Introduction

Some of the most important features of AWeb-II version 3.0 are listed below.

HTML and browsing

• Frames.
• Tables, including table backgrounds.
• Font sizes, colours, subscript, superscript, optional blinking.
• Client-side image maps, also when the map is defined in another document.
• Embedded objects and background sounds.

As a unique feature, AWeb offers three different HTML modes ensure the correct display of virtually every page:

• Strict mode, where only the official standard is recognized.
• Tolerant mode, which also recognizes many of the NetScape and other extensions. Tolerant mode also offers automatic recovery from many syntactic errors, including bad comments.
• Compatible mode, to recover from really bad HTML, where automatic recovery would break most other pages.

Images are shown using datatypes. That means you are not stuck with a particular decoding method built-in in the browser, but you can choose the datatype that does the job the best. Instead of the datatype you can use a special plugin that supports progressive decoding and animated GIF. Using datatypes also ensures the widest possible coverage of image formats, where other browsers only support a limited number of built-in formats.

"Standalone" images (that are shown when following a hyperlink) are shown in the browser window, or optionally using an external image viewer.

You can define which action to perform for all types of files, depending on their MIME type. Streaming input for external programs is supported. For textual files, AWeb checks if the file really contains text before attempting to show the contents, in order to avoid problems with servers that don't recognize extensions like .lha.

A public plugin interface allows seamless integration of extension programs within AWeb.

Networking

Using internal multitasking, AWeb offers totally asynchroneous and parallel network access. Upto 256 (*) parallel connections are supported, but you can configure a lower maximum.

The HTTP, FTP and Gopher protocols are supported internally. Mailto, Telnet and News are supported by external programs or ARexx plugins. Plugins for Mailto and News are bundled with the program, and are installed automatically as an option.

AWeb supports both the client pull (the "Refresh:" HTTP header) and server push (multipart/x-mixed-replace) mechanisms.

AWeb supports the use of proxies for HTTP, FTP, Gopher and Telnet. You can define sites or URL patterns for which the proxy should not be used.

A persistent, disk based cache ensures fast access to pages that you have visited before. In order to keep the cached pages up to date, AWeb can verify the cached files once per session or with every access. You can also turn cache verification off to decrease the network usage. AWeb allows you to define sites or URL patterns for files that should never be cached.

HTTP authorization and proxy authorization are supported. A separate window allows for easy maintenance of your userid and passwords.

NetScape and RFC 2109 cookies are fully supported. AWeb helps you protect your privacy in several ways: it can show an alert requester whenever a site wants to set a cookie, and you can specify sites from which cookies must never be accepted. You can tag individual cookies as being trusted so the alert requester will not be shown again for those cookies. Cookies are stored in a readable and editable ASCII file.

AWeb lets you load all images, or delay all image loading. A third option is to load only clickable maps, so you know where to click on.

Productivity

AWeb is fast. It has a unique fast cache response mode that shows cached pages immediately without delay, and yet ensures that you always see the most recent version of a page.

The clipboard is supported. You can not only copy or paste URLs, but you can also drag-select in a page and copy the selected text to the clipboard. (*)

The search function lets you locate text in the page. The text found will be highlighted so you can easily recognize it.

You can scroll pages with the keyboard. This is also possible for pages shown in frames, and even when the frame has no scroller.

You can print (*) the page graphically, or print it textually using the HTTX conversion utility that is included in the AWeb-II package. You can save the document as text (using HTTX) or as HTML source. Functions that use the HTTX utility are installed automatically as an option.

AWeb was the first browser to feature a network status window, that enables you to watch all foreground and background network transfer progresses. You can cancel selected transfers, or all transfers at once. A global CPS rate is also shown in this window.

You can store your favourite links in a hotlist. (*) A powerful hotlist manager allows very easy maintenance of your hotlist. You can add, delete and sort entries, and group them in a hierarchical way. You can include an entry in more than one group simultaneously without having to duplicate it first. A set of search functions, including pattern matching, helps you in finding back any entry in your hotlist.

The cache browser (*) allows you to view or save any file from the cache. You can delete single or multiple files. A set of search functions, including pattern matching, lets you easily find back that interesting document or image you like to view again.

AWeb features a powerful set of ARexx commands (*), that allows you to control almost every aspect of AWeb from outside, including all settings. Combined with the unique ability to start ARexx macros from a hyperlink or form button, this makes it possible to build complex applications that use AWeb as their user interface!

Configurability

You can easily configure AWeb to open its windows on its own public screen, a named public screen or the default public screen. The network status, hotlist viewer and history windows are optionally opened automatically at the program start.

You can add your own ARexx macros to the menu. This allows for easy running of your favourite ARexx plugins by a mouse click or a hotkey. (*)

You can change the default popup menu that is shown for images, links or frames. Using ARexx commands, you can add all functionality that you find useful. You can even start ARexx macros (*) or external programs from the popup menus.

Where other browsers have fastlink buttons, AWeb offers you the much more powerful user buttons. You can assign any ARexx command to these buttons. This includes opening a URL (which would turn the button into a simple fastlink button), changing a single configuration item (like HTML mode), and starting ARexx macros (*) or external programs.

Web authoring (*)

You can also edit the HTML source of files stored locally on your hard disk directly from within AWeb.

(*) These features are only available in the full version.