Markdown is a popular syntax used by developers to describe and annotate documents. Touch Develop supports a large subset of the markdown syntax, and adds a few new features. Markdown syntax applies to [comments](/js/comment) added using the [Touch Develop editor](/js/editor).
To format text into columns, insert ``### ~column `` at the start of each column and ``### ~`` at the end of the column.
## Touch Develop syntax
The markdown syntax in this section is non-standard and specific to Touch Develop.
### Inline code
Use this syntax: ```basic => show number```
To show code like this: `basic-> show number`
(``->`` is replaced with `->`)
### HTML entities
You can use HTML entities like ``&``, ``<``, or ``{``. You can also use ``&`` verbatim if it cannot be confused with HTML entity.
### Pictures
You can include pictures in a script by adding an art resource to your script. All pictures must first be uploaded to the Touch Develop cloud before they can be used in a script. Here's how:
1. Click `script`, **+ add new**, and then click **picture resource**.
2. You can upload a new picture or search existing pictures.
3. Give it a name, let's say you call it ``alien``.
2. In your script, use ``(picture ...)`` with the picture name (in this case, alien) and an optional caption:
WARN: missing picture: ...
WARN: unknown picture: ...
* ````
By default, pictures are 12x12. You can specify a different size as in ``, up to 30x20.
To insert a picture inline with text , use: `(picture ...)` without any size information. For example: ````
WARN: missing picture: ...
WARN: unknown picture: ...
You can skip adding an art resource, and instead use the publication ID of a picture directly.
### Declarations
Any named declaration from a script can be rendered in a script using `{decl:name}`. For example, you can render global variables, functions, etc...
WARN: no such decl: name
* `
```
var v: number = 0
```
` where `v` is a global variable in the script:
```
var v: number = 0
```
### Code snippets
Any code that is not a comment is treated as a snippet.
You can use ``{highlight}`` comment to start highlighting statements in the snippet. Use ``{/highlight}`` to stop. The comment needs to have ``{highlight}`` or ``{/highlight}`` and nothing else.
If you want to render some comments inside the snippets as comments (and not regular text), then surround the snippet with ``{code}`` ... ``{/code}``, for example:
MACRO: codeMACRO: /code
```
let theAnswer = 42 // ***
// and now show the answer:
basic.showNumber(theAnswer, 150)
```
Note that comments inside block structures are always rendered as regular comments, not text. For example:
```
if (false) {
// This code is never executed.
}
```
### Boxes and frames
You can use `### ~<type> ` and `### ~` (each on separate comment line) to enclose a block of text in a coloured box. For example:
### ~hint
This is how `### ~hint ` looks like. Some helpful information goes here.
### ~
The following box types are supported:
*`hint`, `exercise`, `example` - self-explanatory
*`nointernet` - block with heading "no internet?" for giving instructions for offline operations
*`screen` - does not show in print
*`print` - does not show when not printing
*`portrait` - shows (with no frame or heading) when device is held in portrait orientation; in print it shows with heading "device in portrait" and a frame
