HTML-Optimizer is the ideal tool for validating your local web folder prior to uploading. It checks your web pages for broken links and dangling tags and optimizes both web pages and graphic files.
The program offers 5 functions and offers a number of useful options that make working with HTML-Optimizer very easy. Especially the Duplimize option comes in handy - see the manual in the program.
1. HTML-Optimizer saves 10 to 20% of space on your web pages by removing unnecessary characters and tags. Though this may seem a small improvement, load time savings is much higher as your client's browser parses the pages more efficient.This program does not remove quotation marks from attribute values - as some other optimizers do to get impressive savings - because this actually would slow down the browser's parsing speed!
Client-side and server-side JavaScript can be optimized too.
Graphic file recources can be removed at choice, saving 10 to 80 % of space. Resources are of no use on the web.
Optimized web pages are saved as new text files with only a data fork, by default with the Creator Type "R*ch" of BBEdit - see the Preferences - and put in a folder named Optimizer Ouput.
If you don't have BBEdit, download a free copy of BBEdit Lite from <http://www.barebones.com/free/bbedit_lite.html>.
Warning: Take care that you do not replace your original HTML pages with optimized ones because you may find it very difficult to edit them when returns have been removed.
2. Another function of HTML-Optimizer is to check the tagged pair structure of your web pages. Any dangling tag will be reported. If you choose the extensive mode, IMG tags are checked for the presence of the Width, Height and Alt attributes.
The Width and Height attributes are needed by the browser to build up the page as fast as possible. At the Preferences you can choose to add missing Width and Height attributes with pixel values which are automatically detected.
The Alt attributes make your page more user-friendly. At the Preferences you can choose to add missing Alt attributes with either a custom text string or the name of the picture concerned. As text string you could type "FindMe" to enable you to easily find and replace the added Alt attributes in your Text Editor.
Note that changes are put in the original pages of your web folder, unless you choose at the Preferences the Include Checking Tags option, which means checking tags on-the-fly when optimizing.
3. The Mark function does the same as the Check function, but marks the error spots with the character •, so that you can easily find them for fixing. Files are always saved at root level of the Optimizer Output folder, with • before the name.
4. The Check Links function checks the validity of the internal hyperlinks, until a depth of 8 levels, of your web folder. The following links are checked: href, img src, img dynsrc, embed src and <script>.src. Excluded from checking are links that point to the Internet and links that start with the character #.
5. The Convert function takes care that special characters between ASCII 128 and 255 are converted to the appropriate &.....; notation.
Note that changes are put in the original pages of your web folder, unless you choose at the Preferences the Include Converting Special Characters option, which means converting on-the-fly when optimizing.
All results are reported in the various Logs which are saved as text files in the Logs folder.
Installing
Note: Any old copy of HTML-Optimizer must be deleted prior to installation.
Copy the HTML-Optimizer folder to any suitable location on the same volume or partition where your Web folders are located. Make sure that your web folder and/or the HTML-Optimizer folder is not located on the desktop.
Double-click the HTML-Optimizer application to start the Configuration sequence. The Configure menu allows you to override settings later on, should you change your mind.
Special Note for Mac OS 9.x Users
Do not disable the Security Library in your Extensions folder. Without it, HTML-Optimizer's AppleScript-based dialogs cannot function.
QuickStart for People Who Don't Read Manuals
When installing and configuration is done, you may start a test to get acquainted with the program. It's best to choose a single web page and start to check the tags, then continue with checking the links and at last do the optimizing (if there were no errors you could deliberately insert some, just to see how they are detected).
Once you have selected a file and you change the function, for example to switch from checking to optimizing, you don't need to select the file again via the usual Open Dialog, but you can simply click the Same Again button. When you have finished the optimize job, you can view the code and/or the page itself.
Next you could optimize your entire web folder. Check if the option 'Delete Resource Fork of Graphic Files' at the Preferences is turned on if you want to save even more bytes.
It's recommended to have Duplimize Web Folder selected at the Preferences before you start optimizing. Then you end up with a duplicate of your web folder that contains all optimized files. If you had also chosen to label optimized files, you can easily recognize them in the duplicate web folder.
If you want more…
HTML-Optimizer does not support drag & drop. If you manage more than one web site, you have to define the other web folder in the Configure menu every time you want to work with it. If you want to upload an optimized file, you have to open your FTP program.
For those of you who want all this - and more - combined in one application, without giving up what HTML-Optimizer already offers, HTML-OptimizerPlus is available, to be downloaded from my web site or any main download site, <www.tucows.com> for example.
Strong Advice
Do not use HTML file names that contain space. HTML-Optimizer will replace space with an underscore, so "wrong name.html" will become "wrong_name.html", because the program can't process multi-word names.
When Norton Anti Virus hits the alarm bell
Should Norton Anti Virus report that an application with the name Hypertemp 1 is made by HTML-Optimizer, don't worry. It's a temporary file that exists for a second when you quit HTML-Optimizer or it can sometimes happen during operation. The remedy: Click 'Remember' when the NAV dialog pops up.
Note for Dutch Users
At the Preferences you can choose to have the Manual and the Help balloons - not those of the main menu bar - in the Dutch language.
License
HTML-Optimizer costs only US $ 10.00 for a single license.
You can pay online via Kagi at the secure page <https://order.kagi.com/?U5P> or by using the Register Utility.
Dutch users can remit EUR 10.00 to my post account 1404609 or bank account 5272.64.687 in the name of T. Brand in Nuenen; if you do, please also send e-mail to notify me.
Limited Use if Unregistered
An unregistered copy stops after 25 full actions what should be enough to evaluate the program. Working with folders is restricted to 25 files per folder until you enter the registration code.
Required
HTML-Optimizer is a PPC application and requires Mac OS 7.5.3 or later.
Note: HTML-Optimizer can not be used in the Classic environment of Mac OS X, due to AppleScript problems. (HTML-OptimizerPro for Mac OS X is expected to arrive at a later date)
Legal Stuff
HTML-Optimizer is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind and the Author expressly disclaims all other warranties, expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Under no circumstances shall the Author be liable for any incidental, special, or consequential damages that result from the use or inablility to use HTML-Optimizer. In no event shall the Author's liability exceed the license fee paid, if any.
