Basic Tip
~~~ submitted by: V & Eric B. Krigger ~~~~
One of the basic things to remember about a web page is it's format. Here is an example of a bare-bones page. It is advisable to get into the practice of using on every page you make @ least each of the tags used in this example. Doing so will help when your page becomes more complex. [note:] Each of these tags is different & only one of each is allowed. The first & last tag are absolutely mandatory.
============example==============
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>My Proud Home Page......just about any amount of text can go here.... The first part of this title section will be visible in the status window (bottom of the screen) when someone visits your page. This title will not appear on the page itself. Other tags are needed for that.</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
Hi there. Welcome to my page. I hope you enjoy your stay here. Come back later to see what I've done to add to this page.
</BODY>
</HTML>
============end example===========
We've used all caps in the tags to make it easier to determine the letter used. (It's easy to mistake the letter "l" for the number "1".) The </TITLE> tag can go @ the end of the title text as we have it or on the next line by itself.
Quick Reference
<HTML> [ Hyper Text Mark-up Language ] tag begins all coding; only one is allowed per page; coding must be closed with </HTML> tag. Also, only one </HTML> tag per page; no coding can come after it.
I want you to know more about me. So, <a href="#me"> click here </a> to go there!
This will cause the "click here" to be highlighted (usually in blue). When clicked on, it will take the reader to the section about you. Go ahead & click on the above link. To get back here after we take you there, hit your "back" button......or click on the hyperlink you find there.
The "a href", as we all know, is the hyper reference to some other target location, and that location in our example is "#me". So, at the beginning of the targeted section, where you want the link to take the reader, type this code:
<a name="me"> Followed by your text telling more about me!
This names & assigns the target location for the link. [note:] This name code will place the location selected at the very top of the screen. Take this into account when determining the target location point. You may have to give some room between the name code and the text so your visitors won't have to scroll back up to see what it is you want them to see.
Now, to reverse it, or to send someone back to the top of the page, you would do this. At the top of the page, or wherever you want the return point to be, you need this code:
<a name="top"> ....then the page text here.
Then at the bottom of the page, or at the end of the target section, use this code:
<a href="#top"> back to the top of this section </a>
(or whatever information text you prefer).
Advanced Application of Above & Reminders
You can have any number of hyper referrals pointing to the same target location. But you can only have one location or target point on a page with the name you assign. Another way to name the target location point is to use the ID= attribute. This can be used in the
About Alt.Discuss.Homepage-Homepage Helpers
The alt.discuss.homepage newsgroup is a great source of help if you run into a snag when creating your home page. Each issue, we will focus on one or more tips that will help your home page design. ADH even has a group of members called Homepage Helpers. If you have a particularly complex design problem, you can visit our home page @ https://members.tripod.com/adhhh/ & request that a Homepage Helper contact you for more one-on-one assistance. Everyone in ADH-HH & the newsgroup gets a great fulfillment out of helping you get your home pages into the shape you want. The general feeling is "...someone helped me, so I'm here to help others...". Not only does it give us pleasure to help, but by helping it often results in us learning something ourselves. You never know when someone is going to approach you with an idea they want to implement that you never envisioned. Going into that unchartered region teaches both the helper & the requester. What's even more enjoyable is to learn something totally new from someone considered a "newbie". Just goes to show that time on the net is not the only requirement to knowledge.
Have a tip, idea, tool, or shortcut you'd like to share & see featured in the next or subsequent article? Submit your tip to our ADH-HH Tips & Tools Committee.
Intermediate Tip
~~~submitted by: Mike D. Runnels ~~~~
Suppose you want someone to go to a particular point or topic located somewhere else on your page. You would use a "hyper reference", a piece of text link which, once clicked on, will take the readers to the point you want them to see. The tag we use is the anchor tag. This reference has two parts: a name that you assign to it and a hyperlink code. Where you want the hyperlink to appear you would have to place the code like this:
<p align="center" id="top"> @ the beginning of a paragraph or the <img>, list, list items, headers, or most any other tag. Remember, whatever name you use in the referring hyperlink, e.g. "#top", you must also use in the companion target / location code, e.g. "top". Notice that the location code does not include the "#" sign in the name. Also notice that the referring hyperlink <a href="#xxx"> must have a companion closing tag of </a>, while the location code <a name="xxx"> does not.