At long last, it's time to build your own web page using HyperText Markup Language, or HTML. If you've been so intrigued you've already enlisted the aid of a program such as Front Page or Composer to get started, congratulate yourself! But read on to get more of an understanding of what is behind your creation. For the stout of heart, there is a sample html text with tags for starting your very first, made-from-scratch web page. Just stay online and click the link at the end of this article for more details.
In reference to the sample and for general reference, you will notice that the sample contains "tags" that are in brackets. Each tag is responsible for a different dynamic. The HTML begins and ends, as does the HEAD(header), which contains the TITLE. The BODY begins and ends, too. Of course, everything must end up inside the two HTML tags. The end of each tag contains a forward slash. Information contained within the title tags is displayed on the title bar of your browser (along the upper edge).
These tags are important, and there are tons more. Although most HTML editors will cushion the effects of poorly written code, there is always the possiblity of a little 'gibberish' poking through, so it is very important to close tags where necessary. To begin your page, simply do this as practice: cut and paste the text in the online example into your text editor and save it as "index.html". Remember which directory you are saving to! Then, launch your web browser, and open the document you just created by clicking the File menu and choosing Open,then navigate to your index.html.
Here's a mini-glossary of the additional tags:
– BGCOLOR="rrggbb" refers to the relative amounts of red, green and blue that go into a solid color used as background. Images can also be used as background; they are linked through 'anchors'(keep reading!).
– H1 assigns a heading size (1 being the largest) to text.
– U is an underline tag.
– BR a break, which can also be a P, or paragraph. The result is pretty much the same.
– SIZE=4 is for font size.
– B is for: bold!
– EM or emphasis, brings on italics.
– A HREF="(an address or image source, or spot on the page)" is an anchor, or hyperlink reference to an image, another spot on your page or site, another web address, or even an email address. This creates the 'jump'(hyperlink) to another place.
This is just a beginning. You can use images, sounds and video in your web site. To see the process on another level, surf to your favorite existing web page, and click the View menu, then choose the HTML Source, or Source. Each page represents a plenty of work, especially the busy ones with a lot of dynamic content.
Save your index.html and experiment with font sizes, add text and pictures… pretty soon you'll have a page of your own! Using your very first web page as a template, you can create something to be proud of. Have fun!!!
Click here for the template!
or, copy and paste this address into your URL window:
http://andavis.home.mindspring.com/IndexText.html
