How do I get multiple lines in codeblock ?

Question

FM 11
I know that <codeblock> is designed to represent lines of program code and that line endings and spaces must be preserved. However, my line endings are not being preserved; turn into a new <codeblock> leaving me with line after line of <codeblock> elements like this:
<codeblock>Do forever.</codeblock>
<codeblock>Say "Hello World"</codeblock>
<codeblock>End</codeblock>
Rather than like this:
<codeblock>
     Do forever
          Say "Hello World"
     End
</codeblock>
These are my Text format rules in my EDD:
1.   If context is: * < stepresult < substep
         Use paragraph format: CodeBlock2
Else, if context is: li < * < choice
     Use paragraph format: CodeBlock3
Else, if context is: * < stepresult < step
    Use paragraph format: CodeBlock1
Else, if context is: * < stepxmp
    Use paragraph format: CodeBlock1
Else, if context is: * < step
     Use paragraph format: CodeBlock1
Else:
     Use paragraph format: Codeblock
2.     If context is: [expanse="page"]
               Pagination properties
                    Placement: Across all columns and side heads
CodeBlock is defined like this in the FM Paragraph Designer (with only the margins differing for CodeBlock1, CodeBlock2, etc.)
What am I doing wrong?
Marsha　

Answer 1

Hi Marsha...
The key is in your r/w rules file. You need this ..
element "codeblock"
  writer line break is 99999 characters;
  reader line break is forced return;
The "writer" rule ensures that the lines don't wrap inadvertently when written to XML (99999 is a bit extreme, but doesn't hurt).
The "reader" rule preserves the line breaks.
You'd insert the codeblock element, type your line and press SHIFT+ENTER for a linebreak, then type the next line. Save and reopen the file and it should be all good.
The only problem (in default FM is that if you want to use elements within the codeblock for formatting on inline content), if the end tag of an inline element "touches" the line break, that line break will be lost on save (or open). You have to manually insert a space between the close tag and the line break mark. (As you might expect, DITA-FMx automatically fixes this problem.) Also .. if your inline tagging wraps to a new line, you'd need to include a r/w rule for that element as well in order to preserve the line breaks within.
Re-reading your post, I'm wondering if the actual problem is that you're pressing ENTER at the end of each line rather than SHIFT+ENTER. If so, that will end the current codeblock and start another. Try SHIFT+ENTER instead.
Cheers,
...scott