I've recently signed up to make a little coding blog but I'm having trouble laying out the code. I'd like it to be indented, as y'do but unfortunately whenever I hit tab the cursor leaves the text box without leaving a tab character.

I've tried using the escape characters but there HAS to be a better way?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Well I used this
<br /> [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDgOFoqM-tQ&w=224]<br />
in the text widget. Again it starts from 59.12 sec.
As you can see the & is replaced by the corresponding html entity.
Same thing with music player widget.

timethief I really appreciate your responses :D

Thanks!

There are three ways to change fonts on WordPress.com free hosted blogs.

(1) Changing font families, colors and size in text in posts or pages either post by post or page by page by coding into the HTML editor. http://en.support.wordpress.com/editors/font-size-color/

(2) Changing font colors in text in posts or pages either post by post or page by page using the #4 icon (Select text color – change the text color) in Row 2 the Visual editor. http://en.support.wordpress.com/visual-editor/#row-2

(3) Changing all font families, colors and sizes throughout the whole blog by purchasing an annually renewable Custom Design upgrade and using Typekit Fonts with Staff support. http://en.support.wordpress.com/custom-design/

Note: A few themes do provide for changing font color in the Blog Title and/or optional Tagline and/or links. In the majority of themes font changes to font families, colors and size in the blog title, tagline, menu, post titles, page titles, categories and tags, widget headings, comments and links cannot be done without purchasing an annually renewable custom design upgrade and doing the required CSS editing. http://wpbtips.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/color-customisable-themes/

No indentation provided and no colors.

Code for initial line indentation
Simplest way is to use this at the beginning of each paragraph:
<span style="margin-left:32px;">FIRST WORD HERE</span>

and use line breaks instead of paragraph breaks to separate the paragraphs (i.e. one instead of two returns in the HTML editor, shift-return in the Visual editor). http://en.forums.wordpress.com/topic/code-for-initial-line-indentation?replies=4#post-840453

No indentation provided and no colors.

Is there something I can do to show some c and cpp code nicely in my blog?

//this would be far too easy with a css rule :P

and use line breaks instead of paragraph breaks to separate the paragraphs (i.e. one instead of two returns in the HTML editor, shift-return in the Visual editor).

Earlier, justpi wrote in response to my initial query, made under another topic headline:
"Yes, I know what you were thinking of. My question was whether you want that for all paragraphs of all your posts and pages, or for specific paragraphs or posts or pages. In the first case you'll need to add code in the CSS editor, in the second case you'll need code in the HTML editor. You must also clarify if you want indentation plus blank line between paragraphs, or (in true book fashion) indentation instead of blank line."

The only way to change that once for all is by buying the CSS upgrade.

If you don't want to do that, then the code that TT referenced is the only way.

I'm using the Vertigo theme. When I write posts, the second paragraph automatically indents. I don't want it to indent. I've searched high and low for a resolution, but to no avail. Does anyone have suggestions? Is this a theme issue or is it something that I'm overlooking in the Visual Editor? Thanks in advance!

And change the -10px to -15px (that is what is on my test blog right now).

Take a look at http://flippintestblog.wordpress.com/2010/12/11/unordered-list-testing/ . The top example is the XHTML/HTML standard spacing for paragraph and ordered or unordered lists.

The second I modified the top spacing by adding a negative top margin to the unordered list code as follows.

<ul style="margin-top:-10px;">
	<li>This is one</li>
	<li>This is two</li>
	<li>This is three</li>
</ul>