Do metas need their own lines

Page description not showing on optimized pages

[TomJones]

I use a little HTML program that removes all unnecessay space and characters from the code. What is left is everything packed together on a few lines that take up the entire line length. I figure it makes it harder for someone half-interested to copy my code or figure out what I have going on.

But I notice that my Description is not showing up when I view my search. The Simspider picks it up, though. Do metas need to be one per line? I think I read something like that a while ago but, I can't find it now. Thanks!

[TomJones]

OK, never mind that. I took a closer look at the displayed text in my G search results and, it IS my meta description. But, that makes me wonder why other sites in the results get a "Descrition" line of text in their results along with several lines of body text. Anyone know?

[takagi]

The 'Description' text is coming from 'Google Directory', which uses data from ODP/DMOZ. An editor at ODP can decide to use the meta-description of the page, and in that case they are the same.

[TomJones]

That's exactly right, Takagi.

I just did a little digging on the competitor and found his ODP listing matched that description. Thanks for the reply.

TJ