HTMLpad

HTMLpad™ for Windows® 95 / Windows NT® 4.0

HTMLpad | Custom Features | Options and Settings | Tips and Tricks | Quick Reference | Register | Support


Introduction

HTMLpad is a 32-Bit HyperText editor for Windows®. It can be configured to operate as a simple text editor like the Windows Notepad, or as sophisticated and customized as you like. It caters to the developer that is familiar with HTML and looking for an editor that provides them with complete control over their markup, without consuming a great deal of system resources like some of the other editors.

The Basics

HTMLpad is designed for the developer who is comfortable with HTML, and does not need hand-holding and an editor that does everything for you. To get the most out of either version of HTMLpad, it is important to understand the simplicity of it's intended design, which is described below. HTMLpad incorporate the unique feature of being able to easily insert either opening or closing tags, individually, as you type. With the cursor located in the text editing area, start typing some text. Select some text to format by highlighting it, and choose something from the format menu or one of it's corresponding toolbar buttons (this also include custom buttons and hot-keys). This will place the start and end tags around your selection. If you are typing and use one of these formatting options, without any text selected, HTMLpad is smart enough to only insert the beginning tags. This also applies to both the hot-keys and the toolbar buttons, including the Custom ones. If you are done typing the text that you want formatted in a particular fashion and want to insert only the end tag at that point, simply hold down the SHIFT key in addition to the hot-key or toolbar button for that formatting method.

Formatting

All of the items that relate to the way markup is or can be formatted are grouped together under the "format" menu. These consist of tags that change the attributes or appearance of your markup when viewed with a web browser. Most of these items also have a matching button on the Formatting Toolbar, which can be turned on or off under the "View" menu. Backgrounds and text are just two of some of the components of hypertext markup that expose the "Color" property. This allows you to change the color it will appear in when viewed with a web browser. HTMLpad uses hexadecimal color codes in order to allow full coverage of the 16 Million color range. Some browsers support using color names such as "Blue" instead of using "0000FF" but who can remember 16 Million names any better than little six-digit hex codes? The Color Strip located on the Standard Toolbar allows you to choose from the 16 basic colors that are viewable with on any browser, and just about any computer display. To insert the color code for one of the colors on the strip, simple click on that color with your left mouse button. If you want a more precise color, simply right-click on the color bar to expose the Color Finder dialog which will allow you to pinpoint the exact color you want. Keep in mind that some colors that are out of the basic 16 color range will either not appear or look different on some machines, depending on what color depth the display on that machine is set to. It is a good idea to try looking at colors in different color depths. If your video card supports it, you can switch between a 256 color palette and a 16-Bit Color palette in the displays settings of your control panel. Refer to your windows help for more information on display settings.

Inserting

All of the items that relate to inserting markup as opposed to formatting it are grouped together under the "Insert" menu. Most of these items also have a matching button on the Standard Toolbar which can be turned on or off under the "View" menu. These consist of tags that usually control the look of something other than text, such as:

Try experimenting with the items located under the "Insert" menu to see how they work. Remember that you can control the text that is entered by choosing one of the "Quick" items by configuring them in the Options dialog. Remember that you can drag and drop images, text files, and HTML files into the editor right from the Directory and File Navigator, as well as the Windows Explorer.

Custom Features

What makes HTMLpad so highly customizable are the custom toolbar buttons, the custom tag list window, and the "Quick" templates. With the rate at which HTML specifications change and are updated, it only makes sense that an editor be flexible enough to accommodate this. The following briefly explains their functionality and how to use them.

Custom Toolbar Buttons

Custom Tag List Window

Quick Templates

Under the "Tools" menu, choose options to invoke the Options dialog. These "Quick" tab allows you to design your own miniature templates that will be used by HTMLpad when you choose one of their corresponding menu items from the "Quick" menu button. Each of the five text fields allows you to store up to 1024 bytes.

Options and Settings

Configuring HTMLpad

You can control the way HTMLpad's user interface looks and behaves by changing some of the settings under the "View" menu, as well as the Options dialog. You might consider exploring the Options dialog and experimenting with all of the settings to find the configuration you like. You might find that the tool tips offer enough information to help you understand what a particular control does. The Options dialog can be invoked by choosing "Options" from the "Tools" menu. Some of these options are described below. If you don't like the default font that the HTMLpad editor window is set to, you can choose any other font you would like to use by selecting "Editor Font" from the "View" menu. If prefer using uppercase tags as opposed to lower case tags, you can choose either on the "General" tab of the Options dialog. If you don't like to see the File and Directory navigator on the left of the screen, you can resize the amount of horizontal space it occupies by locating your mouse cursor over the vertical bar that separates it from the editor window. You can also completely hide it by turning it off under the "View" menu. If you do like the File and Directory navigator, but want the windows to be the same color as the editor window, you can set that option on the "General" tab of the Options dialog. All three of the Toolbar views are optional, and any or all of them can be turned off under the "View" menu as well. If you choose to enable Syntax Highlighting, you can configure the color used when colorizing tags in the editor window by choosing one of 16 colors on the "Tools" tab of the Options Dialog.

Tips and Tricks

Make a shortcut to HTMLpad in the \windows\sendto directory so you can right click on a file and choose to send it to HTMLpad.

Create an Edit button in Internet Explorer® by checking the box labeled "Make HTMLpad the default editor" in the options dialog.

Use the "prefix" setting on the general tab of the options dialog and make working with images easier.

When working with many images, right click on the folder on the side-view directory box, choose open, and drag them into HTMLpad directly from the explorer window

To quickly change hex color codes, select the six digits of the hex code and right click on them to invoke the color finder, which will be automatically set to the color you are working with.

If you highlight something, like an image tag, and click the Link Toolbar button or hit CTRL-A to insert an anchor, the selected text will be automatically placed in the field that specifies what goes between the <A... and </A>. This makes it easy to link images that already exist in your document.

Highlighting text before using Find and Replace will automatically place the selected text in the Find or Replace Dialog's "Find Text" field.

To quickly change color code values, double click on the hex number in your HTML file, and it will be automatically highlighted. Then just click a color from the color bar at the top right of the toolbar and it will replace it.

Double clicking words, and groups of characters between characters such as <>, "", etc is the easiest way to select text. Triple-clicking will select the whole line.

For maximum view, hide the toolbars, hide the directory and file navigator, and maximize the window.

Choose a font like Courier New rather than a font where two different characters don't occupy the same amount of space. This makes it easy to format and align using spaces. Of course you can set the editor font to whatever font you would like by choosing "Editor Font" under the "View" menu.

HTMLpad Quick Reference

All formatting and Custom Hot-Keys support holding "SHIFT" down to insert only the closing tag.

General
Save CTRL+S
Cut CTRL+X or SHIFT+DEL
Copy CTRL+C or CTRL+INS
Paste CTRL+V or SHIFT+INS
Find CTRL+F
Find Next F3
Replace CTRL+H
Go to Line ALT+G
Undo CTRL+Z
Toggle Explorer-View F8
Help Contents F1

Formatting
<B> CTRL+B
<I> CTRL+I
<CENTER> CTRL+T
<!-- --> CTRL+N
<P> CTRL+P
<TD> CTRL+D
<TR> CTRL+R
<H1> CTRL+1
<H2> CTRL+2
<H3> CTRL+3
<H4> CTRL+4
<H5> CTRL+5
<H6> CTRL+6
<OL> CTRL+O
<UL> CTRL+U
<LI> CTRL+L
<TT> CTRL+Y
<PRE> CTRL+W

Inserting
<A> SHIFT+CTRL+A
<BODY> SHIFT+CTRL+F7
<A MAILTO> CTRL+E
<FRAMESET> SHIFT+CTRL+F8
<IMG> CTRL+G
<TABLE> SHIFT+CTRL+F9
<BR> CTRL+K
<HR> SHIFT+CTRL+H
<FORM> SHIFT+F1
Hidden Input SHIFT+F2
Text Box SHIFT+F3
Text Area SHIFT+F4
Radio Button SHIFT+F5
Check Box SHIFT+F6
List Box SHIFT+F7
Submit Button SHIFT+F8
Reset Button SHIFT+F9
Insert Text CTRL+SHIFT+INS
Update Stamp SHIFT+CTRL+S

Special
<MARQUEE> SHIFT+ALT+W
<BLINK> SHIFT+ALT+B
<SCRIPT> SHIFT+ALT+S
<APPLET> SHIFT+ALT+A
® SHIFT+ALT+R
© SHIFT+ALT+C
SHIFT+ALT+T

Tools
Color Finder F7
Default Web Browser F9
User Defined F10
User Defined F11
User Defined F12

HTMLpad Registration

By purchasing HTMLpad and registering your copy, you will be entitled to additional benefits such as:

Please visit our Web Site if you would like to Register your copy of HTMLpad!


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