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Intro
HTML is the computer code that controls how your page
looks and acts. In Dreamweaver, the HTML is automatically
created for you. And thank your lucky stars for that. Before
WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) programs like Dreamweaver,
poor saps actually had to build web pages by writing code.
One typo and it could spell disaster for the page.
However, Dreamweaver is not the be all to end all. You will
quickly realize that it is useful to know some HTML so that
you can use Dreamweaver's split view and make some fine-tuning
adjustments to your page. Often this ends up being easier
done by editing the HTML. Also, even if you don't end up
modifying it, understanding what HTML is being created behind
the scenes is a way of understanding what you're doing in
Dreamweaver.
All the information you see on web pages is contained within
tags. Tags are the way we speak directly to the computer
to tell it what to do. Tags are all contained within
small angle brackets like these:
< >.
The first thing to remember about tags is that they often
travel in pairs. Think of them like honeymooners. You'll
always find them together, and if you ever see them apart
you know something went wrong...terribly wrong. Every time
you use a tag, say <body>, you must also close it
off with another tag. In this case, it would be </body>.
Note the slash - / - before the word "body"; that's
what distinguishes a closing tag from an opening tag.
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There are a handful of HTML tags (such
as <p> and <br>) that do not requre a
closing tag. These tags are the exception and not
the rule. Think of them as hitchhikers on the open
road. They don't need anything or anybody. |
The basic HTML page begins with the tag <html>
and ends with </html>. In between, the file has
two sections: the header and the body.
The header, enclosed by the <head> and </head>
tags, contains information about a page that won't appear
on the page itself, such as the title. The body, enclosed
by <body> and </body>, is where the action
is. Everything that appears on the page is contained within
these tags.
Demo
- Open any generic text editing program (e.g.
WordPad, NotePad, Word, BBEdit).
- Type the following:
<html>
<head>
<title>WIT 2002</title>
</head>
<body>
<p>WIT is by far the best technology class
I have ever taken.
<p>I wish it would never end.
</body>
</html>
- Save the page with the file name "sample.html"
to your folder. Make sure you save it as a Text Only
document
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This assumes that you have previously
set up a folder on your local computer where you
can store files before publishing. If you have
not done this or have questions please consult
your mentor. |
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Open the page in your browser and,
voila!, you should see something that looks like this:
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One of the best things about
knowing HTML is the fact that you can see
the HTML on any web page by viewing the source
information. By studying the HTML created
by other people you can often figure out how
they created something that you like and emulate
it. |
All browsers allow you to view the source information.
Here's how you do it in three of the most common
browsers:
| Netscape |
Choose View
| Page Source |
| Internet
Explorer |
Choose View
| Source |
| Opera |
Choose View
| Source |
- Show your mentor(s) your work and you're ready to
move on.
Now, select "Color" from the dropdown menu. |
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