An Overview of HTML Shareware Tools
HTML Editors
copywrite 1995 by Paul Kinnaly
HyperText Markup Language is, in simple terms, the "programming language"
of the World Wide Web. But don't let that reference to programming scare
you away. HTML is really very simple and straightforward. All it does is
"markup" an ASCII text file with "tags" which tell a Web Browser -like
Mosaic or Netscape- how to display the file.
Let's look at a quick example. Here is a very simple HTML tagged file:
=====================================================
A Simple HTML File
This is a Level One Heading
This is the first paragraph.
And this is the second.
=====================================================
The HTML tags are enclosed in brackets like this: < > and will not be
displayed by a browser while the remaining text is what will show on the
screen. Displayed in a browser, the above HTML text would look something
like this:
=====================================================
A Simple HTML File
This is a Level One Heading
This is the first paragraph.
And this is the second.
=====================================================
More complex markups can allow the browser to display lists, definitions,
forms, pictures, etc. As very specific standardized tags must be used to
generate each of these elements, the casual user might be discouraged
from trying to write HTML. But, with the explosive growth of the Internet
and the escalating interest in the Web, increasing numbers of people want
the ability to create their own Home Page - either for personal or
corporate use. To ease that process, a growing number of commercial,
shareware, and freeware tools have appeared. These tools relieve the user
of much of the burden of learning long lists of tags and markup rules.
HTML tools fall into three broad categories. The first of these are
"template tools". These packages are designed to work with a specific
Windows-based word processing program. Typically, they act as an
"add-on", integrating themselves with the program, providing additional
menu selections, and using many of the host program's text formatting and
display capabilities. Currently, the vast majority of such tools are
designed to work with Microsoft's Word 6.0 although template tools for
Word 2.0, AmiPro, and WordPerfect also exist.
The second category of tools are the "stand-alone" editors. These tools
are actually mini-word processors. They have basic text editing
capabilities, and their menus and button bars concentrate on providing
the user with a quick and easy method of "marking up" text.
The third category are the converters; these are usually mini-programs
that read in a file in one format and output a file in another. While
similar features are part of several of the Word 6 template tools, these
programs are generally designed to work with files that are not in a
specific word processor format. Most are based on converting from Rich
Text Format or PostSript to HTML.
The primary focus of this article will be on the second category of HTML
tools, the stand-alone editors. Other articles, in this and future issues
of WindoWatch, will highlight some of the other HTML tools available.
Most of the standalone editors allow you to import -or type- a plain text
document. Using the menus or buttons available in the specific program,
you then highlight a given section of text and “mark” it in accordance
with your menu selection. In the simple example at the beginning of this
article, for example, typing “This is a Level One Heading”, highlighting
it, and selecting “Heading Level 1” would cause the
and
tags
to be placed on either end of the highlighted text.
Unless otherwise stated in the individual descriptions, each of these
editors has the ability to insert into a text document the markup tags
for all basic HTML functions as prescribed in the current HTML 2.0
specifications. Such tags include those marking Head, Body, Title,
Paragraph, Heading (size), Lists, Links, Anchors, etc. They do not
necessarily support insertion of all styles, forms, special characters,
or other less commonly used elements of the 2.0 specifications; those
that support these elements will be specifically identified. Similarly,
those that support the as yet incomplete HTML 3.0 specifications or the
special Netscape extensions to the 2.0 specs will also be identified
below.
Sources of information about or copies of each of the editors described
are included in URL (Uniform Resource Locator) format, in brackets, for
use in checking out any programs that appeal to you.
HTMLed 1.2e
This comprehensive $39 shareware program by Peter B. Crawshaw is
available from [ftp://pringle.mta.ca/pub/HTMLed/]. The author has provided
several means of entering just about every HTML tag used under the 2.0
specification with one notable exception - forms. Besides comprehensive
menus, the program has buttons for the most common markup tags and has the
ability to utilize multiple “floating button bars” that can overlay the
document being edited. One of the unique features of this editor is its
ability to load and save files in either DOS or UNIX format, the latter
saving one very important step in creating a document that must reside on
a UNIX-based system. Creation and use of a template for standardizing HTML
documents is also supported. Other menu selections include Elements,
Lists, Links, Styles, and Entities. This latter menu offers the unique
capability of formatting entry of not just common characters, but allows
the user to input any ASCII character by value, supports the extended c
aracter set of foreign language characters, and even handles various
accent markings such as Umlaut and cedilla. Other menu selections include
the capability to define the displayed fonts (for editing purposes only),
create a custom floating toolbar - on which one can include some tags not
otherwise included in the program, and conversion of the MOSAIC.INI file
into an HTML document.
The program does no error checking of its own, but does allow linking to
a user-selected Browser. This allows you to quickly see the effect of any
markup and correct it if necessary.
The unregistered shareware version is fully functional, but includes no
HELP file. Its weaknesses are primarily in its lack of direct support of
the form function of HTML 2.0 and both the proposed HTML 3.0 and Netscape
extensions to HTML 2.0. While this limits the fancy stuff, a user with a
basic knowledge of HTML would be hard pressed to find a more
comprehensive stand-alone editor for basic HTML documents.
HTML Assistant 1.4
The freeware version of a commercial program, HTML Assistant is written
by Howard Harawitz; information may be obtained from
[http://fox.nsth.ns.ca/~harawitz/] and the program itself is available
for download from [ftp://ftp.cs.dal.ca/htmlasst/]. The freeware version
is limited to files no larger than 32k, a generous size. This program has
a relatively limited menu, but a wide array of buttons, including all the
basic functions. An optional second button bar contains quick picks for
further functions. One special button is called "User Tools". It comes
defaulted to a Form tool and has the capability of adding in other user
designed tools as desired. This feature allows the program to adapt to
newer HTML tags which are not directly supported in the basic program.
Like most of the other programs reviewed, HTML Assistant can call up your
favorite browser to check your markup. A nice feature of the editor is
an option to “Autosave before test”; this ensures your current working
text is saved in a temp file to be used whenever you call up your browser
to view the effects you have created. The program also has the ability to
Autoconvert both Mosaic.ini and Cello bookmark files to URL lists which
may then be pasted into your HTML text. A detailed HELP file for the
program eases the process of creating HTML text for new users although
the program itself performs no error-checking.
The $99.95 commercial version adds several features to the freeware
version including automatic page generation - this version was not
reviewed.
A surprising weakness of the program is the lack of a pre-defined
capability to insert special characters, foreign characters, and accents.
Nor does the program support HTML 3.0 or Netscape enhanced functions in
its basic form. The User Tools capability will make up for some of
this, but presupposes that the user knows enough about HTML to properly
build such tools. Despite several nice features, the program requires a
fairly extensive knowledge of HTML to be used effectively to construct
more than just basic Web pages. If you have that knowledge, however, its
interface offers you a speedy and fairly powerful tool to put that
knowledge to use.
HTML Writer
Version 0.9beta4a is the most recent version of this program which may be
obtained from [http://lal.cs.byu.edu/people/nosack]. The author, Kris
Nosack, labels the program “donationware”; there are no time restrictions
or other limitations on its usage but you are encouraged to send a
donation, in an amount of your choice, to the author. The version number
gives a clue that it is still “under construction”, but what has been
built so far is quite comprehensive.
An extensive button bar contains all the common HTML markup functions -
including a Test button to call your favorite browser to check your work
and a Strip button which will remove all HTML tags from the page. The
menu includes virtually every HTML 2.0 feature which is not directly
supported by buttons, including forms. Many selections open dialog boxes
that are used to construct the desired element. The program even has a
unique “URL Builder” function that helps ensure the all-important syntax
of this item is properly done. An extensive list of special and foreign
characters complements the other features of the program.
The program contains a template feature, allowing the user to create up
to four different templates for “boiler-plate” items of text. It also
offers the user the ability to save files in UNIX format, should that be
needed, as well as the option of an “auto-save on test”. One of the
nicest features for a beginning user is a brief HTML tutorial which is
included in the program’s HELP file!
While the program appears virtually all-inclusive in its support of the
HTML 2.0 standard, it does not support any of the proposed HTML 3.0 or
Netscape features nor does it offer the user the capability of “adding
in” such support - as several other programs do. But, with the
comprehensive support of the 2.0 standard and the “beta” status of the
program, it is likely that such features will be forthcoming in future
versions. All in all, it is a well-done program particularly for
beginning-to-intermediate HTML users.
HoTMetaL 1.0+ (SoftQuad)
Another freeware version of a commercial program, HoTMetal is available
from [http://www.sq.com/]. Of the editors mentioned in this article, this
one is unique in providing a quasi-Browser view of the HTML source
document without the necessity of running an external browser. Although
the view is not truly WYSIWYG, it is a pretty realistic depiction of what
a true Web Browser will present. Unfortunately, it has another
distinction: its size. Unlike most of the other editors discussed here,
which typically ZIP to less than 200k and consume less than a meg of disk
space in use, HoTMetaL's self-extracting ZIP is almost 2.2megs and,
unzipped, its main executable alone is 1,870k! So any space saved by not
requiring a Browser to preview/check your work is lost to this program
itself. The program can also call an external browser to see exactly what
your output will look like on the Web.
HoTMetaL is best described as a rule-based HTML editor; its default is to
accept only those tags that are fully compliant with its standards.
Unfortunately, its standards do not seem to fully comply with HTML 2.0 -
leaving the user in the unenviable position of not knowing whether a
given error is caused by a bad HTML or just a rules interpretation by
HoTMetaL. Yet the user must either create the HTML file in this program
or import a previously marked up file through the rules checker to see
the quasi-WYSIWYG output while editing. If the document doesn’t pass the
rules checker, the user can either import it as a text document -losing
the WYSIWYG view- or allow HoTMetaL to strip the document of any markup
it doesn’t understand, an action that can render the document unusable if
the program and the document’s author don’t quite see eye-to-eye!
Unlike most of the other editors discussed here, HoTMetaL has no button
bar and its menus are relatively limited. The principal insertion means
is the use of the Markup, Insert Element (Ctrl-I) menu selection. This
brings up a window with a comprehensive scrolling list of HTML elements,
including those for both forms and tables. Another menu selection,
Markup, Insert Character Entity (Ctrl-E), opens a window listing
virtually every symbol, foreign character, and accent possible. One click
on the desired symbol causes the appropriate markup to be inserted.
The program includes a basic tutorial on HTML - written as a series of
HTML documents - and instructions on how to modify the rules used by the
program to allow it to accept most of the extensions to HTML 2.0 used by
Netscape. This process, unfortunately, requires editing the program’s INI
file.
While this program has its strengths, its size, finicky rules
interpretations, coupled with a fairly slow and cumbersome method of
marking up text, make it one of the less desirable editors for general
use.
WebWeaver 4.0a
This is a relative newcomer to this field and information on it may be
obtained from its author Mark McConnell at
[http://www.tufts.edu/~mmcconne/]. WebWeaver displays a fairly limited
button bar across the top of the screen and a second series of buttons
down the right side. Along the top you have buttons for Bold, Italic, and
Underline, three types of lists (Bulleted, Numbered and Descriptive),
Levels 1-6 of Headings, Paragraph and Horizontal Rule. The Right Buttons
are for Link, Picture, Anchor, View, and Strip. What makes these few
buttons different is that many of them open up large dialog boxes
specific to the function selected. For example, clicking on the
Descriptive List button opens a dialog box in which the entire list is
constructed. Several buttons are used to mark appropriate elements and
even a mini-help section is visible. When the selection is complete, the
Done button inserts the entire selection into your document at the
current cursor position. This allows the construction of these parts of
your document in a clear and straightforward manner, as a separate
element.
While the buttons are limited, they do cover the more common elements of
most HTML documents. The menu selections cover most of the remaining
ones. A couple of points worth noting: This is one of the few editors
that includes selections for such HTML elements as , ,
, and . It also has a menu selection for a variety of
Netscape-specific elements such as