HTML Sandbox

Refreshed 1 July 03 | Various FReepers

[TPartyType]

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Welcome Newcomers!

This Sandbox is devoted to giving you a place to practice basic HTML, and to get some coaching.

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So, first things first:

Go to michigander's [ HTML Bootcamp (Cyber patriot training)] and learn there how to change font color, font size, font face, and the like.
THERE'S A WEALTH OF INFORMATION THERE NOT COVERED HERE (so as to avoid duplication).
Learn there also how to post a link and an image, then come back here to practice.

If you're having problems, folks will drop by occasionally to give you pointers and help you troubleshoot.

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Boring posts are a crime . . .

So practice here first!

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NEWCOMERS TIP: I just reread the FreeRepublic posting guidelines. They're worth a read by all newcomers [click here].

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Following is an excellent previous post by Willie Green

But first, HTML advice from the FreeRepublic help page:

Basic HTML
The Free Republic forum uses standard HTML coding techniques. Use <p> to start new paragraphs. You may use <b> to begin bolding and <center> to center text, but please remember to end these items where appropriate with </b> and/or </center>, etc. If you post links or other advanced coding, be sure to test before posting.

Creating new paragraphs is about the only html that most posters ever need, but if you would like to learn more about html you may use any search engine on the internet to find tutorials. Simply search on "html tutorial". Here are links to a couple tutorials that I found:

• HTML Goodies

• Three Rivers Free-Net Beginning HTML

The Basics

Paragraphs, Line Breaks and Horizontal Lines
A lengthy article or reply can be very tedious to read if it does not contain some very simple HTML formating. Inserting either of the following codes will make your post much more readable:

• <br> is a line break. Text that follows this code will begin on the next line.

• <p> is a paragraph break. Text that follows this code will begin on a new line after skipping a line.

• <hr> is a horizontal rule. It draws a line across the page like this:

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Character Formatting
Simple special effects may be created using Character Formatting Codes. These codes are used in pairs in the format: <?>words to be formatted</?>, where <?> turns the formatting "ON" and </?> turns the formating "OFF".

Please: ALWAYS turn "OFF" the formatting when you use it.

Some commonly used codes of this type are:

• <b> and </b> -- BOLD
• <i> and </i> -- Italic
• <u> and </u> -- Underline
• <blink> and </blink> -- Blink
• <strike> and </strike> -- Strike
• _and -- _Subscript
• ^and -- ^Superscript
• <big> and </big> -- Big text
• <small> and </small> -- Small text

These codes can be "nested" to produce multiple effects at the same time. For instance:

<b><i>Bold and Italic</i></b> produces Bold and Italic

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Links
The method for posting a HTML link is fairly simple. The following format is used:

<a HREF="URL">Link Description</a>

where "URL" is the URL address you want to link to (and you gotta use the double quotes), and Link Description is whatever you want to call your link. For example:

<a HREF="http://www.drudgereport.com/">Link to Drudge</a>

becomes Link to Drudge

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And another from the same previous post:

<FONT COLOR="COLOR">Sample</FONT> produces colorful text.

"COLOR" is often a Hexidecimal Code for whatever Color you want, but color names are also supported.
Examples:

<FONT COLOR="blue">blue text</font> produces blue text

<FONT COLOR="red">red text</font> produces red text

<FONT COLOR="green">green text</font> produces green text

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To: foolproof formatting

Here is an easy way to REMEMBER TO TURN OFF THE FORMATTING.

To be sure I turn off the formatting I TYPE THE "OFF" COMMAND AT THE SAME TIME AS THE "ON" COMMAND.

An example:
I want to respond to a line in a post by another brilliant Freeper.
I type < I >""< /I >< BR>
I then "cut and paste" his remarks between the quotes:
< i>" You are a poopy head "< /I>< BR>
And type my equally brilliant response: "No, you're a poopy head!"
The result:

"You are a poopy head"
No, you're a poopy head!

It's very easy to forget to turn off your formatting!
Yes it is!

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To: ftrader, deport

Actually, the <ul> tag is for a bulleted list and stands for unordered list. The missing part is the list item tag (<li>) Here's an example:

<ul>
<li>List item #1
<li>List item #2
<li>List item #3
</ul>

Would display:

• List item #1
• List item #2
• List item #3

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Finally . . .

Here's the link for [Webmonkey] (a super HTML training site).

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Click here for previous HTML Sandbox thread.

[glock rocks]

because blink doesn't blink on internet explorer.

[Capitalism2003]

Can someone tell me how to make links open in a seperate window when you click on them?...ya know...seperate windows...rather than taking people away from FR...

[glock rocks]

sure.. the key is target=new

<a href="http://www.freerepublic.com" target="new">Free Republic</a>

produces this...

Free Republic

[4mycountry]

Let me try some.

Here's a cool site.

Wow! Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

[4mycountry]

Let's see if I can do more!

Howdy y'all!

Coooooool!!

[glock rocks]

here's how to have a picture be a link... you need to know the http address of the link and the photo. ("nnn" is the size attribute of the pic -- see the example)

here's the format...

<a href="LINK URL"> <img src="PICTURE URL" height="nnn" width="nnn"> </A>

here's an example...

<a href="http://www.freerepublic.com"> <img src="http://www.freerepublic.com/images/frlogo.gif" height=130 width=150> </a>

and here's what it produces... click the pic...

oh, you want that in a new window? we figured that out above...put target="new" right after the LINK URL

[glock rocks]

I believe John disabled marquis.

[ChefKeith]

I still use Bootcamp

[kstewskis]

...okay, I'm making a mess out of the sandbox!

what is the "code" in order to post an image? (I have the image URL...but I can't get it to work :(

thanks!

[kstewskis]

...and I did look at post 82...thanks GR...what is the difference between the picture url and the link url?

[spodefly]

Only people with Netscape will see the blink tag anyway.

[kstewskis]

...and I did look at post 82...thanks GR...what is the difference between the picture url and the link url?,

wait...just figured it out...DUH!

[glock rocks]

this will display your picture...

<img src="PICTURE URL" >

[spodefly]

This is a table with a black background with another table in it.

[kstewskis]

Okay, I really suck at this. Wah happened?

[spodefly]

From now on, all my posts will be in this format ... large red font on a black background -- no one will ignore me anymore!!!

[glock rocks]

you left the "PICTURE URL" text in there, too. oop.

just put the real addresses there, get rid of the red text (in the example)

[kstewskis]

Lorrainer help!! SOS!

I keep getting these stupid things!

I've tried the ususal img src= "the url" (with the < and >) on either side and it's not working....DRAT!!!!!

[kstewskis]

just put the real addresses there, get rid of the red text (in the example)

no, I did just that. The URL address only. I didn't put the "red text" example in there. I even tried another URL to see if it would work, no go. :(

I really suck.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Okay, I really suck at this.

No you don't. Those are the NICEST red X's I've seen in a long time! (snicker) Hang on, I'll read the rest of this and see if you've figured it out.