ANT USER'S GUIDE

Although this guide contains many HTML tips and formatting suggestions, it is not intended as an instruction guide for HTML. If you are already familiar with HTML coding, the features will (I hope) seem "intuitive" and enable you to click on a tool and achieve the expected result.

Go immediately to the New Toolbar Tools and New Ant Features

The original ANT_HTML Toolbar contains the following tools:

Viewing the Hidden Codes

You may toggle (turn on or off) the hidden codes using the VIEW HIDDEN CODES TOOL provided on the toolbar (shaped to look as much like spectacles as possible) or by using any standard Word method.

Headings and Styles

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HEADINGS 1 - 6. TOOLS and TITLE TOOLS:

If you place the cursor anywhere in a paragraph and click the tool, the contents of the entire paragraph will be automatically selected and formatted with codes If there is no text in the paragraph at the cursor location, the beginning and ending codes will be inserted on each side of the cursor.

If there is more than one paragraph selected, the codes will be placed at the beginning and at the end of all the text in your selection.

ADDRESS STYLE:

The ADDRESS TOOL formats selected text within paragraphs with codes. If there is no text in the paragraph at the cursor location, the beginning and ending codes will be inserted on each side of the cursor. (The Address Style is not available via the StyleBox because Word for Windows StyleBox styles format entire paragraphs, thus prohibiting < Address> tags from being used in conjunction with other paragraph styles.)

If there is more than one paragraph selected, the codes will be placed at the beginning and at the end of all the text in your selection.

NORMAL STYLE

The NORMAL TOOL changes paragraph formatting to "Normal" Style. (You may also use Word's Style Box.)

You may also select headings, styles, as well as numbered or unnumbered lists via Word's

STYLE BOX.

Use the Styles in the Style Box as you normally do. The codes won't be inserted until you choose the CHECK STYLES FOR HTML CODES TOOL described below.

When you use styles from the Word Style Box (to the left of the font selections on Word's standard formatting toolbar), you may quickly insert heading and style codes by choosing the

CHECK STYLES FOR. HTML CODES TOOL

It installs the appropriate codes around each style if they aren't there already.
(If some codes are already inserted, it will ignore them so you may use this tool as many times as you wish while preparing your document.)

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In addition to the above options, a

STYLE TOOL

provides a dialog box with a range of style choices including
<HEAD>.. <BODY>.. <QUOTE>.. <COMMENT>.. <DIRECTORY>.. <CITE>.. <CODE>.. <FIXED>.. <KEYBOARD>.. <SAMPLE>.. <STRONG> & <VARIABLE>.
The BACKGROUNDS AND COLORS TOOL enters the beginning < body > tag along with your background graphics and color preferences, if you want it to.

When an option is chosen, the codes will automatically be inserted at the cursor location. If no text is selected, the codes surround the cursor, so you can begin typing your entry immediately. If text is selected, the codes will surround the text. Use whatever method you find the most convenient.

If there is more than one paragraph selected, the codes will be placed at the beginning and at the end of all the text in your selection.

Note: If you use the style called CODE, Word changes some entries like "<code> & lt; </code> ". Word reads it as....{yes, you guessed it}, CODE!

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PRE

The PRE ("Preformatted") style is useful for sections of text that require columns and fixed width formatting. It's frequently used to create tables for viewing in browsers that don't support tables. (The HTML language requires that you remove the formatting (i.e. the table itself) from your Word table. [If you find this somewhat unsettling, go and have a toddy or a hot bath or both and concentrate on all the things the HTML language does permit one to do. This is just a suggestion and not a formal instruction, however. You are expected to bathe and toddy at your own risk.])

The new Word .DOC to HTML Table conversions.

PRE uses a fixed width font. The PRE TOOL inserts the code "<PRE> " on a line by itself to indicate where the preformatted formatting begins and inserts "</PRE> " on a line by itself at the end. Spacing (tabs, indents, etc. will be determined to some degree by HTML browsers, so you may wish to preview your work in a browser before finalizing your document. Currently, Mosaic likes spaces better than tabs and likes tabs much better than indents. The PRE font looks like this:

                        This is a PRE Entry:           4567           8910
                        This is the second line:       7654           0198

Horizontal Rule

Horizontal Rule is a style which inserts a line across the entire width of the page. It can be inserted either by clicking the tool or by choosing Horizontal Rule in Word's Style Box. Because of the way Word moves horizontal lines down the page, it's easy to insert text into a paragraph formatted with a line and not know it. the Ant attempts to alert you that you have either accidentally or intentionally formatted in the Horizontal Rule Style by making the paragraph marker gold. (A difference in shading is also visible in monochrome monitors.)

New FANCY <HR> TOOL allows a variety of Horizontal Rule tag options.

Two font styles: "Directive Text" and "URL Text" are used by the macros to facilitate the application of character attributes...to hide the directives and to show the URL links. You will not need them unless you hate red hidden text and would prefer some other color. You may alter the color in the Format Styles menu.

P Tool

Inserts a < P> tag (i.e. code) at the cursor location.
If you are creating a new document, you won't need it. The CONVERT AND SAVE TOOL will add these for you. ( Don't worry,.. it will not do any harm if you use it. )

BR Tool

Inserts a <BR> code and a Word line break at the cursor location or at the end of each line in a selection and changes each selected paragraph to single line spacing. The <BR> code at the end of a line acts as a line break in hypertext documents. (If you use this in conjunction with any of the other tools, use the BR TOOL first.)

The CONVERT AND SAVE TOOL or the CHECK STYLES FOR HTML CODES TOOL will insert these for you wherever you have inserted a line break (SHIFT+ENTER) if the <BR> tags are not already there.

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Numbered and Unnumbered (bullet) Lists

NUMBERED LIST TOOL

or

UNNUMBERED LIST TOOL

If the text you select is already a list style, the tools change the level of the list. All text to be converted to a list should be included when you make your selection.

Each paragraph in the selected text is converted to a list item

Allow the template to enter the <LI> tag to each list item entry for you. If you insert it yourself, the appropriate <OL> or <UL> tags may not be inserted.

(Use Word's Style Box styles if you prefer, or a combination.)

Or... you can insert the list tags you want as you go by using the FORMAT LIST ENTRY TOOL.

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Discursive Lists

The DISCURSIVE LIST TOOL inserts <DL>,<DD> and </DL> codes either at the cursor location or around selected text. You will be prompted and asked whether you wish to add a Descriptive Title entry, a <DT>. If so, you may enter the text in the space provided or you may simply click OK and add the text immediately after the <DT> code in your document.

Below is an example of a Discursive List entry:

This is the title

This is the first paragraph of a Discursive list entry. It wraps around like this: and just goes on and on and on and on and on and on forever almost and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on.

And on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on till the words have no more meaning and so on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on until you realize that okay, enough is enough.

Forms

The FORM TOOL presents a dialog box with a list you can scroll to choose a form tag. The tool inserts the tag into a text box which you can edit if you like. You may alter or add to any of the entries inside the dialog box, or add text later, after the tag has been inserted into your document. (If you wish to alter or add to the form entries before inserting them into your document, you may either type the text you want or paste it directly into the form tag.) An optional < P> tag can be automatically inserted at the end of the form entry if you so choose. The template contains a comprehensive list of possible form tag entries.

A simple fill-out form with two text entry fields and no default value looks like this:

A single text entry field goes here:

Another text entry field goes here:

To submit the query, press this button:

The HTML code for the fill-out form above looks like this:

<FORM METHOD="POST" ACTION="http://www.your.site/somebin-post/post query">
A single text entry field goes here: <INPUT NAME="entry1" > <P>
Another text entry field goes here: <INPUT NAME="entry2" > <P>
To submit the query, press this button: <INPUT TYPE="submit" VALUE="Submit Query" > <P>
</FORM>

A checkbox form with three user options:

A single text entry field goes here:

Another text entry field goes here:

To submit the query, press this button:

To reset the checkboxes to their default states, press this button:

The HTML code for the checkbox form with three user options looks like this:

<FORM METHOD="POST" ACTION="http://www.your.site/somebin-post/post query">
A single text entry field goes here: <INPUT NAME="entry1" > <P>
Another text entry field goes here: <INPUT NAME="entry2" > <P>
<OL>
<LI> <INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="box1" VALUE="activated" CHECKED>
<LI> <INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="box2" VALUE="primed" >
<LI> <INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="box3" CHECKED>
</OL>
To submit the query, press this button: <INPUT TYPE="submit" VALUE="Submit Query" > <P>
To reset the checkboxes to their default states, press this button: < INPUT TYPE="reset" VALUE="Reset To Default Values"><P>
</FORM>

The first checkbox above is on by default.
The second checkbox is off by default.
The third checkbox is on by default.

For more information and an online series of examples, see "Form Entries" in Resources
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Hypertext Links

URL World Wide Web Anchors

( URL Links to locations outside the document or set of local documents)
URL LINK TOOL

Inserts the appropriate Universal Resource Locator code around selected text. and presents a dialog box in which you type or paste the URL destination.



Offers multiple options including opening a dialog box so that you may point and click on any filename on any drive or directory on your computer. The Ant will enter the HTML tag, the path and the filename - or, if you prefer - just the tag and the filename. You may also copy and paste (or type) any URL you wish and the appropriate HTML tag will be inserted into your document.

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Local Anchors

(Links within documents and to other local documents):
You can create a hotword (or phrase) called a LOCAL ANCHOR REFERENCE
to point to a specific destination called a
LOCAL ANCHOR DESTINATION
within your document or in another local document.

TO CREATE A LOCAL LINK:

You'll be offered the option of actually installing the anchor destination either now or later.
You may combine local anchor references and destinations. For example:

All this is easier done than said. Just try it.

For more information see A Beginner's Guide to HTML .
You can find it on the World Wide Web. (The URL link is http://calliope.ncsa.uiuc.edu/General/Internet/WWW/HTMLPrimer.html.)

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Entering Graphics


When you select the GIF TOOL three options are presented.

    1... Inserts the appropriate .gif (graphic) reference and a graphic placeholder into the current document. (You can select this option and later delete the placeholder if you wish.

    2... Inserts the appropriate .gif reference and the actual picture into the current document. Note that certain graphic filter requirements must be met or the application can crash. Save often! (The placeholders should not present this problem.)

    3... Permits you to type the name of the .gif reference into a text box, then inserts the appropriate codes. This option does not automatically insert a placeholder, You can insert a placeholder in several ways should you wish to do so. Create your own or place the cursor next to your .gif reference and click on the PLACEHOLDER TOOL.

Offers options for...
Alignment - None, Left, Right, Top, Texttop, Middle, Absmiddle, Baseline, Bottom, Absbottom
and for Width, Height, Vspace, Hspace and Border preferences. (Most are non-WYSIWYG.)

Gif Tip
Sometimes importing .gif files and other graphics into a Word document can cause the entire application to crash.. The ANT-HTML options, provide two alternatives that eliminate this problem. If your application is prone to crashing because of the .gifs, choose to use a placeholder or refer to the file using "text only" as described in the GIF TOOL options.

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Converting and Saving Documents

CONVERT AND SAVE TOOL

The tool will convert any new or any previously coded document and save it with whatever name you choose to give it and an .HTM extension. You will be given the option of saving or not saving your original document in the process.

If you choose to close the .HTM document after converting and saving it, Word will display a dialog box with the following message:

Answer "NO" to this question. Your document will be saved in the correct format
(The Ant template will display a dialog box reminding you of this if you choose to save it immediately after the conversion.)

After clicking the CONVERT AND SAVE TOOL, a dialog box will appear which contains conversion options. You may choose whether or not you wish to have each entry checked for tags. If you are creating a new HTML document, the settings you'll need are already set as the defaults. If you have imported a previously coded HTML document, and the HTML tags are just the way you want them, you may wish to choose the Quick Save option. The file will be saved "as is" with an .HTM extension.

(Word imports all text in HTML documents as "Normal" style, so headings, list items and other entries which do not require < P> tags will automatically receive < P> tags if you are editing a previously coded document and do not use the Quick Save option. You may just delete them and select File, Save after the conversion, if you don't wish to use the Quick Save option.)

If you experience any temporary embogglement at the apparent complexity of the options, please note that they're easier done than said. Try them.. Some HTML editors do not permit any editing of HTML documents and thus happily avoid the necessity of presenting the user with explanations and descriptions of possible choices. I hope the options and features of the Ant template will compensate.

The CONVERT AND SAVE TOOL now provides an option to either view or to hide the conversion process.

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Converting HTML files to WYSIWYG

Click the HTML to WYSIWYG TOOL and revise or print your document. (You can easily remove all HTML tags afterwards, if you wish, with the "Zap Codes from Entire Document" tool. The HTML TO WYSIWYG Tool assumes that lists are not nested (i.e. inside each other). It also assumes that for each beginning HTML tag in the document, an ending tag exists.

The HTML to WYSIWYG TOOL now provides an option to either view or to hide the conversion process.

In the ANT_DEMO version of the program, a demonstration of the HTML to WYSIWYG conversion is provided. To see the conversion from HTML to .DOC, click the HTML to WYSIWYG tool (on the far right of the Ant Toolbar). The demo will open the ANTDEMO.HTM file, copy and paste it into your current document and WYSIWYG it.

More Tools

Removing Hidden Codes

While working on your document you might wish to add or delete some HTML tags.
Two tools facilitate the removal of HTML codes.

Toolbar tools for each of the Zap macros have been included in the ANT_SUP toolbar.

ZAP CODES FROM THE SELECTION, when selected, deletes the HTML tags from whatever text you have selected. (It deletes all brackets and all text in between the beginning and the ending bracket, whether the text is hidden or unhidden, to simplify removing the tags from non-WYSIWYG as well as WYSIWYG HTML documents.)

ZAP CODES FROM DOCUMENT, when selected, deletes all the HTML tags from the entire document. When you select this menu item, a message will ask you if you're sure you wish to continue (Like the other Zap macro, it deletes all brackets and all text in between the beginning and the ending bracket, whether the text is hidden or unhidden, to simplify removing the tags from non-WYSIWYG as well as WYSIWYG HTML documents.) The tool depends on the presence of the HTML tags.

In addition, two tools may be helpful:
MAKE HIDDEN and MAKE UNHIDDEN.
The names are not clever, but the macros may come in handy.

There are now MAKE HIDDEN and MAKE UNHIDDEN tools on the ANT_SUP toolbar.

MAKE HIDDEN TOOL and MAKE UNHIDDEN TOOL

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CONVERT SPECIAL CHARACTERS TOOL

This tool converts the ISO Latin 1 Entities from .DOC to HTML. (The conversion of special characters from HTML to .DOC is offered as one of the options when you click the HTML to WYSIWYG TOOL.) Not all HTML browsers support these characters.

Word for Windows supports some special characters that Word for Macintosh does not. (A table with the entries is provided in the ANT.DOC file.)

Four special characters are NOT converted when you select the CONVERT SPECIAL CHARACTERS TOOL. They are the left angle bracket, &lt; ( < ), the right angle bracket, &gt; ( > ), the ampersand, &amp; ( & ) and the double quote character, &quot; ( " ). You may convert these four characters during the Convert and Save process or during the HTML to WYSIWYG process, if you choose.

The ANT Tool

When clicked...displays Ant info.

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