Template:Block center/doc

Usage

This template places a block of text in the center of the page, without affecting the text alignment within that block.

{{bc}} is a shorter form of this template that redirects here.

Comparison of {{Block center}} and {{Center}}

This template retains the current text alignment (usually left), but moves the entire block of text into the center. To change to centred text alignment, use {{Center}} instead.

Block center

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.
Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor.

Aenean massa.

Center

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.
Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor.

Aenean massa.

Parameters

title

Where there is a need to give the title of the work, an optional "title" parameter can be used. Sometimes this is will center the title better than a stand-alone line will; other times not - it usually depends on if a fixed width (next example) is forced or not.

{{block center|title=LOREM IPSUM|Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.<br/>
Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor.

Aenean massa.}}

LOREM IPSUM

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.
Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor.

Aenean massa.

width

Where there is a requirement to fix the width of the block, an optional "width" parameter can be used. Sometimes this is required to force a wider width when line wrap occurs.

{{block center|width=300px|Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.<br/>
Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor.

Aenean massa.}}

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.
Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor.

Aenean massa.

Note: this will force the width even when the page is narrower than the given width. This can cause the centred block to overflow the margins of the page when the page is small (e.g. on e-readers and mobile devices). It might be better to use max-width.

max-width

This parameter provides a maximum width for the block, such that no matter how wide the parent container, the centred block will be no wider than this. Very often, this is a better choice than width, because it allows content to shrink on smaller screens like e-readers.

{{block center|max-width=15em|Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna }}

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna

However, if the parent container is smaller that this value, the block will shrink as normal:

<div style="width:10em; margin:auto;">
{{block center|max-width=15em|
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit
}}
</div>

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit

The two parameters can be combined. In this case, the width will be set according to the width parameter on small screens (below the max-width value), and then will be limited to the max-width value on large screens. Note that the width value has to change according to the parent size, so it's normally a percentage value (often 100%).

This is useful when there are floated blocks that don't cause the block to expand to the correct width, but where it's still desirable for the block to shrink on smaller screens (rather than overflow, as a fixed width causes).

<div style="width:100%; border:1px dashed green;">
{{block center|max-width=40em|width=100%
|Wide parent: max-width of 40em applies.{{-}}{{float right|''Text on the right.''}}
}}
</div>

Wide parent: max-width of 40em applies.

Text on the right.

<div style="width:30em; margin:auto; border:1px dashed green;">
{{block center|max-width=40em|width=100%
|Narrow parent: 100% width{{-}}{{float right|''Text on the right.''}}
}}
</div>

Narrow parent: 100% width

No overflow of parent.

Whereas using only a fixed width overflows and is no longer centered:

<div style="width:30em; margin:auto; border:1px dashed red;">
{{block center|width=40em
|40em width in 30em parent!{{-}}{{float right|{{color|Red|''Content overflows parent margins.''}}}}
}}
</div>

40em width forced in 30em parent.

Content overflows parent margins!

style

Where there is a need to specify the style of the text, an optional "style" parameter can be used. This parameter takes the same style attributes that can be set for any table.

{{block center|style=font-style:italic|<poem>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
{{gap}}consectetuer adipiscing elit.
Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor;
{{gap}}Aenean massa.
</poem>}}

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetuer adipiscing elit.
Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor;
Aenean massa.

align

The text alignment within the (overall) centered block may be controlled using this (default: left):

{{block center|align=right|<poem>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
{{gap}}consectetuer adipiscing elit.
Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor;
{{gap}}Aenean massa.
</poem>}}

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetuer adipiscing elit.
Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor;
Aenean massa.

Spanning multiple pages

If you use many separate block centers you will find that every page has a slightly different alignment, however this template cannot be left "dangling" and closed on another page to create one big block center. If you have a multipage block center, you can use {{block center/s}} and {{block center/e}} to open and close it on each page. Every page must have one of each, one at the start and one at the end. However, you may place one or both of them in the header or footer, so they will not be transcluded to the main namespace. When the pages are all transcluded, you will end up with just one {{block center/s}} and just one {{block center/e}} at the start and end of the section, respectively.

First page

Header

Nothing is required in the header

Body

{{block center/s}}
Start of the block center text.
Contents of the block center goes here.

Footer

{{block center/e}}

Middle pages

Header

{{block center/s}}

Body

Contents of the block center go here; this continues the previous page.

Footer

{{block center/e}}

Last page

Header

{{block center/s}}

Body

Contents of the block center go here; this continues the previous page.
Last bit of block center text
{{block center/e}}

Footer

Nothing is required in the footer of the last page.

See Also

• {{Center block}}