Convert ADOC to BBCode

Why Convert ADOC to BBCode?

Converting AsciiDoc documents to BBCode is essential when you need to share technical documentation, guides, or tutorials on online forums and community platforms. While AsciiDoc excels at creating comprehensive documentation, forums and message boards universally support BBCode as their primary formatting language.

AsciiDoc offers powerful features like semantic sections, cross-references, admonitions, and complex table structures that are commonly used in software documentation. However, when you want to share this content with a community on platforms like phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, or gaming forums, you need to convert it to BBCode format that these systems understand.

The conversion process transforms AsciiDoc's semantic markup into BBCode's tag-based syntax. Headers become sized text, code blocks are wrapped in [code] tags, bold and italic formatting is converted to [b] and [i] tags, and lists are transformed into BBCode list structures. While some advanced AsciiDoc features may be simplified, the core content and formatting are preserved.

This conversion is particularly useful for developers and technical writers who maintain documentation in AsciiDoc but want to share excerpts or summaries on community forums, support sites, or discussion boards where BBCode is the standard formatting language.

Key Benefits of Converting ADOC to BBCode:

• Forum Compatibility: Post on any forum that supports BBCode
• Community Sharing: Share documentation with gaming or tech communities
• User-Friendly: BBCode is understood by forum moderators and users
• No Special Tools: BBCode works directly in forum text editors
• Preserved Formatting: Maintains text styling, lists, and code blocks
• Wide Platform Support: Works on phpBB, vBulletin, XenForo, and more
• Safe Content: BBCode is sanitized by forums for security

Practical Examples

Example 1: Documentation Section to Forum Post

Input ADOC file (guide.adoc):

== Installation Guide

This guide explains how to install the software.

=== Prerequisites

* Python 3.8 or higher
* pip package manager
* Git (optional)

=== Installation Steps

. Clone the repository
. Run `pip install -r requirements.txt`
. Configure the settings file

TIP: Use a virtual environment for isolation.

Output BBCode file (guide.txt):

[size=18][b]Installation Guide[/b][/size]

This guide explains how to install the software.

[size=14][b]Prerequisites[/b][/size]

[list]
[*]Python 3.8 or higher
[*]pip package manager
[*]Git (optional)
[/list]

[size=14][b]Installation Steps[/b][/size]

[list=1]
[*]Clone the repository
[*]Run [code]pip install -r requirements.txt[/code]
[*]Configure the settings file
[/list]

[b]TIP:[/b] Use a virtual environment for isolation.

Example 2: Code Tutorial to Forum Guide

Input ADOC file (tutorial.adoc):

= Python Basics Tutorial

== Variables and Data Types

Python supports multiple data types:

[source,python]
----
# String variable
name = "John"

# Integer variable
age = 25

# Boolean variable
is_active = True
----

NOTE: Python uses dynamic typing.

Output BBCode file (tutorial.txt):

[size=24][b]Python Basics Tutorial[/b][/size]

[size=18][b]Variables and Data Types[/b][/size]

Python supports multiple data types:

[code]
# String variable
name = "John"

# Integer variable
age = 25

# Boolean variable
is_active = True
[/code]

[b]NOTE:[/b] Python uses dynamic typing.

Example 3: Feature Comparison Table

Input ADOC file (comparison.adoc):

== Feature Comparison

|===
| Feature | Free Plan | Pro Plan

| Storage
| 5 GB
| 100 GB

| Support
| Email only
| 24/7 Priority
|===

For more details, visit https://example.com[our website].

Output BBCode file (comparison.txt):

[size=18][b]Feature Comparison[/b][/size]

[b]Feature[/b] | [b]Free Plan[/b] | [b]Pro Plan[/b]
Storage | 5 GB | 100 GB
Support | Email only | 24/7 Priority

For more details, visit [url=https://example.com]our website[/url].

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is BBCode?

A: BBCode (Bulletin Board Code) is a lightweight markup language used in online forums and message boards. It uses square bracket tags like [b]bold[/b] for formatting. BBCode was created in 1998 and remains the most widely supported formatting language for forum posts, comments, and user-generated content on platforms like phpBB, vBulletin, and XenForo.

Q: Will all my AsciiDoc formatting be preserved?

A: Most common formatting is preserved, including headings (converted to sized text), bold, italic, lists, code blocks, links, and images. However, some advanced AsciiDoc features like cross-references, footnotes, admonitions, and complex tables may be simplified or converted to plain text equivalents since BBCode has more limited capabilities.

Q: Can I use the converted BBCode on any forum?

A: The converted BBCode uses standard tags that work on most forums. However, some platforms have custom BBCode extensions or may disable certain tags. Core formatting like [b], [i], [u], [url], [code], and [list] are universally supported. Tags like [color], [size], and [img] work on most platforms but may have variations.

Q: How are AsciiDoc code blocks converted?

A: AsciiDoc source code blocks are converted to BBCode [code] tags. While AsciiDoc supports syntax highlighting with language specification, most forum BBCode implementations display code as plain preformatted text. Some forums may support [code=language] for syntax highlighting, but this varies by platform.

Q: What happens to AsciiDoc tables?

A: Since BBCode doesn't have native table support, AsciiDoc tables are converted to formatted text using separators (like | characters) to maintain readability. Some forums support custom [table] tags, but these aren't standard. For complex tables, consider converting to HTML if the forum supports it, or simplifying to a list format.

Q: Are AsciiDoc admonitions preserved?

A: AsciiDoc admonitions (NOTE, TIP, WARNING, CAUTION, IMPORTANT) are converted to BBCode with bold labels. For example, "NOTE: Important information" becomes "[b]NOTE:[/b] Important information". Some forums support [quote] tags which can be used for similar emphasis.

Q: Can I convert BBCode back to AsciiDoc?

A: While technically possible, converting BBCode back to AsciiDoc may not restore the original document perfectly, especially for advanced features. BBCode lacks the semantic information that AsciiDoc provides. It's best to keep your original AsciiDoc files and use the BBCode conversion only for sharing on forums.

Q: Why use AsciiDoc instead of writing directly in BBCode?

A: AsciiDoc offers significant advantages for documentation: it supports multiple output formats (HTML, PDF, EPUB), provides semantic structure, works with version control, and is more readable in source form. Write your documentation once in AsciiDoc, then convert to BBCode for forums, HTML for websites, or PDF for distribution.