═══ 1. Welcome to HTML-Ed ═══
HTML-Ed v0.96b
(C) Copyright 1996, Ian Prest
All Rights Reserved.
Thank you for trying HTML-Ed v0.96b.
Thank you for trying this beta of HTML-Ed! HTML-Ed is a full-featured editor
for HTML code. HTML is the markup language used on the World Wide Web.
Note: This is a BETA copy of HTML-Ed. There may still be a few buglets
remaining in the program that I haven't found. Please read over the Known Bugs
section. Please backup all your data before using the program just in case.
This manual, like HTML-Ed itself, is in a constant state of modification. I
will be improving it over the next few revisions of HTML-Ed. I would also
appreciate comments on how this manual could improved.
Visit the HTML-Ed Home Page for the most up-to-date information: http://www.wp.com/ianprest/htmled.html
═══ 2. HTML-Ed Features ═══
HTML-Ed's Features include:
1. HTML-Ed, unlike other OS/2 HTML editors, features a built-in viewer! No
more waiting for WebExplorer to load; testing of HTML code is almost instantaneous!
2. HTML-Ed support all of the common HTML 2.0 tags (the major exception being
forms), and selected HTML 3.0 tags (background, colours, etc).
3. HTML-Ed is FAST! It is written in pure C for speed. Most other HTML
editors have been written in VX-REXX and you are therefore stuck with poor
VX-REXX performance.
4. HTML-Ed is SMALL! It won't gobble megabytes of disk space, and doesn't
require much in the way of RAM to run. The executable file is currently
hovering around the 90 kb mark!
5. HTML-Ed has an intelligent keyboard interface. Most of the common tags are
easily available from the keyboard.
6. HTML-Ed was designed with speed of use in mind. Everything is keyboard
driven; there is no need to use the mouse. There is no graphical toolbar
to get in the way.
7. HTML-Ed is configurable. You can toggle word-wrap, toggle the loading of
graphics (in TEST mode), change the font of the MLE, and save the window
position for future use, among others.
8. Multi-File editing via a ring-type system (like EPM).
9. HTML-Ed can run any external process, and extends the REXX language with
over 50 new functions that allow you to create really powerful macros.
═══ 3. Installation ═══
Installing HTML-Ed is easy. Simply unzip the archive it came in (htmle96b.zip)
and move the files to a directory of your choice. Then, change the current
directory so that you're in the same directory as HTML-Ed (this is important!
The program object will not be created properly if you don't do this), and run
the INSTALL.CMD file. It will ask you if you want to create a program object
for HTML-Ed in this directory. Enter 'n' and ENTER if you want to quit,
otherwise, press 'y' and ENTER.
The install program then asks you if you want to associate HTML files with
HTML-Ed, allowing you to double-click on an HTML file to open/edit it.
The install program will then Create a program object for you on the desktop
with the correct icon. Then you can double-click on this icon to start
HTML-Ed. Or, you can drag an HTML file (or any text file) to the HTML-Ed
program object, and HTML-Ed will start using that file.
After the program object has been created, you are given the option of creating
another object referencing the HTML-Ed online manuals (this manual and the
programmer's manual). Press 'y' if you want an object created for these manuals.
See also, Starting HTML-Ed.
═══ 4. Starting HTML-Ed ═══
From the command line:
HTML-Ed accepts only one type of command-line parameter - filenames. You can
tell HTML-Ed to load an HTML file by specifying the file to load on the command
line. If you put HTML-Ed somewhere in your path, or you add the HTML-Ed
directory to the path statement in CONFIG.SYS, using HTML-Ed from the
command-line becomes very easy.
HTML-Ed now accepts multiple files and wildcards on the command-line. All
files specified will be loaded into the file ring.
From the desktop:
After you create the program icon for HTML-Ed (see Installation), you can start
HTML-Ed is one of several ways. The easiest method is to simply double-click
on the HTML-Ed icon. HTML-Ed will then start, and you will be able to edit a
new document.
Another method is to drag an HTML file to the HTML-Ed program icon. HTML-Ed
will then start and open the file you dragged to it.
If, when you installed HTML-Ed, you chose to associate HTML files with it, you
can double-click on any HTML file (with an extension of .HTM or .HTML) and
HTML-Ed will start and load the file you selected.
If you find that you are always loading the same files for different HTML
"projects" you should copy the HTML-Ed object for each project, and specify the
files to load, and the working directory for that object on the program page of
the object settings.
═══ 5. How to use HTML-Ed! ═══
This section details how you to use HTML-Ed.
o The Menus
o The Dialogs, and Inserting Tags
o Test vs. Write Modes
o The Edit/File Ring
o Drag and Drop (Direct Manipulation)
═══ 5.1. The Menus ═══
This section explains the pull-down menus and their commands.
o File
o Edit
o Search
o Options
o Page
o Style
o Test!
o Help
═══ 5.1.1. File ═══
The FILE menu contains items pertaining to files and external processes.
Note: The OPEN and NEW menu items will insert a new file into the file ring -
they do NOT close the current file.
Under the FILE menu you will find:
o New
o Open...
o Save...
o Save as...
o Save All
o Save ASCII...
o Print
o Close File
o Ring Left/Right
o Ring List...
o External Processes
o Exit...
═══ 5.1.1.1. New ═══
Selecting New will insert a blank, untitled file into the file ring. The file
currently being edited is not closed.
Note: The directory for this file is assumed to be the startup directory. If
you use the Anchor or IMG dialog Find buttons, the localized filename may be
incorrect. It is a good idea to save the untitled file before you begin to
work on it.
═══ 5.1.1.2. Open ═══
This command will open a file that you select in a standard file dialog. The
file currently being edited is not closed, but the new file is inserted into
the file ring.
═══ 5.1.1.3. Save ═══
This saves the file you are currently working on. If it has not been saved
before, a file dialog will be displayed and you will be allowed to choose a
filename to save your file as.
═══ 5.1.1.4. Save as ═══
This command will display a file dialog and allow you to enter a new filename
for the file you are currently working on. The file will be saved with this
new filename, and the titlebar and file ring will be modified to reflect the change.
═══ 5.1.1.5. Save All ═══
This menu options saves all files in the ring THAT HAVE FILENAMES! If a file
is untitled, it will not be saved with this function.
═══ 5.1.1.6. Save ASCII ═══
This menu function will allow you to save your HTML file as an ASCII file - a
plain text file without HTML tags.
This function is equivalent to choosing Select All, Remove Tags, then Save
as... except the text in the editor is not changed, and the filename in the
file ring remains unchanged.
═══ 5.1.1.7. Print ═══
Selecting File/Print in test mode will print the HTML file (as it appears in
test mode) to the default printer/driver.
Note: File/Print is not currently available in write mode.
═══ 5.1.1.8. Close File ═══
Closes the current file in the ring. If the file has been changed, you will
first be prompted to save it. If this is the last file in the ring, choosing
Close File will exit HTML-Ed.
═══ 5.1.1.9. Ring Left/Right ═══
These commands move one file left or right in the file ring. See The Edit/File
Ring for more information.
═══ 5.1.1.10. File Ring ═══
This menu option will bring up a dialog that contains a listbox with all the
files in the edit ring. You can switch to another file by selecting one with
the arrow keys and clicking on OK.
The edit ring list dialog is now sizable. The size of this window will be
saved when you choose Save position on exit from the Other Options dialog, or
if you select Save options/position from the Options menu.
Note: You can chord click on the editor (left/right mouse buttons at the same
time) to display the file list. This only works in write mode!
See The Edit/File Ring for more information.
═══ 5.1.1.11. External Processes ═══
The External Process menu lets you run defined (and undefined) external
processes. External processes are defined on the External Process Options Page
of the Other Options Dialog.
The following menu choices are available:
o ExtProc x
o Other External Process
o Output Window
═══ 5.1.1.11.1. ExtProc x ═══
This menu choice lets you run all predefined External Processes that have been
assigned a shortcut of 'x'. If there are no defined external processes with
that number, nothing will happen.
═══ 5.1.1.11.2. Other ExtProc ═══
Selecting Other... will display the Other ExtProc dialog. In the
Filename/Title field enter the filename of the external process to execute. It
can be an executable (.EXE), a REXX (.CMD) file, or a HTML-Ed Macro (.HM) file.
Click the Find button to browse for a program to run.
You can also type in the name of a defined external process. In this way you
can quickly use more than nine defined external processes. A drop-down box
lists all defined external processes.
In the Parameters field enter any parameters you wish to be passed to the
external process. If one of your parameters is %fn then it will be replaced
with the current filename. If you type a title name in the Filename/Title
field then the parameters will be appended to the parameters already defined
for that external process!
═══ 5.1.1.11.3. Output Window ═══
Selecting Output Window... from the menu will display the Output Window - a
window that displays the output of external processes. To close the Output
Window, either double-click on it's system menu or press ESC while the Output
Window is focused.
See also External Process Options.
═══ 5.1.1.12. Exit ═══
Exits HTML-Ed. If any files have been changed, you will be prompted before exiting.
═══ 5.1.2. Edit ═══
The Edit Menu contains commands that change the text in the editor. From this
menu you can:
o Undo
o Cut
o Copy
o Paste
o Clear
o Select All
o Deselect All
o Convert \ to /
o Convert Characters to Tags
o Convert Tags
o Remove Tags
═══ 5.1.2.1. Undo ═══
This command reverts the text in the editor to what it was before the last
command (or sequence of keystrokes) was issued. Selecting Undo again will redo
the action.
═══ 5.1.2.2. Cut ═══
Cut will copy the selected text to the clipboard, and then delete it from the
editor. You can later Paste this text back into the HTML-Ed editor, or into
another program.
═══ 5.1.2.3. Copy ═══
Copy will copy any selected text to the clipboard so that you can later Paste
it somewhere else.
Back to the Edit Menu.
═══ 5.1.2.4. Paste ═══
Paste will take any text in the clipboard and insert it into the editor. If
there is any selected text, that text will be overwritten with the pasted text.
═══ 5.1.2.5. Clear ═══
Clear deletes any selected text. If you make a mistake, you can retrieve the
text by choosing Undo from the menu.
═══ 5.1.2.6. Select All ═══
Selects all the text in the editor. The cursor is moved to the end of the text.
═══ 5.1.2.7. Deselect All ═══
Unselects any selected text. The cursor is not moved.
═══ 5.1.2.8. Convert \ to / ═══
Converts all DOS-style backslashes to UNIX-style forward slashes in the
selected text.
Note: You MUST use forward slashes for all filenames, even for local viewing,
or the TEST window may not properly load the graphics, or link to the correct page.
═══ 5.1.2.9. Convert Characters to Tags ═══
This menu function allows you to convert upper ASCII characters in your file
into their HTML &xxx; character equivalents.
To use this function, select the text you wish to search. Then choose this
command from the Edit Menu. All the upper ASCII characters in the selected
text that are recognized will be converted to their HTML equivalents.
Characters with ASCII codes less than 32 will not be converted, nor will the
'&', '<', or '>' characters. If you wish these characters to be converted, you
will have to edit the CHARS.INI file.
See also Code Pages.
═══ 5.1.2.9.1. Code Pages ═══
A note about code pages:
HTML-Ed enforces the use of code page 850 - the code page that WebEx itself
uses. This should not create any real problems for users of other code pages.
At most, you should only have to learn a few new Alt+[keypad] combinations for
your favorite ASCII characters.
═══ 5.1.2.10. Convert Tags ═══
You can convert all HTML tags in the selected text to uppercase or lowercase.
The default case of tags that HTML-Ed inserts is chosen on the Tag Options page
of the Other Options dialog.
═══ 5.1.2.11. Remove Tags ═══
Removes any HTML tags in the selected text (removes anything between '<' and '>').
═══ 5.1.3. Search ═══
The search menu contains the following commands:
o Search
o Replace
o Find Next
o Go to Line
═══ 5.1.3.1. Find ═══
Allows you to search for a text string in the current file.
The following options are available to modify the search:
Case Sensitive
If this option is selected, any matches found must match exactly the text in
the Search For line. If this option is not selected, found text does not have
to have the same case as text in the Search For line.
Origin
If From cursor is selected, the search will begin from the cursor position.
Else, if Entire Scope is selected, the search will begin from the start of the
document of selected text.
Scope
If Selected Text is selected, the search will be limited to any text that has
been selected. Else, if Global is selected, the entire document will be
searched (starting at the Origin).
═══ 5.1.3.2. Replace ═══
Allows you to search for replace one or all occurances of a text string in the
current file with another.
All the options from Search/Find are available, in addition to the following:
Prompt on Replace
If this option is selected, you will be prompted before any text is replaced.
Change All
This button will search the entire document until all matches have been found
(you will be prompted for each match only if Prompt on Replace is checked.
═══ 5.1.3.3. Find Next ═══
Repeats the last search or replace command.
═══ 5.1.3.4. Go to Line ═══
Allows you to jump to a specific line in the current file.
═══ 5.1.4. Options ═══
The Options Menu contains items that affect the behavior of HTML-Ed.
o Word Wrap
o Load Graphics
o Font
o Registration
o Other Options
o Save Options/Position
═══ 5.1.4.1. Word Wrap ═══
This menu item is a toggle. When word wrap is on, there will be a check mark
beside this menu item.
To toggle word wrap, simply choose this command from the menu.
Note: Note that word wrap is toggled for the current file only, and when new
files are entered into the ring, they inherit the word wrap style of the
current file.
═══ 5.1.4.2. Load Graphics ═══
Like Word Wrap, this menu item is also a toggle. It controls whether or not
graphics/backgrounds will be loaded/displayed when you enter Test mode.
Not viewing graphics will speed up the display, and allow you to get an
approximate idea of what the page would look like without graphics.
═══ 5.1.4.3. Font ═══
This submenu will allow you to select a font for the editor in HTML-Ed. There
are currently five preset choices.
If you don't like the preset choices, you can select Other... from the font
menu and you will be presented with a standard font dialog. From this dialog,
you can select any font and font size for use in the editor.
Warning: Font attributes (bold, underline, etc) will not be saved if you select
in the dialog. When you restart HTML-Ed, the attributes will not be there anymore.
═══ 5.1.4.4. Registration ═══
The Registration menu option will bring up the registration dialog. In this
dialog, you can enter your name, and the registration code you receive upon
registration. If the code is accepted, HTML-Ed will no longer pause on
startup. See Registration Information for more information.
═══ 5.1.4.5. Other Options ═══
The Other Options dialog has the following pages of options:
1. Tag Options
2. Misc Options
3. WebExplorer Options
4. Drag & Drop Options
5. External Process Options
6. File Extension Options
═══ 5.1.4.5.1. Tag Options ═══
The 'Tag Options' dialog allows you to set some options for HTML-Ed that relate
to inserted tags. These options are saved when you select "Save
Options/Position" frm the menu.
There are currently two options available:
Case
Inserted tags can now be in either uppercase or lowercase.
Font Size
You can choose between absolute font sizes (ie: 5) or relative font sizes (ie: +2).
═══ 5.1.4.5.2. Misc Options ═══
The 'Misc Options' dialog allows you to set some miscellaneous options for
HTML-Ed. These options are also saved when you select "Save Options/Position"
frm the menu.
There are currently five options available:
Highlight required fields
Required fields in dialogs will be highlighed (in red).
Require required fields
If you don't enter all the required fields, and this option is checked, then
the tag will not be inserted. If this option is not selected, the tag will be
inserted anyways, and the cursor will be positioned in an appropriate place.
Load files when following links
If you select "Load ALL files when following links," whenever you click on a
link in test mode, the file will be loaded into the ring (if it is not
currently in the ring). If you select "Load LAST file when following links,"
only the active file when you exit test mode will be loaded into the ring. In
either case, upon exiting test mode, the active file will be switched to the
newly loaded file.
If you select "Do not load files when following links," the files will not be loaded.
Save window position on close
The window size/position, and size/position of the "File Ring" window will be
saved when you quit HTML-Ed.
Save options on close
All options (including these ones) will be saved every time you quit HTMl-Ed.
═══ 5.1.4.5.3. WebExplorer Options ═══
There are several options that allow you to configure the WebExplorer window in
HTML-Ed (Test Mode):
Underline Links
If turned on (the default), links in Test Mode will be underlined.
Font
You can select the font name (Helvetica, Times Roman, or Courier) and the font
size (Small, Normal, Large, Extra Large). These options behave exactly as
their WebExplorer counterparts do. A small sample window shows you what the
text will look like.
═══ 5.1.4.5.4. Drag & Drop Options ═══
From the Drag & Drop Options page you can customize the default direct
manipulation behaviours.
Move (Regular Drop)
Copy (Ctrl+Drop)
Shadow (Ctrl+Shift+Drop)
You can select the action HTML-Ed takes for any of these actions. HTML-Ed can
insert the dropped file into the file ring (or create an IMG tag if it's a
graphic), insert the dropped file's text into the current editor at the cursor,
create an anchor/link to the dropped file, or perform no action at all.
═══ 5.1.4.5.5. External Process Options ═══
There are two options available from the External Process options page.
Clear Ouput Window between processes
If selected, the Output Window will be cleared before every External Process is started.
Open Output Window when starting processes
If enabled the Output Window will be displayed every time you run an external
process. This is very useful for debugging purposes.
The External Process options page is also where you define your external processes.
Note: Unlike all other options, defined external processes are always saved.
There are three buttons used when defining external processes:
New
Clicking New displays the Edit Process Dialog. From this dialog you define
your external process. Click on Find to search for an executable (.EXE) file,
for a REXX (.CMD) file, or for a HTML-Ed macro (.HM) file.
Put any parameters you wish to pass to the program on the Parameters line. If
you use %fn as a parameter, the current filename will be substituted.
On the Process Name line you assign a name to the defined external process.
This name can be up to 63 characters long, and should be descriptive. However,
you may wish to use short names since you can use these names as keywords in
the Other Process dialog.
You can also assign a Shortcut key, or hotkey, to external processes. Up to
nine external processes may have different hotkeys (two external processes may
share the same hotkey and they will be invoked in the order they appear in the
external process list). The default hotkeys are Ctrl+Alt+[1-9] but you may
change these to anything you wish (see Hot Keys).
Edit
Highlighting an external process and clicking on Edit will diaplay the Edit
Process Dialog and allow you to change some of the parameters you set earlier.
Delete
Highlighting an external process and clicking Delete will remove the external
process definition. Be careful - there is no way to recover the external
process definition if you accidentally delete it.
═══ 5.1.4.5.6. File Extension Options ═══
The File Extension options page allows you to set some of the default
extensions and filespecs that HTML-Ed uses.
Default HTML Extension
This is the extension that HTML-Ed will save a file with if no extension is
specified. Case is significant and the '.' is not required.
Default ASCII Extension
This is the extension that HTML-Ed will save an ASCII file with if no extension
is specified. Case is significant and the '.' is not required.
HTML Dialog Filespec
These are the extensions that HTML-Ed will diaplay in the Open file dialog, and
the "Find HTML" file dialogs.
ASCII Dialog Filespec
These are the extensions that HTML-Ed will diaplay in the Save ASCII file dialog.
Find ExtProc Filespec
These are the extensions that HTML-Ed will display in the "Find ExtProc" file dialog.
Find Graphic Filespec
These are the extensions that HTML-Ed will display in the "Find Graphic" file dialog.
Note: The default filespecs for many of the file dialogs specify more than one
file mask, seperated by semicolons. This only works with FixPak 17 and above!
If you are using an older revision of Warp, please edit these defaults to
display only one file mask.
═══ 5.1.4.6. Save Options/Position ═══
The final choice under the Options Menu, Save Options/Position allows you to
save your preset options, and the current window position for future sessions.
Note: This option now also saves the size/position of the File Ring window and
the Output Window.
═══ 5.1.5. Page ═══
The Page and Style menus are where you will spend most of your time. The Page
menu contains tags that affect the layout of the text, such as lists, the
paragraph tag, etc, as well as tags that indicate entities - images,
anchors/links, and horizontal rules:
o HTML
o Head
o Body
o HTML Skeleton
o Headings
o Lists
o Center
o Paragraph/End Paragraph
o Line Break
o Horizontal Rule
o Image
o Anchor/Link
o Comment
o Special Characters
See also Hot Keys.
═══ 5.1.5.1. HTML ═══
This command will wrap any selected text in a ... pair.
═══ 5.1.5.2. Head ═══
This command displays the Head Dialog, which allows you to define such things
as the title of the document, and the base URL.
═══ 5.1.5.3. Body ═══
This command displays the body dialog, which allows you to specify the
background bitmap, and the colours for text/links/etc.
═══ 5.1.5.4. HTML Skeleton ═══
This command wraps any selected text in a generic HTML skeleton.
═══ 5.1.5.5. Headings ═══
This submenu contains commands that wrap any selected text with a heading tag,
) and end paragraph (
) tags respectively. Note: If you select some text and choose paragraph or end paragraph from the menu, the selected text will be wrapped in a...
pair. The End Paragraph tag is optional, and does not have to be used. ═══ 5.1.5.9. Line Break ═══ This command inserts the