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Sams Teach Yourself Web Publishing with HTML & XHTML in 21 Days, Third Edition is a new edition of the best-selling Laura Lemay book that started the whole HTML/Web publishing phenomenon. The entire book has been revised and refined to freshen up its appearance and to bring it up to date with current Web publishing practices and technologies. Yet the book's original style, off-beat humor, and popular learning techniques will be retained and developed. This edition of the book includes coverage of the latest developments in HTML and Web publishing, including the effects of XHTML 1.0 and 1.1 on Web publishing practices, the new generation of browsers from Microsoft and Netscape, improvements and changes in Web publishing tools, and developments in Web scripting and programming.
(NOTE: Each Chapter ends with Summary, Workshop, Q&A, Quiz, Quiz Answers, and Exercises.)
I. GETTING STARTED.
Day 1. The World of the World Wide Web.What Is the World Wide Web?
The Web Is a Hypertext Information System. The Web Is Graphical and Easy to Navigate. The Web Is Cross-Platform. The Web Is Distributed. The Web Is Dynamic. The Web Is Interactive.
Web Browsers.
What the Browser Does. An Overview of Two Popular Browsers. Using the Browser to Access Other Services.
Web Servers. Uniform Resource Locators (URLs).
Day 2. Get Organized.Anatomy of a Web Site. What Do You Want to Do on the Web? Set Your Goals. Break Up Your Content into Main Topics. Ideas for Organization and Navigation.
Hierarchies. Linear. Linear with Alternatives. Combination of Linear and Hierarchical. Web.
Storyboarding Your Web Site.
What Is Storyboarding and Why Do I Need It? Hints for Storyboarding.
Day 3. An Introduction to HTML.What HTML Is-And What It Isn't.
HTML Describes the Structure of a Page. HTML Does Not Describe Page Layout. Why It Works This Way. HTML Is a Markup Language. A Brief History of HTML Tags. Preparing for the Future with XHTML 1.0.
What HTML Files Look Like.
A Note About Formatting.
Programs to Help You Write HTML.
II. CREATING SIMPLE WEB PAGES.
Day 4. Begin with the Basics.Structuring Your HTML.
The <html> Tag. The <head> Tag. The <body> Tag.
The Title. Headings. Paragraphs. Lists, Lists, and More Lists.
List Tags. Numbered Lists. Customizing Ordered Lists with HTML 3.2. Unordered Lists. Customizing Unordered Lists in HTML 3.2. Glossary Lists. Nesting Lists.
Day 5. All About Links.Creating Links.
The Link Tag-<a>
Linking Local Pages Using Relative and Absolute Pathnames.
Absolute Pathnames. Should You Use Relative or Absolute Pathnames?
Links to Other Documents on the Web. Linking to Specific Places Within Documents.
Creating Links and Anchors. Linking to Anchors in the Same Document.
Anatomy of a URL.
Parts of URLs. Special Characters in URLs.
Kinds of URLs.
HTTP. Anonymous FTP. Non-Anonymous FTP. Mailto. Gopher. Usenet Newsgroups. File.
Day 6. More Text Formatting with HTML.Character Styles.
Logical Styles. Physical Styles.
Preformatted Text. Horizontal Rules.
Attributes of the <hr> Tag.
Line Break. Addresses. Quotations. Special Characters.
Character Entities for Special Characters. Character Entities for Reserved Characters.
Text Alignment.
Aligning Individual Elements. Aligning Blocks of Elements.
Fonts and Font Sizes.
Changing the Font Size. Changing the Font Face.
The Dreaded <blink>. <nobr> and <wbr>.
III. WEB GRAPHICS.
Day 7. Using Images, Color, and Backgrounds.Images on the Web. Inline Images in HTML: The <img> Tag.
Adding Alternative Text to Images.
Images and Text.
Text and Image Alignment. Wrapping Text Next to Images. Adjusting the Space Around Images.
Images and Links. Using External Images. Other Neat Tricks with Images.
Image Dimensions and Scaling. More About Image Borders. Image Previews.
Using Color.
Naming Colors. Changing the Background Color. Changing Text Colors. Spot Color.
Image Backgrounds. Hints for Better Use of Images.
Do You Really Need This Image? Keep Your Images Small. Reuse Images as Often as Possible. Provide Alternatives to Images.
Image Etiquette.
Day 8. Creating Animated Graphics.What Is an Animation? When and Where to Use Animation. Creating Transparent GIF Files.
Choosing a Transparent Color.
Programs to Help You Compile Animated GIFs.
GIF Construction Set (Windows Platform). GifBuilder (Macintosh Platform).
Creating Animated GIFs. Optimizing Animation Size. Tools to Help You Create Your Pictures.
Useful Software Features.
Creating an Image Rollover.
Day 9. Creating and Using Imagemaps.What Is an Imagemap?
Server-Side Imagemaps. Client-Side Imagemaps. Imagemaps and Text-Only Browsers.
Creating Client-Side Imagemaps.
Getting an Image. Determining Your Coordinates. The <map> and <area> Tags. The usemap Attribute.
IV. DOING MORE WITH HTML.
Day 10. Tables.A Note About the Table Definition. Creating Tables. Table Parts.
The <table> Element. Rows and Cells. Empty Cells. Captions.
Sizing Tables, Borders, and Cells.
Setting Table Widths. Changing Table Borders. Cell Padding. Cell Spacing. Column Widths. Setting Breaks in Text.
Table and Cell Color and Alignment.
Changing Table and Cell Background Colors. Changing Border Colors.
Aligning Your Table Content.
Table Alignment. Cell Alignment. Caption Alignment.
Spanning Multiple Rows or Columns. More Advanced Table Enhancements.
Grouping and Aligning Columns. Grouping and Aligning Rows. The frame and rules Attributes.
Other Table Elements and Attributes. How Tables Are Used.
Image Slicing.
Day 11. Frames and Linked Windows.What Are Frames and Who Supports Them? Working with Linked Windows.
The <base> Tag.
Working with Frames.
The <frameset> Tag. The <frame> Tag. The <noframes> Tag.
Changing Frame Borders. Creating Complex Framesets.
Magic target Names.
Floating Frames.
Day 12. XHTML and Style Sheets.What Is XHTML, and Why Use It?
The <DOCTYPE> Identifier. XHTML Syntax.
The Concept of Style Sheets. Some Background on Style Sheets. The Bookworm Bookshop Revisited. Approaches to Style Sheets.
External Style Sheets. Embedded Style Sheets.
About Cascading. Commonly Used Style Sheet Properties and Values.
Controlling Page Layout CSS Properties. Setting Border Appearance. Font Appearance and Style. Text Alignment Properties in CSS.
Inline Styles.
The style Attribute. The class Attribute. The <span> Tag.
Sources of Information About Cascading Style Sheets.
V. Multimedia, Forms, and Dynamic HTML.
Day 13. Multimedia: Adding Sounds, Videos, and More.Understanding How to Present Sound and Video. The Old Standby: Linking. Embedding Sound and Video.
Using the embed Element. Using the object Element. Combining embed and object. Embedding Flash Animations. Embedding Shockwave Animations. Embedding RealAudio and RealVideo. Multimedia Techniques Using Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Sound and Video File Types. Of Plug-Ins and Players.
Windows Media Player. Macromedia Flash. Macromedia Shockwave. QuickTime 4 by Apple. RealNetworks Grab Bag. WinAmp.Other Plug-Ins.
Day 14. Designing Forms.Understanding Form and Function. Essential Elements of a Form.
Using the form Element to Create Forms. Creating Form Controls with the input Element. Using Other Control Elements. Creating Menus with select and option.
Adding Extras
Displaying Control label Elements. Grouping Controls with fieldset and legend. Changing the Default Tabbed Navigation. Using Access Keys. Creating disabled and readonly Controls.
Planning Your Forms.
Day 15. Using Dynamic HTML.What Exactly Is Dynamic HTML? Learning JavaScript.
JavaScript Basics. Integrating Scripts with HTML.
Using Document Object Models.
The Netscape DOM. The Internet Explorer DOM.
Handling Events. Coping with Reality: Cross-Browser DHTML Techniques.
Sniffing for Browsers. Detecting Capabilities. Testing for the Existence of Objects. Grouping Elements with <div>. Positioning <div> Elements. Manipulating Elements with JavaScript.
Continuing Your DHTML Education.
VI. DESIGNING EFFECTIVE WEB PAGES.
Day 16. Writing and Designing Web Pages: Do's and Don'ts.Using the HTML Extensions. Writing for Online Publication.
Write Clearly and Be Brief. Organize Your Pages for Quick Scanning. Make Each Page Stand on Its Own. Be Careful with Emphasis. Don't Use Browser-Specific Terminology. Spell Check and Proofread Your Pages.
Design and Page Layout.
Use Headings as Headings. Group Related Information Visually. Use a Consistent Layout.
Using Links.
Use Link Menus with Descriptive Text. Use Links in Text. Avoid the “Here” Syndrome. To Link or Not to Link.
Using Images.
Don't Overuse Images. Use Alternatives to Images. Keep Images Small. Watch Out for Assumptions About Your Visitors' Hardware. Be Careful with Backgrounds and Link Colors.
Other Good Habits and Hints.
Link Back to Home. Don't Split Topics Across Pages. Don't Create Too Many or Too Few Pages. Sign Your Pages. Provide Nonhypertext Versions of Hypertext Pages.
Day 17. Examples of Good Web Design.Example One: A Company Profile.
What's New at Foozle? Technical Information. The Company Overview. The Foozle Products Page. The Product Support Page. The Open Opportunities Page. Features of This Web Site and Issues for Development.
Example Two: A Multimedia Encyclopedia.
The Overview Page. The Norton Page. The Index of Marques. Features of This Web Site and Issues for Development.
Example Three: A Shopping Catalog.
Browsing the Catalog. Ordering. Features of This Web Site and Issues for Development.
Day 18. Designing for the Real World.What Is the Real World, Anyway? Considering User Experience Level.
List Pages That Provide Descriptions of Your Site. Describe Your Navigation System. Add Browser Recommendations. List Other Necessary Files.
Determining User Preference. Deciding on an HTML 4.01 or XHTML 1.0 Approach.
HTML 4.01 and XHTML 1.0 Transitional. HTML 4.01 and XHTML 1.0 Framesets. HTML 4.01 and XHTML 1.0 Strict.
VII. GOING LIVE ON THE WEB.
Day 19. Putting Your Site Online.What Does a Web Server Do?
Other Things Web Servers Do.
Locating a Web Server.
Using a Web Server Provided by Your School or Work. Using a Commercial Internet or Web Service. Setting Up Your Own Server.
Organizing Your HTML Files for Installation.
Questions to Ask Your Webmaster. Keeping Your Files Organized with Directories. Having a Default Index File and Correct Filenames.
Installing Your Files.
Moving Files Between Systems.
Adding Interactive Features.
Search Engines. Message Boards.
Test, Test, and Test Again. Troubleshooting.
I Can't Access the Server. I Can't Access Files. I Can't Access Images. My Links Don't Work. My Files Are Being Displayed Incorrectly.
Day 20. Letting People Know It's There.Registering and Advertising Your Web Pages.
World Wide Web Site Listings. Yahoo! The World Wide Web Virtual Library. dmoz: The Open Directory Project. Yellow Pages Listings. Private Directories.
Site Indexes and Search Engines.
AltaVista. Excite. Google. HotBot. Lycos. Go.com.
Submission Tools.
Submit It!
Announce Your Site Using Usenet. Web Rings. Business Cards, Letterhead, Brochures, and Advertisements. Finding Out Who's Viewing Your Web Pages.
Log Files. Access Counters.
Day 21. Testing, Revising, and Maintaining Your Web Site.Integrity Testing.
Validating Your HTML. Browser Testing. Verifying Your Links.
Usability Testing.
Examining Your Server Logs.
Updating and Adding Pages to Your Site.
Adding New Content. Revising Your Structure.
VIII. APPENDIXES.
Appendix A. Sources for Further Information.Access Counters. Browsers. Collections of HTML and Web Development Information. Forms and Imagemaps. HTML Editors and Converters. HTML Validators, Link Checkers, and Simple Spiders. Java, JavaScript, and Embedded Objects. Log File Parsers. HTML Style Guides. Servers and Server Administration. Sound and Video. Specifications for HTML, HTTP, and URLs. The Common Gateway Interface (CGI) and CGI Scripting. Other Web-Related Topics. Tools and Information for Images. Web Providers. Web Indexes and Search Engines.
Appendix B. HTML 4.01 Quick Reference.
Common Attributes and Events.
%coreattrs. %i18n. %events.
Structure.
<bdo>...</bdo>. <body>...</body>. Comments <!-- ... -->. <div>...</div>. <!DOCTYPE...>. <h1>...</h1> Through <h6>...</h6>. <head>...</head>. <hr>. <html>...</html>. <meta>. <span>...</span>. <title>...</title>.
Text Phrases and Paragraphs.
<acronym>...</acronym>. <address>...</address>. <blockquote>...</blockquote>. <br>. <cite>...</cite>. <code>...</code>. <del>...</del>. <dfn>...</dfn>. <em>...</em>. <ins>...</ins>. <kbd>...</kbd>. <p>...</p>. <pre>...</pre>. <q>...</q>. <samp>...</samp>. <strong>...</strong>. <sub>...</sub>. <sup>...</sup>. <var>...</var>.
Text Formatting Elements.
...</b>. <basefont>. <big>...</big>. <font>...</font>. ...</i>. <s>...</s>. <small>...</small>. <strike>...</strike>. <tt>...</tt>. <u>...</u>.
Lists.
<dd>...</dd>. <dir>...</dir>. <dl>...</dl>. <dt>...</dt>. <li>...</li>. <menu>...</menu>. <ol>...</ol>. <ul>...</ul>.
Links.
<a>...</a>. <base>. <link>.
Tables.
<caption>...</caption>. <col>. <colgroup>...</colgroup>. <table>...</table>. <tbody>...</tbody>. <td>...</td>. <tfoot>...</tfoot>. <th>...</th>. <thead>...</thead>. <tr>...</tr>.
Frames.
<frame>. <frameset>...</frameset>. <iframe>...</iframe>. <noframes>...</noframes>.
Embedded Content.
<applet>...</applet>. <area>. <img>. <map>...</map>. <object>...</object>. <param>.
Style.
<style>...</style>.
Forms.
<button>...</button>. <fieldset>...</fieldset>. <form>...</form>. <input>. <isindex>. <label>...</label>. <legend>...</legend>. <option>...</option>. <select>...</select>. <textarea>...</textarea>.
Scripts.
<script>...</script>. <noscript>...</noscript>.
Character Entities.
Appendix C. Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) Quick Reference.How to Use This Appendix. Block-Level Properties.
bottom, left, right, top. Direction. Display. Float. Position. unicode-bidi. z-index.
Background and Color Properties.
background. background-attachment. background-color. background-image. background-position. background-repeat. Color.
Box Model Properties.
border. border-bottom, border-left, border-right, border-top. border-color. border-bottom-color, border-left-color, border-right-color, border-top-color. border-style. border-bottom-style, border-left-style, border-right-style, border-top-style. border-width. border-bottom-width, border-left-width, border-right-width, border-top-width. Clear. height, width. Margin. margin-bottom, margin-left, margin-right, margin-top. max-height, max-width. min-height, min-width. Padding. padding-top, padding-right, padding-bottom, padding-left.
Font Properties.
font. font-family. font-size. font-size-adjust. font-stretch. font-style. font-variant. font-weight.
List Properties.
list-style. list-style-image. list-style-position. list-style-type.
Text Properties.
letter-spacing. line-height. text-align. text-decoration. text-indent. text-shadow. text-transform. vertical-align. white-space. word-spacing.
Visual Effects Properties
clip. Overflow. Visibility.
Aural Style Sheet Properties.
azimuth. Cue. cue-after, cue-before. Elevation. Pause. pause-after, pause-before. Pitch. pitch-range. play-during. Richness. Speak. speak-header. speak-numeral. speak-punctuation. speech-rate. Stress. voice-family. Volume.
Generated Content/Automatic Numbering Properties.
content. counter-increment. counter-reset. marker-offset. Quotes.
Paged Media Properties.
marks. Orphans. Page. page-break-after, page-break-before. page-break-inside. Size. Widows.
Table Properties.
border-collapse. border-spacing. caption-side. column-span, row-span. empty-cells. table-layout.
User Interface Properties.
cursor. Outline. outline-color. outline-style. outline-width.
Cascading Style Sheet Units
<absolute-size>. <angle>.<border-style>. <border-width>. color>. <family-name>. <frequency>. <generic-family>. <generic-voice>. <integer>. <length>. <number>. <percentage>. <relative-size>. <shape>. <specific-voice>. <time>. <uri>.
Appendix D. Colors by Name and Hexadecimal Value.