Hypertext Markup Language

Chapter 8

(HTML)

HyperText Markup Language is a fifth generation computer language that is extremely easy to learn and employ. It is also the language of the World Wide Web, which is the reason students should have a working knowledge of it.

All documents accessed by internet browsers (like Netscape and Lynx) are written in HTML.

Only a few essential commands are needed to get started programming and linking documents.

Note that many of the commands are activated with a word in brackets. They are deactivated in the same fashion with the same word preceded by a forward slash. Also note that all commands are in brackets.

This identifies the document as an HTML document. The entire document is contained between these commands.

This identifies the heading of the document. What is in the heading is not visible to someone browsing the page.

The name of the page goes here. The title is put within the heading.

This identifies the body of the document.

This command links documents. The "URL" called for is a Uniform Resource Locator. It indicates the name and address of the document to be linked. A URL can identify a document in the next room or half way around the world. An example link to the University of Scranton home page:

<A HREF="http://www.uofs.edu">University of Scranton</A>

The optional "#" sends the browser to a particular place within the linked document (see next command).

This indicates the area in the linked document to be located. The above command operates hand in hand with this command.

This is a direct link to a person's e-mail account. Here is an example of the link:

<A HREF="mailto:RAW4@UOFS.EDU">Click here to send me mail.</A>

This command calls up an image designated by the URL.

The rest of the commands are generally used to improve the aesthetic quality of the document:

This indicates an un-ordered list. The text will be formatted as a list with each point being designated by a list element (see below). Since the list is un-ordered there will be a dot before each element.

This indicates an ordered list. It operates exactly the same as an un-ordered list, except before each element there is a number.

<LI>

This indicates a list element within either an ordered or un-ordered list. This command precedes every element of the list.

<P>

This indicates a new paragraph.

<BR>

This indicates a line break.

This indicates header level 1. The type is extremely large.

This indicates header level 2. The type is smaller.

...and smaller.

...and smaller.

...and smaller.

...and smaller.

This indicates bold type.

This indicates italic type.

This indicates centered text.

This indicates text that has been preserved with its original spacing. Normally, web browsers reformat the text to fit the viewing screen.

This indicates blinking text.

Here is a sample document:

<BODY><H1><CENTER><BLINK>Bobs of the Internet Unite! </BLINK></H1></CENTER>

<P><PRE>This is a call for all people named "Bob" to show the rest of the world we have valuable links to offer. </PRE><BR>

<UL><I>Here are some Bobs who need to be heard:</I>

<LI>

Bob Wheeler's Page</A></UL>

If you are interested in becoming a member of this page, write to

<P><H2>Non-Bobs need not apply. </H2>

</BODY></HTML>

You can browse this document at:

http://tiger.uofs.edu/department/psych/bobs.html