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Can we have a "show post source" button?
Often I see a post which uses a formatting that I'd like to learn or to directly "steal". To see how it is done I'm forced to click the edit button, which is prone to mistakes and really doesn't seem "right" to my programmer's OCD POV.
This is something that has bothered my greatly also Somewhere Else, but there this is accepted practice.
Instead, I'd like to have a button somewhere that allows me to open a read-only view of the post source, from where I could copy anything I want but without the risk of messing something up.
Is this doable and without too much hassle for the devs?
I well realize that adding a button beside the more frequently used ones like edit or flag can add clutter, so I'd suggest to add a "kitchen sink" button (with three dots or something like that) that opens a menu with less used functions. This could be also really useful in the future if some other new facility needs a less prominent place.
BTW, even now some more dangerous options, like close or delete could already be moved to the "kitchen sink" reducing some clutter.
1 answer
Why I like
I like the idea of a button that shows me the raw Markdown (or MathJax or HTML depending on the post) so I can see how certain styles are achieved. I too find the "Edit" button unsatisfactory for this purpose. If I'm making a genuine edit then a draft is saved (which I like). I don't want this to happen if I'm just viewing the Markdown out of interest. I therefore have to scroll down and press "Cancel" on the edit page before I close the tab.
My concerns
However, there are some potential problems with a raw text button:
- As you mention, this adds clutter. The existing buttons already wrap onto 2 lines on mobile.
- I like your suggestion of tidying away some of these buttons into a menu button. However, if the raw text button is behind a menu button, then it is quicker for me to press "Edit", so I probably will at least some of the time.
Perhaps other buttons could be put behind a menu button, so that both "Edit" and "Raw text" could be available with a single click. Perhaps both "Edit" and "Raw text" could be behind a menu button, so each take two clicks.
Previewing
Some people may still prefer to edit, because they want to see what changes in the preview when they make small adjustments to the raw text. Perhaps the raw text could open in a new tab with a preview, so you can see the changing results without saving a draft edit to the original post. This would be like a sandbox available from every post, with that post's content as a starting point.
More discussion please
In summary, I don't know what's best, but I'd like to see more discussion to find out all the options.
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