Step By Step

In this section I will be giving a step by step walk through on building a web page
using Netscape Communicator's Editor.
There is very little difference between Communicator's editor and
Netscape Navigator Gold's editor. So those of you who want to use
Navigator can still follow along.

Chapter 1	The Tool Bars
Chapter 2	Page Properties
Chapter 3	Text
Chapter 4	Images
Chapter 5	Tables
Chapter 6	Targets and Links
Chapter 7	Sound
Chapter 8	Using Backgrounds and Borders

Chapter 1 ----- The Toolbars

The first step is to know your tool, in this case the editor. Run Netscape Communicator, and when it comes up click on FILE->NEW->BLANK PAGE. Across the top of The page you'll see:

The Command Line
File Edit View Insert Format Tools Communicator Help

First Toolbar
New Open Save Publish Preview Cut Copy Paste Print Find Link Target

Image H.Line Table Spell_check

Second style and format Toolbar

Let's take each command one at a time. Click on the command to see the instructions.
I will only be covering those options you will need for composing a page.

The Command Line

FILE

-->NEW Blank Page Opens a new page set with the properties you have assigned as default under you composer settings

Page_from_Template This will pull up a page you have previously saved to use as a blank form when writing web pages. This is useful if all your pages are going to have the same backgrounds, color schemes, etc. It saves time setting the formatting for new pages.

-->OPEN Page_In_Composer This will open a previously written page in your editor.

-->CLOSE - Closes current page. On PC's if this is the only page open it will also close the program.

-->SAVE - Saves the current page. This option is not active on new pages until you have done a SAVE AS to place the file on your hard drive. This performs the same action as the save icon on the first toolbar

-->SAVE AS - Use this command when you want to assign or change the file name of the page you are working on.

EDIT The cut, copy, paste and clear commands work just the same as any other programs and are included in the first toolbar so I'll skip over them.

-->DELETE TABLE - This option will delete an entire table with it's contents. To use click anywhere inside the table you want to delete then choose this option.

-->REMOVE LINK - This option will remove all hypertext links from the text you have highlighted.

-->SELECT ALL - This option will highlight all of the text and graphics on the page for altering using one of the edit commands. There is almost no reason to ever use this.

-->SELECT TABLE - This option will highlight all the graphics and text inside the table you have selected. To select the table click anywhere inside of it.

-->FIND IN PAGE - This option will let you search your page's text for a given word or phrase.

-->FIND AGAIN - This option will let you search fo a reoccurance of the text you searched for with the find option.

-->SEARCH DIRECTORY - For Macintosh users only, this lets you search your hard drive for a file.

-->HTML SOURCE - This option will let you alter you pages source code by hand. You must have an external editor such as Notepad or Simple Text assigned in your composer preferences.

-->PREFERENCES - Lets you adjust your settings for Netscape Navigator, Composer, and Messenger.

VIEW

-->Hide Composition Toolbar - This option hides/shows the first toolbar

-->Hide Formatting Toolbar - This option hides/shows the second toolbar.

-->Show Paragraph Marks - This option shows where the separate paragraphs end on your page.

-->RELOAD - This option reloads the current page. This is used mostly in the navigator not the composer, but there may be occasions when your page doesn't automatically reload after you alter the page's source by hand.

-->SHOW IMAGES - If you have your preferences set to not automatically load images, you can select this option to load them

-->STOP LOADING - Just what it says. It stops all current loading of page code and graphics.

-->PAGE SOURCE - This will allow you to view the pages code without changing it

-->PAGE INFO - You don't need to worry about this, but you might take a look at your page's info after you have it finished.

-->PAGE SERVICES - I have no Idea, but you won't need this either.

-->ENCODING - You won't need this unless you are in a foreign country

INSERT - -

-->LINKS - This option will insert a hypertext link to another page or to a target on the current page. You need to have some text or a graphic highlighted to use this

-->TARGET - A Target is a link inside the same page. Using targets you can jump back and forth inside a page or jump to a certain pont inside a new page.

-->IMAGE - Inserts an image or graphic into your web page.

-->TABLE Table A table is a set of columns and rows you can use to format the look of your page. This rext is set in a table.

Row A row is a set of cells or boxes aligned rom left to right.

Column A column is a set of cells aligned from top to bottom.

Cell Inserts a single cell or box.

-->HORIZONTAL LINE - Inserts a horizontal line you can use for a pae divider. You can adjust the lines length, thickness, and centering.

-->HTML TAG - This is for more advanced page writers to enter special codes such as on mouse over. I prefer to enter my special code by hand.

-->NEW LINE BREAK This will insert a line into your page. It works the same as a carriage return. Why not just hit enter to get a new line. Because the enter or return key will place a new paragraph start into your page. They may look the same, but they don't work the same.

-->BREAK BELOW IMAGE The same as the new line break.

FORMAT -

-->FONT Here you can specify what style font will be used for your text. If you are using an uncommon font be sure to provide a downoad link for the font.

-->STYLE Bold Chooses the bold attribute for your text

Italic Slants chosen text.

Underline Will draw a line under your text.

Strikethrough,superscript, subscript More of the same, but you will usually not use these.

Blinking Will cause any text you indicate by highlighting to blink on and off. Use this sparinbgly. Blinking text can be a little irritating to look at.

Nonblinking Turns off highlighted text that you previously put in blinking mode.

-->SIZE Adjust the size of text. Also appears on second toolbar.

-->COLOR Assign a color for your text. Also appears on second toolbar.

-->Align, Heading, List, Paragraph, Increase indent, and decrease indent These options all appear on the second toolbar.

-->CHARACTER INFO Let's you view and adjust properties of highlighted text.

-->TABLE INFO Let's you view and adjust properties of a table you have indicated by clickng the cursor inside of it.

-->PAGE TITLE Let's you give your web page a title. The title will appear at the top of the web browser. You can also change this in page properties.

-->PAGE PROPERTIES Let's you view and adjust the general properties for the page. Including default text and link colors, background color, author, keywords, background picture, page title, etc.

TOOLS

-->CHECK SPELLING This will check your pages writin text for errors. It's easier to click on the spelling icon on the first toolbar.

Communicator Change which Netscape Communicator priogram you are using.

HELP Provides all kinds of helpful information on using Netscape.

To Page 2 - the First Toolbar To Page 3 - The Second Toolbar

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FILE
-->NEW	Blank Page	Opens a new page set with the properties you have assigned as default under you composer settings
	Page_from_Template	This will pull up a page you have previously saved to use as a blank form when writing web pages. This is useful if all your pages are going to have the same backgrounds, color schemes, etc. It saves time setting the formatting for new pages.
-->OPEN	Page_In_Composer	This will open a previously written page in your editor.
-->CLOSE	-	Closes current page. On PC's if this is the only page open it will also close the program.
-->SAVE	-	*Saves the current page. This option is not active on new pages until you have done a SAVE AS* to place the file on your hard drive. This performs the same action as the save icon on the first toolbar**
-->SAVE AS	-	Use this command when you want to assign or change the file name of the page you are working on.
EDIT		The cut, copy, paste and clear commands work just the same as any other programs and are included in the first toolbar so I'll skip over them.
-->DELETE TABLE	-	This option will delete an entire table with it's contents. To use click anywhere inside the table you want to delete then choose this option.
-->REMOVE LINK	-	This option will remove all hypertext links from the text you have highlighted.
-->SELECT ALL	-	This option will highlight all of the text and graphics on the page for altering using one of the edit commands. There is almost no reason to ever use this.
-->SELECT TABLE	-	This option will highlight all the graphics and text inside the table you have selected. To select the table click anywhere inside of it.
-->FIND IN PAGE	-	This option will let you search your page's text for a given word or phrase.
-->FIND AGAIN	-	This option will let you search fo a reoccurance of the text you searched for with the find option.
-->SEARCH DIRECTORY	-	For Macintosh users only, this lets you search your hard drive for a file.
-->HTML SOURCE	-	This option will let you alter you pages source code by hand. You must have an external editor such as Notepad or Simple Text assigned in your composer preferences.
-->PREFERENCES	-	Lets you adjust your settings for Netscape Navigator, Composer, and Messenger.
VIEW
-->Hide Composition Toolbar	-	This option hides/shows the first toolbar
-->Hide Formatting Toolbar	-	This option hides/shows the second toolbar.
-->Show Paragraph Marks	-	This option shows where the separate paragraphs end on your page.
-->RELOAD	-	This option reloads the current page. This is used mostly in the navigator not the composer, but there may be occasions when your page doesn't automatically reload after you alter the page's source by hand.
-->SHOW IMAGES	-	If you have your preferences set to not automatically load images, you can select this option to load them
-->STOP LOADING	-	Just what it says. It stops all current loading of page code and graphics.
-->PAGE SOURCE	-	This will allow you to view the pages code without changing it
-->PAGE INFO	-	You don't need to worry about this, but you might take a look at your page's info after you have it finished.
-->PAGE SERVICES	-	I have no Idea, but you won't need this either.
-->ENCODING	-	You won't need this unless you are in a foreign country
INSERT	-	-
-->LINKS	-	This option will insert a hypertext link to another page or to a target on the current page. You need to have some text or a graphic highlighted to use this
-->TARGET	-	A Target is a link inside the same page. Using targets you can jump back and forth inside a page or jump to a certain pont inside a new page.
-->IMAGE	-	Inserts an image or graphic into your web page.
-->TABLE	Table	A table is a set of columns and rows you can use to format the look of your page. This rext is set in a table.
	Row	A row is a set of cells or boxes aligned rom left to right.
	Column	A column is a set of cells aligned from top to bottom.
	Cell	Inserts a single cell or box.
-->HORIZONTAL LINE	-	Inserts a horizontal line you can use for a pae divider. You can adjust the lines length, thickness, and centering.
-->HTML TAG	-	*This is for more advanced page writers to enter special codes such as on mouse over.* I prefer to enter my special code by hand.**
-->NEW LINE BREAK		This will insert a line into your page. It works the same as a carriage return. Why not just hit enter to get a new line. Because the enter or return key will place a new paragraph start into your page. They may look the same, but they don't work the same.
-->BREAK BELOW IMAGE		The same as the new line break.
FORMAT	-
-->FONT		Here you can specify what style font will be used for your text. If you are using an uncommon font be sure to provide a downoad link for the font.
-->STYLE	Bold	Chooses the bold attribute for your text
	Italic	Slants chosen text.
	Underline	Will draw a line under your text.
	Strikethrough,superscript, subscript	More of the same, but you will usually not use these.
	Blinking	Will cause any text you indicate by highlighting to blink on and off. Use this sparinbgly. Blinking text can be a little irritating to look at.
	Nonblinking	Turns off highlighted text that you previously put in blinking mode.
-->SIZE		Adjust the size of text. Also appears on second toolbar.
-->COLOR		Assign a color for your text. Also appears on second toolbar.
-->Align, Heading, List, Paragraph, Increase indent, and decrease indent		These options all appear on the second toolbar.
-->CHARACTER INFO		Let's you view and adjust properties of highlighted text.
-->TABLE INFO		Let's you view and adjust properties of a table you have indicated by clickng the cursor inside of it.
-->PAGE TITLE		Let's you give your web page a title. The title will appear at the top of the web browser. You can also change this in page properties.
-->PAGE PROPERTIES		Let's you view and adjust the general properties for the page. Including default text and link colors, background color, author, keywords, background picture, page title, etc.
TOOLS
-->CHECK SPELLING		This will check your pages writin text for errors. It's easier to click on the spelling icon on the first toolbar.
Communicator		Change which Netscape Communicator priogram you are using.
HELP		Provides all kinds of helpful information on using Netscape.

FTP Downloads/Instr.	Ask the Webmaster	Webmaster Index
The PUB Font Archive	Search Engine Submitting	Step by Step
Web Graphics	Web Tools	Simple Page Writer