Using FreeForm with Craigslist

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About Craigslist

Craigslist is community moderated advertising site.  There are both official and unofficial guidelines or rules that are enforced by the community of craigslist users.  Users may flag postings (ads) they believe to be in violation of craigslist guidelines and the ads will be cancelled.  Before posting an ad on craigslist you should start here:

http://www.craigslist.org/about/help/flags_and_community_moderation (opens in new window)

and if you have any doubts with regard to the type of content you can put into a craigslist ad you should follow the link in that page to the ''flag help forum'' and ask questions there.


The extent of HTML allowed seems to vary by the category an ad is put into

What is allowed seems to vary by the category an ad is put into, and may even vary by geographic location.  That seems to apply also to the extent of HTML formatting that can be used.  Although officially craigslist filters out all HTML formatting except what appears in the list here:

http://www.craigslist.org/about/help/html_in_craigslist_postings/details (opens in new window)

there are many ads on craigslist successfully posted with more formatting than is shown in the list.  Because it is unpredictable what HTML will pass through craigslist's filters the only way to learn for sure is by trial and error.  So...

To save yourself the trouble of creating a very elaborate ad only to have it fall apart you'll do best to experiment along the way by use of the preview craigslist provides.  Then fill everything into FreeForm when you see what is working and what isn't.

To test what I suggest is a relatively safe starting point for use on craigslist you may use the ''Craigslist Test Sample'' stored in ''The Library'' at the bottom of the Templates folder.


FreeForm features that may  NOT pass through the Craigslist HTML filters:

Here are the specific FreeForm features to avoid depending on:
  • Picture Input Area Styled Border/Frame  (may or may not work)

  • Text Input Area Styled Border/Frame  (may or may not work)

  • Text Input Area WYSIWYG (don't depend on all the formatting remaining)

  • Picture Input Area ''Check this box to add 10 pixels of blank space around picture''  (definitely doesn't work)

  • Picture Input Area click to enlarge (advanced feature definitely doesn't work)

  • Email Link Input Area Enhanced option (definitely doesn't work)

  • Background wallpapers (only use background colors, background colors do work)

  • Any text (font) colors other than these:  black, blue, fuchsia, green, maroon, navy, olive, purple, red, teal
    You'll need to type those colors into FreeForm.  Colors for text that begin with # will probably not work.

FreeForm features that you should and can probably use successfully:

Use these features to produce a layout that will probably result in a decent appearance even if some of it gets changed somewhat.

  • In the Global Features FrameBuilder use only colors in the layers composing the framework

  • In Picture Input Areas use the feature to display blank lines above or below

  • Use the width settings for Text Input Areas to prevent text from spreading all the way across the screen

  • Avoid using the Text Input Areas  WYSIWYG feature.  Instead use multiple Text Input Areas to vary size such as for headings.

  • Text (font) color can only be one of these:  black, blue, fuchsia, green, maroon, navy, olive, purple, red, teal.

    Although colors that begin with # will work for backgrounds and borders, text (font) color must be typed in as one of the above.



Please feel free to ask for help if you are ''almost there'' with a layout for craigslist but just need a little touch up.  I may be able to help.  rob@robshelp.com

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