ΓÇ£Sing out for him!ΓÇ¥ was the impulsive rejoinder from a score of clubbed voices.
ΓÇ£Good!ΓÇ¥ cried Ahab, with a wild approval in his tones;
observing the hearty animation into which his unexpected
question had so magnetically thrown them. ΓÇöMelville, Moby Dick
The Life and Works of Herman Melville: http://www.melville.org/
Welcome to HTML.edit! I hope this editor serves you well. It is very full-featured, and may seem a bit overwhelming at first. I've put countless hours into providing a product that attempts to produce accurate HTML 2.0 code as well as enable simplified management of a large number of HTML documents. The reason HTML.edit seems so, well, thick, is that it supports almost the entire feature set of HTML 2.0, including many features for managing documents, translating and editing text. By mastering a few simple functions, you'll quickly be off developing your own web pages. Note that there is a optional "simplified" tool palette (available as an option on Editor Preferences).
New features in this version are a response to many requests for added customization options. The Style menu is now built from three modifiable style tables located on the Preferences card. The Clip Library now has an added trick: any item composed of three comma-separated items (label, opening tag, closing tag) becomes an instant HTML tag. I've also added three button palettes, many keyboard shortcuts and improved the indexing and hilighting features. HTML.edit now allows for greater freedom to customize the editor to suit your needs.
For current information on HTML.edit, check the HTML.edit home page* at:
There is an extensive built-in hypertext help system, available by clicking the Help button (the question mark) in the upper right corner of the application window (not the one on the floating Tools palette). Click on any underlined text in the Help window to navigate (Command-Up Arrow takes you back to the last viewed topic). See HTML.edit Help, or for information on HTML itself, HTML Help.
Show the HTML.edit Tools Palette
If not already displayed, use the small wrench icon (located near the upper right corner of the application window) to display the HTML.edit Tools palette. This contains nine popUp Tool Palette menus and a Help button (the question mark). Almost all commands in HTML.edit are available from this tool palette. Many commands have command-key (Γîÿ) shortcuts (see Key Shortcuts). Note also that this version now has a simplified palette option, available as a checkbox option on the Preferences card (under Editor Preferences).
The Parts of the Tools Palette
To view a visual description of the Tool Palette menus (including available shortcut keys), click on the Help button (the question mark) on the floating Tools palette.
The Parts of the Editor Window
To view a visual description of the parts of the HTML.edit editor window, click on the palette's Help button while holding down the option key on your keyboard, or check Window Elements.
The Parts of HTML.edit
HTML.edit consists of five different types of cards (screens). The first is the Index card, followed by the Editor cards (one for each document), then Master Headers cards, Master Footers cards, and finally the Preferences card. Note the navigation buttons at the top right as well as the Go menu. If you get lost, you can hit the Home button (or Command-Left Arrow) to go back to the Index card. Command-Zero takes you to a selected document.
HTML Editing
HTML editing is not simply word processing, and given the quickly evolving nature of the language and the different ways that browsers implement HTML features, there may be times when perfectly "legal" HTML doesn't create what you think it should on a given browser.
I'm not in a position time-wise to deal with these types of problems. I'm really only interested (as you should be too) in creating documents that conform to the most current HTML specification, not in how a specific browser implements a feature. I recommend checking your documents with a recognized HTML checker:
These check your HTML code against an HTML DTD (Document Type Definition), and return a list of HTML errors. Previewing a document using a browser only shows how that specific browser displays the document, not if the HTML is OK.
Eventually this editor will support all the features of HTML 2.0 level 2. I am concentrating on complete support for HTML 2.0 levels 0 and 1, plus support for level 2 forms. Tables were part of the now-expired HTML 3.0 draft, and are currently a separate IETF Internet Draft. HTML.edit supports a minimal subset of the full tables draft, without complete support for the many available attributes. I will add support for these extra attributes as time permits.
HTML 3.0 is in the works (as extensions to the HTML 2.0 language), and given enough interest I will continue to modify and hopefully improve this product, keeping it as up to date as standards and my time allow. Please consult the many online guides or the included A Beginner's Guide to HTML for more information on producing good code.
Getting Started...
To begin editing your own document, either choose the New command from the File menu, or Import an existing one. Have fun!
Feedback
I do try to respond to all my email. If you find a bug, have a comment or suggestion, or just want to let me tell me about your experience with HTML.edit, I'd like to hear from you*.
