Output Type: Block vs Inline

The outputType property determines how the macro content is displayed on the page. It is a common property for both static and dynamic macros, and it can be set to either block or inline.

Block Output Type

The block output type renders the macro as a separate element, taking up the full width of the content area. It starts on a new line and is ideal for content that needs its own visual space, such as tables, charts, or panels.

Preview

Inline Output Type

The inline output type integrates the macro within the surrounding text, making it part of the text flow. This is useful for lightweight elements like statuses, icons, or keywords.

Preview

Features

• The output type is set to block by default.

• Editable at creation only: In the User Macro app, the output type can only be selected during the macro creation step and cannot be edited later to prevent unexpected behavior from Confluence when rendering the macro.

• When to Use:

  • Block: For standalone content.

  • Inline: For small elements integrated with text.

• Choosing between block and inline:

  • Both static and dynamic macros can be rendered as block or inline elements.

  • Dynamic macros are typically better suited for block output, as they often require dedicated space for their content.

  • Static macros are often more suitable for inline output, as they integrate seamlessly into the surrounding text.

Known issues

Here are two issues with Dynamic Inline macros

1. Content may appear slightly above the text baseline CONFCLOUD-60918 (Allow to change the iframe rendering to vertically align inline macros).
   

   

2. Macros are rendered with a 300px iframe width CONFCLOUD-70287 (Inserting inline macros in a page disrupts flow).

   • If the content exceeds 300px, a scrollbar appears.

   • If the content is smaller than 300px, the iframe width remains fixed at 300px.

     

Using Static content macros for inline output prevents these issues.