Contents

This section focuses on working with content and using HTML to present information effectively. Topics include HTML how-to guides, samples, and references, style sheets, authoring and conversion tools, and similar topics of interest to Web authors and editors.

If you'd like to participate in discussions on writing HTML, taking advantage of Internet Explorer, using advanced HTML abilities such as cascading style sheets (CCS1), the OBJECT tag, the SCRIPT tag, and using ActiveX controls, be sure to subscribe to the Internet Explorer HTML mailing list (IE-HTML@lists.msn.com). See the Mailing Lists page for instructions on how to subscribe.

(Please note that some of the links below point to servers that are not under Microsoft's control. Please read Microsoft's official statement regarding other servers.)

How-to Guides, Tips & Samples
References
Authoring & Conversion Tools
Browsers and Viewers
Links to Relevant Topics

How-to Guides, Tips & Samples Up
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HTML Authoring Features for Internet Explorer 3.0
This article provides an overview of new Internet Explorer 3.0 authoring features -- including style sheets, floating frames, and enhanced tables -- with examples and step-by-step instructions for each.

ActiveX Control Pad Tutorial    (Updated: Jul 3, 1996)
This updated, HTML format of the ActiveX Control Pad tutorial shows you step-by-step how you can easily author leading-edge Web pages that include advanced layout and multimedia features such as exact object placement, object layering, and transparen cy effects.

A User's Guide to Style Sheets   (Jun 25, 1996)
An introduction to style sheets for Web authors. This guide explains how you can add style sheets to your Web pages, describes usage and syntax, and provides some useful tips.

Internet Explorer Showcase Pages, Set I   (Dec 1995)
Robert B. Hess shows off and explains background colors, table cell colors, and drop caps. For instant access to color values, be sure to check out Robert's 256-color RGB triplet table.

Internet Explorer Showcase Pages, Set II   (May 10, 1996)
In his second set of sample pages, Robert B. Hess illustrates expanded support for tables and fonts; divulges tips, tricks, and secrets that help you achieve special functionality in HTML; and provides information on supporting Internet shortcuts in your Windows-based applications.

Multimedia Galleryinternet link
A collection of background images, sounds, banners, horizontal rules, and other images you can download to use on your Web pages.

ActiveX Gallery
Includes ActiveX controls and components from Microsoft and from other companies that you can include on your Web pages. These controls create special effects and add functionality to your pages.

References Up
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Internet Explorer HTML Reference
This handy reference provides a complete listing and description of HTML tags you can use to author Web pages for Internet Explorer 2.0 and 3.0.

SGML DTD for Internet Explorer 2.0 Markup
The document type definition (DTD) that defines the markup tags for Internet Explorer 2.0 is provided in beta format.

ActiveX Controls   (Updated: May 24, 1996)
A useful overview for HTML authors and developers that answers questions about ActiveX controls. This page explains, in layman's terms, what an ActiveX control is and why you might be interested in using controls. It also includes pointers to ActiveX controls you can use today on your Web pages.

ActiveX Controls FAQ   (Jun 25, 1996)
Answers to users' questions about using ActiveX controls on Web pages, including downloading, licensing, installation, and availability.

Internet Explorer Logo Programinternet link
Details on how to use the Microsoft Internet Explorer logo on your Web site, including logo qualification criteria, usage guidelines, and sign-up form.

World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) specs of interest:

* Cascading Style Sheets, Level 1 (http://www.w3.org/pub/WWW/TR/WD-css1.htmlinternet link)
* HTML3 and Style Sheets (http://www.w3.org/pub/WWW/TR/WD-styleinternet link)
* Frame-based Layout via Style Sheets (http://www.w3.org/pub/WWW/TR/WD-layout.htmlinternet link)
* Inserting Objects into HTML (http://www.w3.org/pub/WWW/TR/WD-object.htmlinternet link)

Authoring & Conversion Tools Up
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Guide to Microsoft Internet Publishing Tools   (Jun 25, 1996)
This guide to Microsoft Web publishing tools provides an overview of Web publishing solutions and tools for the Internet and intranets.

Microsoft ActiveX Control Pad
This utility makes it easy to add ActiveX controls and ActiveX scripting (VBScript or JavaScript) to your HTML pages for viewing in Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 (or other Web browsers that support ActiveX controls). The ActiveX Control Pad also in cludes WYSIWYG support for authoring 2-D layout regions in conjunction with the Microsoft HTML Layout Control (below).

Microsoft HTML Layout Control
The HTML Layout Control gives Web authors exact, coordinate control over the placement of objects on a Web page, and allows you to create rich images with overlapping graphics and objects without using large bitmaps. This control is included with the ActiveX Control Pad, and is also available separately from the Internet Explorer site.

Internet Assistant
Read about the add-on to Microsoft Word that allows you to create and edit Web documents directly from Microsoft Word, with no HTML or Internet experience. Internet Assistant is also available as an add-on to other Microsoft Office products. Follow the links below to the Microsoft Office site to download these tools.

*Overview
* Internet Assistant for Microsoft Word
* Internet Assistant for Microsoft Excel
* Internet Assistant for Microsoft PowerPoint
* Internet Assistant for Microsoft Access
* Internet Assistant for Microsoft Schedule+

Microsoft FrontPage
This client/server application helps you create, deploy, maintain, and administer a sophisticated Web site that includes rich Web pages and interactive functions without programming. Follow the link above to the FrontPage site for details.

Microsoft ActiveX Animation Player for PowerPoint
This tool is a no-charge browser extension for publishing and viewing live PowerPoint for Windows 95 presentations on the World Wide Web. Link to the Microsoft PowerPoint Web site to find out more...

Browsers and Viewers Up
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Charting the Features of Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0   (Dec 1995)
Martha White introduces the user features, performance enhancements, media capabilities, and HTML tags supported in version 2.0 of Microsoft's Web browser, for Macintosh and Windows 3.1 users.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 Beta Releaseinternet link   (May 28, 1996)
Link to the Internet Explorer site to read about Microsoft's Web browser for the Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 platforms, and to download it for your own use. Topics include personalizing your browser, ratings, Internet conferencing, Internet mail an d news, ActiveX controls, scripting, trusted software, and more...

Microsoft Viewers
These viewers allow users to view and print Microsoft Word documents, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint slides even if they don't have or use these products. Click below to link to the Microsoft Office site for details and downloads:

* Microsoft Word Viewer
* Microsoft Excel Viewer
* Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer

VRML Add-In
Link to the Microsoft VRML Add-In site to read about this fully integrated add-on module for Microsoft Internet Explorer. VRML Add-In uses RealityLab technology to let you explore virtual (3-D) worlds created using VRML 1.0 and can be downloaded from this site.

HTML Wizard
If you're looking for an easy way to customize your Windows 95 environment to maintain HTML documents, try out this handy tool.

Links to Relevant Topics Up
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Doctor HTML   (Jun 25, 1996)
A pointer to a useful tool from Imagiware that analyzes your HTML pages for spelling mistakes, document structure, broken hyperlinks, and image syntax.

Web Pages: A Programmer's Perspective   (Jun 25, 1996)
If you have a programming background or bent, make sure to read this article on using "active" technologies to add functionality to Web pages. The article explains the issues, challenges, and resources associated with creating Web pages that include active content.

Decreasing Download Time Through Effective Color Management
Three top Web designers share their thoughts on how to choose the right file format, how to select colors that won't dither, and how to squeeze your file sizes down to the absolute minimum.

Managing Web Content Using Microsoft Visual SourceSafe
Maintaining large Web sites that consist of tens of thousands of pages is not simply a matter of writing HTML syntax--it is a large-scale management and coordination task. This paper outlines a process that utilizes Visual SourceSafe's capabilities to automate and track the many changes that occur within a Web site.

Ratingsinternet link
A discussion of the options for rating and monitoring Internet content, as defined by the Platform for Internet Content Selection (PICS) spec, and how this system is supported by Microsoft Internet Explorer.

dbWeb
Microsoft dbWeb 1.1 is a real-time gateway between open database connectivity (ODBC) data sources and Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS). You can use Microsoft dbWeb to publish data from Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access, Visual FoxPro, ORACLE, and other databases that support 32-bit ODBC.

TrueType Fonts on the Web
This link to the TrueType site provides free Windows and Apple Macintosh fonts and utilities you can download for your Web pages.

Windows 95 Power Toysinternet link
If you're a Windows 95 power user, you'll appreciate the shortcuts provided by these toys. These include an HTML printer driver that intercepts text that would normally be sent to the printer and creates an HTML file instead. The driver automatically converts embedded DIBs and bitmaps to JPEG format, and uses heuristics to determine alignment and columnar output. Follow the link for more...

© 1996 Microsoft Corporation