HOW TO USE COMPOSER STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO CREATING A WEBSITE Updated Oct 1999 
    
    
    
    
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What now follows is a guide to creating a simple web page on Netscape Composer. 
As this page is quite long we've divided it into 5 key sections. It is based on 
the Netscape navigator 4.6 package. The guide is not complete, but gives a simple 
step by step method of setting up a simple web site. We've separated it into 5 
pages Getting started, saving & loading your pages & viewing them Editing text 
and lines Images and backgrounds Creating Links Checking and uploading your sites. 
Alternatively most of what's here can be downloaded in this zip file(6k.)     
    
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CREATING A BASIC SITE 1 STARTING UP    
    
    
The first Thing to do is to create a folder to keep all the file related to your 
site in. Do this as normal either on your Hard Drive or Floppy Disk. If you don't 
know how simple click on the drive you want, the open any folder (my documents 
is a good place to start) you want to put the new folder in and then right click 
the mouse on a blank space. Select new -> folder from the sub menu. You can then 
type in name (make it appropriate e.g. "Joe Bloggs Web Site"). Now open Composer. 
You begin on a new simple page. REMEMBER IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE click on edit and 
select undo. Lets begin........     
    
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TO SAVE AND LOAD FROM DISK     
    
When you want to save your file either click on save icon or click on file->save. 
(1) find the folder you created earlier using the menu bar and menu. (2) type 
in file name (e.g.index) and hit (3) Save A box will then appear asking you for 
a page title. This will appear on the top bar of a browser so enter something 
appropriate (e.g. Joe Bloggs - Home page). For the page on any website you want 
people to see first use use the name index To load a page if it has been opened 
recently you may see it and select it from the menu if you click on file otherwise, 
select file ->open. Click browse and find it. You can save a file to another place 
or name (useful for backups) by selecting save as. Its now a good time to view 
your page.....    
    
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VIEWING PAGES ON INTERNET EXPLORER OR NAVIGATOR     
    
Useful to check your site. Either click on your file in its folder or open your 
browser but select to work off-line. Click file -> open. Browse to find your file 
    
    
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CREATING BASIC SITE 2 TEXT    
    
Text will form the basis for most documents. You can use composer much like a 
word processor (it even has spell check). If you are happy already with doing 
that click here to skip the basics. The cursor should be flashing on the page 
so you can start typing straight away. To edit text you have typed is easy. To 
make simple corrections such as spelling move the pointer to the site and left 
click. Delete or insert as required. To alter or copy a large area of text simple 
move pointer to one end hold left mouse button down and move so the target area 
is highlighted. Once happy release (take care not to re-click) and the area should 
remain highlighted. If you want to move the text to elsewhere in the area you 
have already typed left click on the high lighted area but hold down until you 
have reached the target area. To cut text out move the cursor to the highlighted 
area right-click and hold down to select cut. To copy then paste the text elsewhere 
move the cursor to the highlighted area right-click and hold down to select copy. 
Quickly left click to unhighlight and then move cursor to target position. Left 
click so type cursor appears then hold down right-click and select copy the release 
The cut, copy and paste functions can also be achieved by either selecting the 
edit menu or the relevant icons on the standard tool bar. To change text font, 
colour or size or to underline, bold or italic is similar. Highlight then select 
the appropriate icon from the standard tool bar (or select Format -> Font or Size 
or etc. on the menu). If you type on from where you have changed you continue 
to type in the new style. (WARNING underline text can confuse the viewer into 
thinking its a link.) To align the text (either left, center, or right) either 
click cursor on the line you want to align or highlight the area, then click the 
appropriate align icon (alternately select format -> paragraph then pull down 
alignment box) If you simply type away your text will warp to fit the window. 
The problem with this is that if you adjust the window the warp alters. One solution 
is to use line breaks (hit shift + Enter at same time). alternatively use return 
to create paragraphs with space between (the best solution is to use tables but 
these are more advanced) Hyperlinks To link your text to other places on your 
page, site or web see later By now you should have the bones of your page set 
up.     
    
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INSERTING LINES     
    
Lines are good to break up areas on some site (like the ones used here). click 
cursor where you want one and click the icon or insert-> horizontal line. If you 
highlight line and right-click you can edit its properties.     
    
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CREATING A BASIC SITE 3 IMAGES    
    
    
Images can add colour and excitement to your web page. It is vital that any image 
you use on a page is in the same folder before you start using them (this makes 
it easier later on) You are best to use 2 main image types to begin with (as almost 
all browsers can use them) .jpeg (or .jpg) -best for photos. Can reproduce 24 
bit files that can handle in excess of 15 million colors .gif - for others as 
is based on 8 bit files that can handle only 256 colors . gif can also be animated 
like this Many .gif such as buttons come with transparent backgrounds (this can 
be set on tag in image props) but many esp. animated ones, may not so leave usually 
a black or white background (explains why many sites on the net are in these shades). 
You can often alter this with a graphic package. Composer will convert some other 
file formats for you such as .bmp, pcx. but be wary. Getting Images Ensure or 
alter the image file name so it is all one case e.g. mypic.jpeg not MyPic.jpeg 
D.I.Y. you can create your own by using a scanner for photos or graphic packages. 
Remember to save as a .jpeg or .gif if possible and also to the folder you are 
using. Commercial\free images on CDs Several companies sell prepared images for 
you to use. Many computer magazines cover disc have free clipart or other images. 
As always check copyright instructions. From the web There are several sites on 
the net offer free .gif and .jpegs others have strings attached and some will 
take legal action if their images are used by others. Check the copyright notices 
before taking an image off the web a list of some of these is on our link page 
To get image from a web site using Internet explorer, right click image and select 
"save picture as". You can rename it but remember to send it to the folder your 
web page is on.     
    
Inserting Images in Composer     
    
    
Simple. Click cursor where you want image. Either select insert image icon or 
click insert -> image Altering Images Images can be cut, copied and pasted just 
as text (see above) However you can also alter the shape of a picture. If you 
click on the edge of picture a resize arrow appear hold down on one and move it 
This can alter the size of the object or its shape Changing the position of images 
relative to text You can alter how text appears in relation to image. This can 
be done when you first insert the image or later if you right click on your image 
and select image properties. You have a list of alignment options. You should 
try to limit yourself to top, middle, bottom, left and right (these are the only 
one complying to the HTML v4.0 standard. The rest potentially could markedly alter 
your site on another browser) e.g. this image is set at top whereas this on is 
at bottom however note the text doesn't wrap around these images (just like text) 
If you want text to wrap around an object as it does here you need the left and 
right alignments. The image on the left is set to left and text wraps round on 
its right side (vice versa on the right)     
    
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BACKGROUND    
    
You can set a site background with ease. Click format -> Page color and Properties. 
Click the colors and background tag. You can select the background colour or image. 
(Remember if using an image, put it in your website folder before selecting it) 
You can acquire background images from many sites (check our links). Look for 
ones that are specifically labeled as such as they will tile nicely together. 
    
    
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CREATING A BASIC SITE 4 LINKS     
    
You can make Text or image link to other place on the same page, or others page 
on your site or to other sites on the Internet. You can also link so people can 
send email. To make a link to somewhere else on the same page (like the (bottom) 
which will take you to the bottom of this site) You must first create an Anchor 
or target for the link. Highlight the first few word or the image you are targeting 
and either click target button or click edit -> target. You can change the name 
and then click OK. Now select the place you want to make the link from . Highlight 
it and either select the hyperlink icon or click insert -> link. On the box that 
come up (1) your target should be there. Highlight it and click OK. The link will 
change colour and become underlined.     
    
    
To link to other pages The process is similar. Remember if you are uploading a 
group when preparing web pages make sure they are all in the same folder. Start 
to make link as before but (2) either type your file name in to Link to a page 
location.... (e.g. hg.html) or click Choose file If you have targets on that page 
you can select these as well.     
    
    
To link to a specific Internet. site You first must know the address e.g. www.joeblogg.net.You 
can note this when browsing on from the explorer bar. Before using a link as courtesy 
check with the owner that its okay (usually you can find an email link). Highlight 
your link point and set up a link. This time enter in (2)Link to a page location.... 
box the full web address including http:// (e.g. http://www.fluffbucket.com)     
    
    
    
To set up a email link Highlight your link point and set as before. This time 
type in (2) link to a page location.... box the email but prefixed with mailto: 
(e.g. mailto:faq@fluffbucket.com) Click OK. When someone clicks on this it should 
trigger their email program automatically There are more links you can do but 
we'll deal with that later     
    
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CREATING A BASIC SITE 5 CHECKING YOUR PAGE    
    
If you've followed the above then you can make a simple page. Congratulations 
!!!!. Remember to save it to your folder Now you need to check how your page looks 
on a browser. Go back to remind yourself how to do this. It is worth checking 
your file with several browsers such as Internet. explorer and Netscape as there 
are subtle difference with appearance. Double check your spelling and how things 
appear. Check your links including those on the www. (if you click on them your 
browser will try to link)    
    
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OTHER PAGES    
    
If you want to create several web pages to upload in one go simply select file 
and then new (or click create new normal page icon ). Remember to save your page 
to the same folder    
    
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GETTING READY TO AND UPLOADING     
    
    
Before uploading your site onto the world wide web it is important to check all 
your web pages and associated image files are in the same folder. Remember that 
your page must have the image files sourced from within that folder (i.e. don't 
use or use then move in or out image files). If you have multiple pages make sure 
the one you wish people to start on is called index.htm (see later). Recheck your 
links on both your browsers and composer. In composer the link target appears 
in the bottom left of screen if you move the pointer over. If you are linking 
to other pages within the website you are preparing make sure that it reads just 
the file name e.g. nextpage.htm not a string C:/yourfolder/nextpage.htm otherwise 
it won't work on the net (reopen the target page and recreate your link) Check 
you ISP regards uploading. Most will have a help web page or FAQ or will provide 
advice over the phone. Many use different ways of uploading so it is important 
to check and seek advice. Most want you to use a protocol called FTP. 2 ways to 
do this are described below Communicator has a built in publisher. Open a webpage 
you wish to publish from a folder. Click the publish icon (or file->publish) Your 
page name and filename should appear automatically (1). In HTTP or FTP Location 
to publish to (2) fill in your website location e.g. http://www.mysite.com/home/. 
Now (3) enter your user name and password that you got from your ISP. If you want 
to upload other files or the content of the whole folder the (4) other files to 
include area allow you to do so. Click OK and that's it Alternatively you can 
use Microsoft's Web Publishing Wizard. Click the Start button on your desktop 
select programs and find the following If you can't find web publishing wizard 
you may need to install it. Click on Start -> Settings -> Control Panel the select 
add remove programs. Click Windows Setup tag and then click on Internet. tools 
make sure the web publishing wizard box is ticked (if not do so and follow instructions) 
Once you've selected web publishing wizard from Start menu follow the on screen 
instructions. On the Select File or Folder menu put in the path to your web site 
folder (you can use browse) and click next. Then on the Name the Web server put 
in the box any name (it is not technically important so something you would remember 
like "Joe Bloggs server"). On the Specify the URL and directory type in the address 
given by your ISP e.g. http://www.yourserver.net/joebloggs . THIS IS YOUR SITE 
ADDRESS The directory for your web page should be in the box below. Click next 
and connect (dial up box should appear). The next follows some ISP security steps 
(often just your username and password but check). Complete the remaining pages 
as per instructed.    
    
    
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CHECKING YOUR SITE     
    
    
    
It is vital you check your site quickly (and preferably with several browser). 
The Site address you entered above should be entered in your browser if you use 
a start page named index (e.g. http://www.yourserver.net/joebloggs) This will 
open onto you page called index automatically. If not add a backslash and type 
the webpage name in plus its file type (.htm) (e.g.http://www.yourserver.net/joebloggs/home.htm) 
Check every thing works     
    
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That's it !!!!!! That's all you have to do to make up a basic site. Congratulations!!!! 
This is not a guide to doing it by every route (some of the above tasks can be 
done by right clicking to get another menu for example). Nor is it complete so 
play around and you can do thing like create bulleted lists of text To insert 
sound, Java applications and other useful things return to our main page. 