Outputting white space using innerHTML

[Ed Jay]

I generate several string in a js. I output the strings to an invisible
container using inner.HTML. Then, the container is made visible.

For layout purposes, I want to precede some of the strings with
significant white space. I find that using either multiple spaces within
quotes or a string of   doesn't work. I get one space and the
remainder are ignored. I've even tried a gif spacer with no success. (I
expected as much, but I'm desperate.)

Thoughts or solution I'm overlooking? TIA.
--
Ed Jay (remove 'M' to respond by email)

[VK]

Ed Jay wrote:

For layout purposes, I want to precede some of the strings with
significant white space. I find that using either multiple spaces within
quotes or a string of   doesn't work.

Unless you're using <pre> and other (obsolete) "fixed-layout" tags,
spaces are being collapsed - this is how the HTML works.

Within HTML layout one usually use NON-BREAK SPACE named entity: &nbsp;

JavaScript deals with Unicode-16 characters so it has no idea about
HTML named entities. You have to use Unicode escape sequences instead.
Say Unicode code of NON-BREAK SPACE is 00A0, thus in JavaScript you use
it as "\u00A0":

var str = "\u00A0 \u00A0 String with leading spaces";

P.S. Are you sure that CSS rules are out of help to you? Like say
text-indent: 1em;

[Ed Jay]

VK scribed:

Ed Jay wrote:

For layout purposes, I want to precede some of the strings with
significant white space. I find that using either multiple spaces within
quotes or a string of &nbsp; doesn't work.
Unless you're using <pre> and other (obsolete) "fixed-layout" tags,
spaces are being collapsed - this is how the HTML works.

Within HTML layout one usually use NON-BREAK SPACE named entity: &nbsp;

JavaScript deals with Unicode-16 characters so it has no idea about
HTML named entities. You have to use Unicode escape sequences instead.
Say Unicode code of NON-BREAK SPACE is 00A0, thus in JavaScript you use
it as "\u00A0":

var str = "\u00A0 \u00A0 String with leading spaces";

Ah so! Thanks.
P.S. Are you sure that CSS rules are out of help to you? Like say
text-indent: 1em;

Apparently, unless the string is present when the page is first rendered,
any CSS embedded in the string goes uninterpreted.
--
Ed Jay (remove 'M' to respond by email)