1. HTML OptimizerPro saves 10 to 15% of space on your web pages by removing unnecessary characters and tags. Though this may seem a small improvement, load time savings is much higher as your client's browser parses the pages more efficient. If a resource fork exists, it will be deleted. Embedded script code, e.g. JavaScript, is not ruined.
Your original pages remain untouched for later updating. Optimized web pages are saved as new text files with only a data fork, by default with the Creator Code "R*ch" of BBEdit - see the Preferences - and put in a folder named Optimizer Ouput.
If you don't have BBEdit, download a free copy of BBEdit Lite from <http://www.barebones.com/free/bbedit_lite.html>.
When you're going to view in your browser the optimized files from within the program, the hyperlinks remain active if you have chosen to make an Alias Mirror of your web folder. The Alias Mirror represents your web folder to a depth of 8 levels and is created by making aliases of your web files at identical levels in the Optimizer Output folder.
Warning: Take care that you do not replace your original HTML pages with optimized ones because you may find it very difficult to edit them when returns have been removed.
2. Another useful function of HTML OptimizerPro is checking the so called tagged pairs, i.e. the tags that always have to appear together with their end tags, for example <FORM>...</FORM>. All dangling tags are reported.
Further, the IMG tags are checked for the presence of the Width, Height and Alt attributes. The Width and Height attributes help the browser to build up the page faster because it can reserve the necessary room for the image while placing the text. The Alt attributes make your pages more user-friendly. If ALT attributes are missing you can choose to have them added, with a text string or no string at all.
3. The Mark function does the same as the Check function, but marks the error spots with the character •, so that you can easily find them for fixing. Files are always saved at root level of the Optimizer Output folder, with • before the name.
4. The Check Links function checks the validity of the internal hyperlinks, until a depth of 8 levels, of your web folder. The following links are checked: href, img src, img dynsrc, embed src and <script>.src. Excluded from checking are links that point to the Internet and links that start with the character #.
5. The Convert function takes care that special characters between ASCII 128 and 255 are converted to the appropriate &.....; notation. You can choose at the Preferences to have conversion done on the fly while optimizing.
All results are reported in the various Logs which are saved in the Logs folder. From within the Log on screen you can select a line for viewing the file that's referred in that line (if you have registered, that is).
Installing
Copy the whole HTML OptimizerPro Folder to a suitable location at your hard disk (the startup disk). When you're sure you want it there, then doubleclick HTML OptimizerPro to start the Configuration sequence. The Configure menu allows you to override settings later on.
Recent Updates
Since version 1.5 it's possible to choose 'Entire Web Folder', in order to optimize or check an entire web folder, including nested folders, in one pass! Optimized pages are saved to their original level in the directory structure of the Optimizer Output folder, unless chosen otherwise at the Preferences.
Version 1.5.1 is a bug fix that prevents a Type 11 error under some circumstances.
Version 1.6 offers the option to remove comment lines; see the Preferences. Optimizing and Link Checking works more efficient. Further, a warning will be given if AppleScript was not properly installed on your computer.
Version 1.6.1 fixes a bug related to removing comment lines and optimizes more efficient. Revison A - see Info Window - has no limit of 1000 characters for comment lines.
Version 1.7 optimizes better, removes comment lines after checking the balance of <!-- and --> tags and has a different default setting for the creator codes of optimized files (BBEdit)
Version 1.7.1 enables the insertion of ALT strings also in XHTML documents.
Version 1.7.2 offers improved searching for converted special characters and does not hide the main menu bar during startup.
Version 1.8 offers more reliable optimizing, checking tags and converting special characters, by revising the whole code.
If you want more…
HTML OptimizerPro does not optimize graphic files by removing the file's resources.
If you have more than one web folder, you have to define another web folder in the Configure menu every time you want to work with it.
If you want to upload an optimized file, you have to open your FTP program.
For those of you who want all this - and more - combined in one application, without giving up what HTML OptimizerPro already offers, there is WebSiteManager, to be downloaded from my web site or any main download site.
Recommendation
Do not use HTML file names that contain space. HTML OptimizerPro will replace space with an underscore, so "wrong name.html" will become "wrong_name.html", because the program can't process multi-word names.
License
HTML OptimizerPro costs only US $ 8.00 per single license. See the Register Utility for other rates. You can pay online via Kagi at <http://order.kagi.com/?U5P> or by using the Register Utility.
The unregistered version is not fully functional.
Required
HTML OptimizerPro is a PPC application and requires Mac OS 7.5 or later.
Please note that the Scripting Additions Folder must reside in the System Folder since Mac OS 8.0. If it is wrongly in the Extensions Folder, HTML OptimizerPro will not start up.
Legal Stuff
HTML OptimizerPro is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind and the Author expressly disclaims all other warranties, expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Under no circumstances shall the Author be liable for any incidental, special, or consequential damages that result from the use or inablility to use HTML OptimizerPro. In no event shall the Author's liability exceed the license fee paid, if any.
