These are a series of tests of combining the <nowiki> and <pre> tags. This is motivated by the results seen after a migration utility was used on pages encoded in another wiki syntax for use in a replacement MediaWiki. The most important question is, is there a reason to use both of these tags together? If so, what is the effect of various nestings of the two tags?

Using only one tag[edit]

Placing all the tokens on one line in the source[edit]

No leading or trailing white space[edit]

<nowiki></nowiki> alone[edit]

Source:
<nowiki>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.</nowiki>
Display:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

<pre></pre> alone[edit]

Source:
<pre>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.</pre>
Display:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

Leading and trailing white space[edit]

<nowiki></nowiki> alone[edit]

Source:
<nowiki> Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. </nowiki>
Display:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Note: minimum white space is used in the result.

<pre></pre> alone[edit]

Source:
<pre> Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. </pre>
Display:

  Lorem  ipsum  dolor  sit  amet,  consectetur  adipiscing  elit.

Note: white space is preserved in the result

Placing each token on a separate line in the source[edit]

No leading or trailing white space[edit]

<nowiki></nowiki> alone[edit]

Source:
<nowiki>
Lorem
ipsum
dolor
sit
amet,
consectetur
adipiscing
elit.
</nowiki>
Display:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Note: the result is the same as placing all the tokens on one line in the source.

<pre></pre> alone[edit]

Source:
<pre>
Lorem
ipsum
dolor
sit
amet,
consectetur
adipiscing
elit.

Display:

Lorem
ipsum
dolor
sit
amet,
consectetur
adipiscing
elit.

Note: each token between the tags is placed on a separate line.

Leading and trailing white space[edit]

<nowiki></nowiki> alone[edit]

Source:
<nowiki>

  Lorem
  ipsum
  dolor
  sit
  amet,
  consectetur
  adipiscing
  elit.

</nowiki>
Display:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Note: the result is the same as placing all the tokens on one line in the source.

<pre></pre> alone[edit]

Source:
<pre>

  Lorem
  ipsum
  dolor
  sit
  amet,
  consectetur
  adipiscing
  elit.

Display:


  Lorem  
  ipsum  
  dolor  
  sit  
  amet,  
  consectetur  
  adipiscing  
  elit.

Note: each token between the tags is placed on a separate line with, at least, leading white space, including vertical white space.

Using both tags[edit]

Placing all the tokens on one line in the source[edit]

No leading or trailing white space[edit]

<nowiki> first, then <pre>[edit]

Source:
<nowiki><pre>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.</pre></nowiki>
Display:
<pre>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.</pre>
Note: the <pre> tag is displayed rather than consumed.

<pre> first, then <nowiki>[edit]

Source:
<pre><nowiki>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.</nowiki></pre>
Display:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

Note: both tags are consumed.

Leading and trailing white space[edit]

<nowiki> first, then <pre>[edit]

Source:
<nowiki><pre> Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. </pre></nowiki>
Display:
<pre> Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. </pre>
Note: the <pre> tag is displayed rather than consumed and the white space after the tag is minimized.

<pre> first, then <nowiki>[edit]

Source:
<pre><nowiki> Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. </nowiki></pre>
Display:

  Lorem  ipsum  dolor  sit  amet,  consectetur  adipiscing  elit.

Note: both tags are consumed and the white space is preserved.

Placing each token on a separate line in the source[edit]

No leading or trailing white space[edit]

<nowiki> first, then <pre>[edit]

Source:
<nowiki>
<pre>
Lorem
ipsum
dolor
sit
amet,
consectetur
adipiscing
elit.
</pre>
</nowiki>
Display:
<pre> Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. </pre>
Note: the <pre> tag is displayed rather than consumed and white space is used between the tag and the next/previous token.

<pre> first, then <nowiki>[edit]

Source:
<pre>
<nowiki>
Lorem
ipsum
dolor
sit
amet,
consectetur
adipiscing
elit.
</nowiki>

Display:


Lorem
ipsum
dolor
sit
amet,
consectetur
adipiscing
elit.

Note: the additional vertical spacing in the result.

Leading and trailing white space[edit]

<nowiki> first, then <pre>[edit]

Source:
<nowiki>
<pre>

  Lorem
  ipsum
  dolor
  sit
  amet,
  consectetur
  adipiscing
  elit.

</pre>
</nowiki>
Display:
<pre> Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. </pre>
Note: the <pre> tag is displayed rather than consumed and white space is used between the tag and the next/previous token.

<pre> first, then <nowiki>[edit]

Source:
<pre>
<nowiki>

  Lorem
  ipsum
  dolor
  sit
  amet,
  consectetur
  adipiscing
  elit.

</nowiki>

Display:


  Lorem  
  ipsum  
  dolor  
  sit  
  amet,  
  consectetur  
  adipiscing  
  elit.

Note: the additional vertical spacing and preserved horizontal spacing in the result.

Conclusion[edit]

Using the <nowiki></nowiki> tag pair inside a <pre></pre> tag pair has no additional effect.