Page changes spacing, randomly

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  helenh91 · Member · Nov 11, 2011 at 3:50 pm

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  I have a page on my web site, http://www.helenholter.com, tabbed “Place of My Heart” which lists stories I’ve written. I want the space to be just what I have it — space between the subject countries (Turkey, Russia, Montana). I’ve selected the desired headings and created the paragraph spacing.

  However, almost every time I return to that page, the spacing has changed: the subject headings butt up to the line above, and there is no space at all. I’ve gone into HTML and initially add breaks or hand-coded paragraph spacing, but the pages don’t seem to ‘take’. (IYes, I do ‘update’ the page.) This has gone on for days, and I just can’t find an answer. I’m wondering if it’s because I have centered spacing, added pictures? This doesn’t happen on other pages (although those pages are mostly copy.) Thanks for any help; I’m flummoxed. — Helen

  The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

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  thesacredpath · Member · Nov 11, 2011 at 11:58 pm

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  I’m not sure where to start with the HTML you have in that page. I’m seeing all sorts of things that from a coding standpoint are at the very least bad practice.

  First thing I would suggest is to go to settings > writing and click “WordPress should correct…” and save changes. That should keep some of the HTML problems down, but do NOT open that page and edit it as it will probably destroy it trying to fix it.

  I started to pull bits of it out and format everything correctly by hand, but it is just too much of a challenge at this point.

  I suggest coping all the text out and into a plain text file, then dump everything in that page and start from scratch.

  1. Put in all the text (do NOT format as you go).
  2. Put in the images, centered, where you want them as if you were putting in separate paragraphs.
  3. Go back and select a line at a time and format it as you desire (links, h5 or h6, bold, etc.).
  4. For the color and center alignment, specify that once in a “div” tag. Go to the HTML tab, make a blank line at the very top and put this.

  <div style="text-align:center; color: #000000;">

  Then go to the very bottom after that last line in the page and put this.

  </div>

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  helenh91 · Member · Nov 12, 2011 at 2:13 am

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  Thanks so much for your useful information and instructions. I’ll start re-working that page right now.

  I didn’t realize I need to write everything out first, and THEN format it. I’m a very visual person (worked in TV news) and like to see the formatted words/photos as I go along. I didn’t add much HTML code — just a <b> </b> and <p> <p/> but obviously that mucked things up a bit.

  I think my problem is I’ve worked in places (Microsoft) where all the formatting was WYSIWYG, and I didn’t even have to think about it. So I’m learning as I go here, and I appreciate your patience — and help!! Take care, Helen

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  thesacredpath · Member · Nov 12, 2011 at 2:27 am

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  I didn’t realize I need to write everything out first, and THEN format it.

  That shouldn’t really be necessary, but I’ve found that you experience far less problems if you don’t worry about formatting until you have all the content added, edited and ready to go and then go in and do the formatting. I’ve been doing it that way for years and seldom run into issues that way.

  Also the change at settings > writing should keep any stray html issues from popping up and ruining your day.

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  helenh91 · Member · Nov 12, 2011 at 4:16 am

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  Thanks again. To minimize “HTML gone wild,” I think I’ll make your formatting suggestions a regular habit. Take care! — Helen

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  thesacredpath · Member · Nov 12, 2011 at 4:46 am

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  You are welcome, and I think it will create less headaches for you.