Basic HTML commands for dummies

Subject: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: LaMarca
Date: 17 Jul 97 - 06:15 PM

Quite a few of our correspodents seem to be more computer- and web-literate than I, and have demonstrated and given instructions on how to do some pretty useful things in the middle of some other threads. Would you kind people please summarize here the commands to:

Put in a hard break.
Put in tabs or indent part of a message so you can lay out verses and choruses of songs in different chunks.
Put in a link to another web site.
Include HTML characters like the right and left arrow brackets in a message so one can illustrate the command without actually executing it.

Obviously I have learned a few of these tricks, but I thought it might be useful to have someone who is able to explain them put the instructions all in one thread that we can all cross-reference back to - either that, or suggest a good text where I and other net-neophytes could go to learn this stuff. Is there an "HTML For Dummies"?

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: sharon
Date: 17 Jul 97 - 11:29 PM

I'd especially like to know how to put in a link to another web site.

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Andy Geliher
Date: 18 Jul 97 - 05:30 AM

There are resources on the Web providing HTML intro's. A couple of a standards I used when learning were:

• HTML Documentation.
• HTML Style Guide.

You can also use your browsers veiw source option to see how to insert HTML tags and special characters such as " < >". (try it out).
Stealing HTML tricks is the quickest way to learn them :)

AndyG

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Wolfgang
Date: 18 Jul 97 - 05:46 AM

I give it a try. All of the following I have learned some place here in this group (or even copied from there), but you are right, LaMarca, the information should be at one place. Here it is (and I'm curious whether I get it all correct):

1. Hard break: type <BR>
(it looks nicer for you if you also use the usual Return key after that combination, but you do not have to)

2. Indent part of a message:
<UL> at the start of the chorus
<LI> at each line of the chorus
</UL> at the end of the chorus.

3. Put a link to another website:

type <a href=URL-Adress-of-the-Website>any-name-you-like-to-call-it</a>

(Example: if the URL-Adress-of-the-website is http://www.summerfolk.org/srmain.htm and my choice for any-name-you-like-to-call-it is The Stan Rogers Page and I type it as described above then you can click from here The Stan Rogers Page.

4. Include HTML characters like the right and left arrow brackets in a message so one can illustrate the command without actually executing it.

(What comes now is new for me; good check whether I have understood that message)

&lt gives you the <
&gt gives you >

Thanks to all those who have explained it before me and made possible this compilation.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jul 97 - 03:09 PM

Thanks for the advice, Wolfgang. I think I understand it now. I tried it on the "Song for the Mira" thread, and it worked pretty well. I couldn't quite figure out how to indent. When I followed your instructions, it came out with bullets. What did I do wrong?
Is there an easy, foolproof way to search-and-replace in a word processor so I can come up with a document that works here?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Alan of Oz
Date: 19 Jul 97 - 04:51 AM

When you are preparing a message you can do it offline using any text editor e.g. notepad. Save your file with a .HTM extension.

Then double click on its icon - your browser should start with your file open and properly formatted as we will see it after you post it.

Like Wolfgang I've mostly learned bits of HTML from this forum. Another way to see how other people do it (apart from View/Source) is to open the thread, then save it (File/Save As File). The default extension is .htm. You can then view the source offline (and experiment) using notepad. View your results by double clicking on the icon etc.

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: LaMarca
Date: 21 Jul 97 - 01:43 PM

Thank you to both Andy and Wolfgang -this is exactly what I was looking for!

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Wolfgang
Date: 22 Jul 97 - 11:01 AM

Sorry Joe,

I cannot really tell you what went wrong: The advice for the indentation was new to me and I got it obviously (at least half) wrong. Where I tried to copy it from is here.

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Alan of Oz
Date: 22 Jul 97 - 06:45 PM

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Alan of Oz
Date: 22 Jul 97 - 06:47 PM

To test: You can do your testing offline if you like, see my earlier posting to this thread.

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Wolfgang
Date: 23 Jul 97 - 05:58 AM

second try at the indentation question: (Andy's view source hint early in the thread helped a lot)

You type:

SONGTITLE

1. Verseone lineone <BR> verseone linetwo <BR> verseone linethree <BR> verseone linefour.

<blockquote> chorus lineone <BR> chorus linetwo <BR> chorus linethree <BR> chorus linefour. </blockquote>

2. Versetwo lineone <BR> versetwo linetwo <BR> versetwo linethree <BR> versetwo linefour.

you get:

SONGTITLE

1. Verseone lineone
verseone linetwo
verseone linethree
verseone linefour.

chorus lineone
chorus linetwo
chorus linethree
chorus linefour.

2. Versetwo lineone
versetwo linetwo
versetwo linethree
versetwo linefour.

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: suzy
Date: 23 Jul 97 - 10:18 AM

Those

s and
s Are they typed, just like i just did or are they a symbol fof something?

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From:
Date: 23 Jul 97 - 11:10 AM

s?

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: suzy
Date: 23 Jul 97 - 02:49 PM

Sorry. I sure messed up that question. what I was trying to ask.......... those letters within the pointy brackets..... are they typed just as you typed, or are they the symbol for something I dont understand???

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Wolfgang
Date: 24 Jul 97 - 03:03 AM

Suzy, you type them just as you see them in my message, and after submitting what you have typed, those letters have disappeared and we only see what we shall see. So if you would type exactly what you see in my message below (perhaps with a nicer lyric) we will see it in the clean version.

Cheers Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Whip
Date: 24 Jul 97 - 12:15 PM

Is there any provision in HTML for setting up hotkey macros? I like to use the "line break" command frequently, and sometimes the "bold," and will probably use others as I learn more about this.

Right now, the only way I can avoid typing out the special characters every time is to use Edit-Copy, and then paste them in. This only works on one character at a time, and I have to get off the keyboard, grab the mouse, point and shoot, drop the mouse, get back on the keyboard....

Granted, this is a minor annoyance, but after 10 years of typing news copy with Wordperfect, I like the little short cuts, like inserting your name with two keystrokes, or adding a link without having to look up all the coding every time.

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: wolfgang
Date: 02 Oct 97 - 07:04 AM

thread revival

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Speed-1
Date: 07 Oct 97 - 06:28 PM

Wolfgang - vielen dank!

Und now Ivill practice und ve vill not tell Maxie,ja?

THE EGG SONG

I had a hen

REPEAT

No eggs she gave

REPEAT

I had a hen

REPEAT

No eggs she gave

REPEAT

Until that rooster

REPEAT

Came in our yard

REPEAT

And caught that hen

REPEAT

Completely off guard

Chorus: (sung together)

We're having eggs now
We never used to
Until that Rooster
Came in our yard! (HEN CACKLE 4TIMES VERY LOUD!) We're having eggs now
We never used to
Until that Rooster
Came in our yard! (HEN CACKLE 4TIMES VERY LOUD!)

Fraulein Speed

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Speed-1
Date: 07 Oct 97 - 06:43 PM

I hav zu viel spaces, ja?

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Oct 97 - 07:14 PM

Hi, Speed -
Besides indenting a quote or chorus, the [blockquote] and [/blockquote] (in angle brackets) add a space before and after the quote. But I'd say you're doing quite well, indeed. Just don't go putting in mile-high typeface and pictures of Miss Piggy, and Max won't mind.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Carl
Date: 08 Oct 97 - 05:12 PM

Wolfgang, don´t you think it´s a little bit foolhardy to give this thread a revival, while Max is starting the cut-back-on -HTML-thread ?
I´m itching to tell you something about animated graphics and stuff and how to easily use them , perhaps as a signature or so. But I don´t want to become "de-joined". I´m sure that would be avenged with membership-cancellation. ;)

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Wolfgang
Date: 09 Oct 97 - 03:42 AM

Allright, Carl, the timing was unfortunate, but my revival came about 3 days before Max urged us to cut down our efforts on HTML. Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Whippoorwill
Date: 09 Oct 97 - 11:34 AM

Max
Would it gum the system up if some of this information were sent as a message to the personal page, instead of a general posting?

But then I wouldn't have the fun of reading them and learning from them. (sigh) Life is a series of trade-offs.

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Carl
Date: 09 Oct 97 - 11:59 AM

Wolfgang,
perhaps your thread-revival was the reason for Max starting the cut-down-thread... ;)

Subject: RE: Basic HTML commands for dummies
From: Ted from Australia
Date: 08 Feb 00 - 08:07 AM

If you use word 97 or above format everything as you want it in word, SAVE: as HTML, VIEW: html source, COPY: to clipboard then PASTE: into message box (here)

LIKE THIS

Then you do not have to learn any but the most basic HTML codes such as line breaks

and blue clickies regards Ted