W e b W r i t e r / 2

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Introduction

WebWriter/2 is an HTML editor designed and written for OS/2.

Currently WebWriter/2 fully supports the creation of HTML version 2.0 documents as well as supporting many HTML 3.0 features. It also includes the capability for the user to define tags which are not currently supported, allowing users to include tags from more recent HTML specifications. At least some knowledge of HTML is assumed and no syntax checking of documents is performed.

This version of WebWriter/2 was released on February 11, 1996. If you want to make sure that you have the latest version or you just want the check on the latest information about WebWriter/2 you may wish to visit the WebWriter/2 Home page at:

Or you may contact me through one of the methods listed in the Getting Technical Support section below.

WebWriter/2 is shareware and its use and distribution is subject to the terms specified in the license.txt file and the license panel of the on-line help.

Thank you for trying WebWriter/2. I hope you find it both useful and easy to use. If you have suggestions for enhancements or useability improvements, or if you discover defects in WebWriter/2, please contact me through one of the methods listed in the Getting Technical Support section below.

WebWriter/2 is implemented in REXX using Watcom International Corporation's VX-REXX.

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Installation

Prerequisites:

1. You must have installed OS/2 REXX support.

   REXX support is installed automatically with OS/2 version 3.0 (i.e., Warp). If you are using a 2.x version of OS/2 you will need to install REXX support using the Selective Install utility if you have not already done so.

2. You must have the file vrobj.dll.

   If the .zip file containing this file did not include vrobj.dll, you can retrieve vrobj21c.zip from

   • http://www.watcom.on.ca/fix_vxrexx/vrobj21c.zip

   It is also available via anonymous ftp from

   • ftp.watcom.on.ca/pub/bbs/wrexxpf/vrobj21c.zip

Installing WebWriter/2:

1. Install OS/2 REXX support, using the OS/2 Selective Install utility, if you have not already done so.
2. Unzip ww2_11b2.zip into a temporary directory.
3. Make sure that either:
   • vrobj.dll exists in a directory in your LIBPATH.

   or

   • You have the file vrobj.dll in the directory that you unzipped ww2_11b2.zip into.
4. If you are reinstalling WebWriter/2, delete the WebWriter/2 Folder and Program objects before continuing.
5. Run Install.exe.
6. You may wish to view the readme file that is loaded in the WebWriter/2 - Installation window before you continue.
7. Select Install/Install from the WebWriter/2 - Installation menu to start the installation process.
8. Fill in the Install WebWriter/2 options and click Continue. You may wish to install VROBJ.DLL to the C:\OS2\DLL directory rather than another directory which will need to be added to your LIBPATH statement in your CONFIG.SYS file.
9. WebWriter/2 will be installed using the entries you have made and a WebWriter/2 folder and program objects will be created on your desktop.
10. Shutdown and restart your system.

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Using WebWriter/2

WebWriter/2 allows you to create HTML documents from scratch or to markup existing text documents. You may also preview documents using either IBM's WebExplorer or another WWW client including Netscape. If you use IBM's WebExplorer as your WWW client you can use WebWriter/2 as your viewer for HTML document source. For more information on how to do this consult the WebWriter/2 on-line help.

WebWriter/2 uses a MSDI (Multiple Single Document Interface) method of editing multiple documents. You can open as many WebWriter/2 windows as you want as long as you can keep track of what you are doing. To help manage the open documents you may wish to display the WebWriter/2 - Window list. You can do this by selecting it from the Windows menu or from the OS/2 window list. Clicking mouse button 2 on the WebWriter/2 - Window list will bring up a context menu of options.

To insert HTML tags, select the desired tag from the Tags menu. Tags which have additonal or optional elements will present the user with a dialog prompting for the necessary information. For some tags this prompting is optional. Optional prompting is indicated by a [...] following the menu item and can be invoked by holding down the control key while selecting the item. Additional tags may be defined and inserted by selecting Tags/More tags... . Special characters can be selected from the Characters menu or from the Character entities dialog which is displayed by selecting Characters/More characters... When inserting HTML tags, selected text will be wrapped by the tag if it is two sided. One sided tags will be inserted before selected text. Character entities will be inserted before selected text.

More detailed information on specific features of WebWriter/2 can be found in the on-line help which is now available.

If you are not familiar with HTML you may wish to obtain one of the many books available on this topic. Teach Yourself Web Publishing with HTML in a Week by Laura Lemay ( SAMS Publishing, 1995 ) is a good book for beginners. By the time you read this Teach Yourself More Web Publishing with HTML in a Week by Laura Lemay ( SAMS Publishing, 1995 ) should be on the shelves. There are also many WWW sites which provide up to date HTML documentation and examples. Although these are too numerous to list here, the HyperText Markup Language (HTML): Working and Background Materials page maintained by the The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an excellent starting point. For specific information on HTML elements and attributes the following sites are recommended.

• Hypertext Markup Language - 2.0 - Table of Contents
• HyperText Markup Language Specification 3.0

You can also refer to the html20.htm file included with this .ZIP for basic HTML information.

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Registering WebWriter/2

If you decide that you wish to continue using WebWriter/2 beyond the 30 day evaluation period, you will need to register it. The registation fee is $30.00 U.S. When you register you will be sent a registration code. After you enter your registration information WebWriter/2 will display your name in the Product information dialog, the Registration menu will no longer appear on the Edit window menu bar and dialogs reminding you to register will no longer be displayed.

Please print and fill out the register.txt file included with WebWriter/2. If the copy of WebWriter/2 you obtained did not include the register.txt file, send the following information:

• Your name
• Postal address
• Email address
• Phone (Home/Work)
• WebWriter/2 version number
• How you obtained WebWriter/2
• Any other comments you may have

To register send a check or money order in the amount of the registration fee(s) payable to John Blumel and drawn on a U.S. bank to:

Registering through BMT Micro

For convenience of payment, you may register WebWriter/2 through BMT Micro. BMT Micro will accept the following forms of payment:

• Visa
• MasterCard
• Discover
• American Express
• Money Order
• Cashiers Check
• Personal Check

Checks and money orders should be made payable to BMT Micro. Registration through BMT Micro may be done in any of the following ways:

• Mail Orders:
  • BMT Micro
    452 Horn Road
    Wilmington, NC 28412-2411
    U.S.A.
• Voice Orders 9:00am - 7:00pm EST (-5 GMT):
  • (800) 414-4268 (orders only)
  • (910) 791-7052
    
• Fax Orders:
  • (910) 350-2937 24 hours / 7 Days
  • (800) 346-1OS2 (1672) In the US and Canada
• Telnet:
  • bmt.wilmington.net
• BBS:
  • (910) 350-8061 10 lines, all 14.4K
  • (910) 799-0923 Direct 28.8K line

If you wish to place the order through BMT Micro via Mail or Fax, please print and fill out the BMTOrder.txt file which was included in the WebWriter/2 archive.

Corporations and/or organizations interested in site licenses should contact the author (John Blumel) prior to registering.

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Technical Support

Known Problems

1. WebWriter/2 sometimes freezes on startup due to the startup process not having fully completed on a previous startup. This is caused by the existence of a file named 'delete.me' in the WebWriter/2 directory. This file is used to synchronize startup activities and if it exists at the time you attempt to start WebWriter/2, WebWriter/2 will wait for it to be cleared before completing its startup activities. If you experience problems starting WebWriter/2, check for the 'delete.me' file and if it exists delete it and try again to start WebWriter/2.

2. The Body dialog and the dialogs used to specify colors for individual BODY attributes use an OS/2 color palette that WebWriter/2 creates for its own use. This palette is created in the directory in which WebWriter/2 is installed. Changing the settings of this color palette could result in your system locking up when it is used from inside WebWriter/2. In particular, DO NOT CHANGE FROM A MINIMIZE BUTTON TO A HIDE BUTTON as this will almost certainly cause your system to hang when using this palette from inside WebWriter/2. Other changes may produce unpredictable results.

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Getting Technical Support

For technical support, suggestions or to report bugs in WebWriter/2 I can be reached at:

Or:

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