# Inline HTML breaks when using indentation
**URL:** \
**Category:** Spec\
**Created:** [January 5, 2020, 8:03am UTC](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/inline-html-breaks-when-using-indentation/3317 "2020-01-05T08:03:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 8
**Author:**  [@rokejulianlockhart](https://talk.commonmark.org/u/rokejulianlockhart)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 8:34pm UTC](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/inline-html-breaks-when-using-indentation/3317/8 "2024-11-23T20:34:16Z")
@RogerDodger, I have officially requested this for VS Code at the undermentioned, if of use:
>
>
> \#### Desire
>
> As \[I've poorly aforedescribed at \`reddit.com/r/vscode\` (to 5 upvot…es)\](https://www.reddit.com/r/Markdown/comments/1g8t2xt/can\_markdowns\_indented\_code\_blocks\_be\_disabled\_in/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button), I want a way to disable the conversion of a single tab or 2 spaces to a \`\\\`. Instead, I want it these to merely be ignored (as they are in other markup languages, like HTML).
>
> \#### Rationale
>
> I author most of my markup in HTML, because it provides significantly more versatile and semantic markup capabilities. However, it has an (ultimately non-inherent, but in-practice) significant failure — \`\\` tags are not automatically syntax-highlighted by any parsers.
>
> Markdown, being a superset of HTML, improves this perfectly. As an example, when I render the undermentioned in VS Code with the PowerShell extension installed, I see beautiful colours:
>
> ~~~MD
> \
> \
> Construction
> \
> \
>
> \`\`\`PS1
> ${'Status'} = \[PSCustomObject\]@{
> 'Non-Chronological' = 'Indeterminate';
> 'Chronological' = \[PSCustomObject\]@{
> 1 = @(
> 'Uncommenced',
> 'Commenced'
> );
> 2 = @(
> 'Completed',
> 'Cancelled'
> )
> }
> }
>
> ${'Person'} = \[PSCustomObject\]@{
> 3 = '';
> 1 = '';
> 2 = ''
> }
> \`\`\`
>
> \
> \
> ~~~
>
> However, that's really difficult to read. It gets exponentially more difficult if, for example, you have nested tables with code blocks in each. At that stage, I basically have to re-indent and then de-indent each time I modify the markup. It's a dreadful workflow.
>
> Instead, it should be the undermentioned:
>
> ~~~MD
> \
> \
> Construction
> \
> \
> \`\`\`PS1
> ${'Status'} = \[PSCustomObject\]@{
> 'Non-Chronological' = 'Indeterminate';
> 'Chronological' = \[PSCustomObject\]@{
> 1 = @(
> 'Uncommenced',
> 'Commenced'
> );
> 2 = @(
> 'Completed',
> 'Cancelled'
> )
> }
> }
>
> ${'Person'} = \[PSCustomObject\]@{
> 3 = '';
> 1 = '';
> 2 = ''
> }
> \`\`\`
> \
> \
> ~~~
>
> However, all beneath the first \`\\` shall render in a \`\\\`.
>
> This is, of course, a basic example, where the aforedescribed potential complexity is less evident. However, I can provide incredibly complex examples if necessary.
>
> Summarily, having this implemented would completely change how I write my Markdown documents. I would finally be able to write the HTML within them in a readable manner, and have syntax-highlighted code blocks, without needing to deal with the indentation havoc that is \`\\`.
>
> \#### Feasibility
>
> Per https://github.com/11ty/eleventy/issues/2438#issuecomment-2464912554, this should be possible in VS Code, since \`markdown-it\` appears to be the parser that VS Code uses, and it supports the ability to disable indented code blocks.
>
> \#### Corroberations
>
> 1. \["A switch that disables code blocks by indenting" at \`forum.obsidian.md/t/21764\`\](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/a-switch-that-disables-code-blocks-by-indenting/21764/1?u=rokejulianlockhart)
>
> \
>
> For years I’ve been using apps that “use Markdown” like Bear and Ulysses. So I would often tab underneath a header for typing because I visually like to indent different topics. Well, turns out that those apps were really using “Markdown flavors”. It was like Markdown lite.
>
> So now that I’m using Obsidian that uses the full Markdown specs, when I try and indent underneath a header, I get a code block! That technically is correct, but I hate it! I can’t write the way I normally like to write.
>
> I would love a simple switch that says something along the lines of “disable code blocks by indenting” or something to that effect. I would still be able to do a code block using the three ticks.
>
> \
>
> 1. \["Inline HTML breaks when using indentation" at \`talk.commonmark.org/t/3317\`\](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/inline-html-breaks-when-using-indentation/3317/1?u=rokejulianlockhart) \[^1\]
>
> \
>
> The only input I found that works \[...\] requires:
>
> 1. Inner markdown body not indented at all
> 2. Blank line between first para and HTML
> 3. No blank line between second para and HTML
>
> If there \*is\* a blank line between second para and the HTML, then the HTML gets parsed as an indented code block and breaks the HTML.
>
> \
>
> 1. https://github.com/jgm/pandoc/issues/2120#issue-71270331
> 1. https://github.com/11ty/eleventy/issues/2438#issue-1271419451
>
> 1. \["Disable “indent -\> code block”" at \`forum.obsidian.md/t/19173\`\](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/disable-indent-code-block/19173/1?u=rokejulianlockhart)
>
> \
>
> #### \*\*Situation\*\*
>
> I often indent lists and put an empty line in between for visual distrinction.
>
> #### \*\*Problem\*\*
>
> Obsidian recognizes that as code and colors the line red.
>
> #### \*\*What I’m trying to do\*\*
>
> Turn off code blocks alltogether, or turn off the indent → code block function.
>
> \
>
> 1. \["Break Markdown: Option to change default tab / indent behavior / Do not create code block" at \`forum.obsidian.md/t/8741/5\`\](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/break-markdown-option-to-change-default-tab-indent-behavior-do-not-create-code-block/8741/5?u=rokejulianlockhart)
>
> \> If there’s an empty line in between, the indent will default to code. If anybody found a solution, please let me know.
>
> 1. \["This is how to use Markdown inside HTML blocks" at \`forum.obsidian.md/t/74435/14\`\](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/this-is-how-to-use-markdown-inside-html-blocks/74435/14?u=rokejulianlockhart)
>
> \> It’s sad we can’t combine HTML with Markdown, I really wanted to use the metabind plugin in an html table, but since HTML goes separately, that really limits the amount of customization we can have.
>
> 1. \["Change the code block button from inserting indentation to triple-backticks" at \`meta.stackoverflow.com/revisions/414866/1\`\](https://meta.stackoverflow.com/revisions/414866/1#:~:text=Indentation%20is%20also%20used%20with%20lists%20(bullet%20and%20numbered)%2C%20making%20it%20more%20confusing%20how%20to%20properly%20indent%20a%20block%20inside%20them.%20Fenced%20blocks%20provide%20a%20separate%20syntax%2C%20simplifying%20the%20markup%20for%20indenting%20a%20block%20inside%20a%20list.):
>
> \> Indentation is also used with lists (bullet and numbered), making it more confusing how to properly indent a block inside them. Fenced blocks provide a separate syntax, simplifying the markup for indenting a block inside a list.
>
> \#### Reposts
>
> 1. \[x\] https://github.com/searKing/preview-vscode/issues/96#issue-2686597767
> 1. \[\] https://github.com/shd101wyy/vscode-markdown-preview-enhanced/issues/new
>
> \#### Interested
>
> 1. \[x\] @JaredRichardWilliam
> 1. \[\] @YerEverLuvinUncleBert
>
> \[^1\]: \[\`talk.commonmark.org/t/3317/6\`\](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/inline-html-breaks-when-using-indentation/3317/6?u=rokejulianlockhart)
Some demonstrations of support would be really useful.
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_[View the full topic](https://talk.commonmark.org/t/inline-html-breaks-when-using-indentation/3317)._