` and in HTML as `
`. This is a nice alternative to
markdown's "invisible" way of indicating hard line breaks using
two trailing spaces on a line.
Backslash escapes do not work in verbatim contexts.
Smart punctuation
-----------------
*Pandoc extension*.
If the `--smart` option is specified, pandoc will produce typographically
correct output, converting straight quotes to curly quotes, `---` to
em-dashes, `--` to en-dashes, and `...` to ellipses. Nonbreaking spaces
are inserted after certain abbreviations, such as "Mr."
Note: if your LaTeX template uses the `csquotes` package, pandoc will
detect automatically this and use `\enquote{...}` for quoted text.
Inline formatting
-----------------
### Emphasis ###
To *emphasize* some text, surround it with `*`s or `_`, like this:
This text is _emphasized with underscores_, and this
is *emphasized with asterisks*.
Double `*` or `_` produces **strong emphasis**:
This is **strong emphasis** and __with underscores__.
A `*` or `_` character surrounded by spaces, or backslash-escaped,
will not trigger emphasis:
This is * not emphasized *, and \*neither is this\*.
Because `_` is sometimes used inside words and identifiers,
pandoc does not interpret a `_` surrounded by alphanumeric
characters as an emphasis marker. If you want to emphasize
just part of a word, use `*`:
feas*ible*, not feas*able*.
### Strikeout ###
*Pandoc extension*.
To strikeout a section of text with a horizontal line, begin and end it
with `~~`. Thus, for example,
This ~~is deleted text.~~
### Superscripts and subscripts ###
*Pandoc extension*.
Superscripts may be written by surrounding the superscripted text by `^`
characters; subscripts may be written by surrounding the subscripted
text by `~` characters. Thus, for example,
H~2~O is a liquid. 2^10^ is 1024.
If the superscripted or subscripted text contains spaces, these spaces
must be escaped with backslashes. (This is to prevent accidental
superscripting and subscripting through the ordinary use of `~` and `^`.)
Thus, if you want the letter P with 'a cat' in subscripts, use
`P~a\ cat~`, not `P~a cat~`.
### Verbatim ###
To make a short span of text verbatim, put it inside backticks:
What is the difference between `>>=` and `>>`?
If the verbatim text includes a backtick, use double backticks:
Here is a literal backtick `` ` ``.
(The spaces after the opening backticks and before the closing
backticks will be ignored.)
The general rule is that a verbatim span starts with a string
of consecutive backticks (optionally followed by a space)
and ends with a string of the same number of backticks (optionally
preceded by a space).
Note that backslash-escapes (and other markdown constructs) do not
work in verbatim contexts:
This is a backslash followed by an asterisk: `\*`.
Attributes can be attached to verbatim text, just as with
[delimited code blocks](#delimited-code-blocks):
`<$>`{.haskell}
Math
----
*Pandoc extension*.
Anything between two `$` characters will be treated as TeX math. The
opening `$` must have a character immediately to its right, while the
closing `$` must have a character immediately to its left. Thus,
`$20,000 and $30,000` won't parse as math. If for some reason
you need to enclose text in literal `$` characters, backslash-escape
them and they won't be treated as math delimiters.
TeX math will be printed in all output formats. How it is rendered
depends on the output format:
Markdown, LaTeX, Org-Mode, ConTeXt
~ It will appear verbatim between `$` characters.
reStructuredText
~ It will be rendered using an interpreted text role `:math:`, as described
[here](http://www.american.edu/econ/itex2mml/mathhack.rst).
AsciiDoc
~ It will be rendered as `latexmath:[...]`.
Texinfo
~ It will be rendered inside a `@math` command.
groff man
~ It will be rendered verbatim without `$`'s.
MediaWiki
~ It will be rendered inside `