Writing on the Web

A look at Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)

Part 5

Basic Text Formatting, Images and Links:

Tips and Tricks:

1. Keep it simple until you become familiar with HTML. Use an editor, if possible, and/or use the "page source" function of your browser if you have difficulties.
2. When you write your tags up, get into the habit of opening and closing the tags first, and then going back to add the information. For example:
   • Step 1 - <b></b>
   • Step 2 - <b>Now write your information in between the tags.</b>

   That way you won't forget to close the tags. Some tags don't require closing: <img>, <br> and <hr>.

3. When creating HTML documents, things become less confused if you open each new section or paragraph on a new line. <hr> tags should be on their own line, as well.
4. HTML tags are particular. There is no space between the opening sign (<) and the tag. There is one space between the tag and each attribute. (font [space] color="red' [space]size="5"). There are no spaces between the attribute, the equal sign (=), and the variable. The variables, or specific instructions (red, 5, center, etc.), are always enclosed in double quotation marks ("). There is no space between the final quotation mark and the ending sign of the tag (>).

Signatures for Message Boards and Discussion Forums

If you are going to use an image for your signature on a message board, there are a few courtesies to remember.

1. Don't make the image so large that it slows down page loading times. A good rule of thumb is to use images that are less than 10k in size.
2. Don't bring your image in from another site. This ties up two servers and can create delays, especially if the page or image name changes without your knowledge. Ask the host if you can have a bit of storage space for your image, or most message boards and forums offer a small space for you to create a web page. Add your image to that and link to if from there.

Now, having said that, I will show you my link on the Delphi Discussion Forum. This is what it looks like:

Stay Safe! Stay Gold! Pegasus Peg's Pad - The Swamp International Guild of Role Players Dream Weavers Forum Career Matchmaking Callahan's Saloon Do not under any circumstances click here!

This is what the code for it looks like. (If you like, I can show you how to do tables. They're quite handy for page layouts.)

<p> </p>
<table border="0">
<tr>
<td><img src="http://members.delphi.com/ve5cap/apron.gif"></td>>
<td><font size=+1 font color="daa520"><b>Stay Safe! Stay Gold!</b></font><br>
<font color="00ced1" size=+1><b>Pegasus</b></font><br>
<a href="http://campus.fortunecity.com/shakespeare/387/index.htm" target="_blank"><font color="228b22"><b>Peg's Pad - The Swamp</b></font></a><br>
<a href="http://forums.delphi.com/IGRP"><font color="8b0000">International Guild of Role Players</font></a><br>
<a href="http://forums.delphi.com/dream_weavers"><font color="483d8b">Dream Weavers Forum</font></a><br>
<a href="http://forums.delphi.com/jobseek"><font color="2f4f4f">Career Matchmaking</font></a><br>
<a href="http://forums.delphi.com/callahan"><font color="8b4513">Callahan's Saloon</font></a><br>
<a href="http://www.delphi.com/fiscaldog/index.html"><font color="000000"><i> Do not under any circumstances click here!</i></font></a></td>
</tr>
</table>

If you have any problems, questions or comments, feel free to contact me at:

[email protected]

If you prefer, you can check out Webmonkey yourself. They have a phenomenal amount of information and tutorials about HTML, DHMTL, creating web pages, and working with images.