For those of you who wish to know more about what happens behind the scenes when you create documents for the World Wide Web, this is the section for you. Familiarizing yourself with hypertext markup language (HTML) and other programming languages can help you refine your design techniques and expand your Web site’s possibilities.

• Beginner definitions
• Microsoft DHTML editor
• How to view source code
• How to save Microsoft Office documents as HTM files

Beginner definitions

These common Web-related terms and their definitions will help you understand Web authoring basics.

HTML—Hypertext markup language, a programming language used to build Web sites. It contains standard codes, or tags, that determine how a Web page looks when your browser displays it. For example, tags are used to create headings, paragraphs, and lists. HTML tags also make possible the hyperlinks that connect information on the Web. With help from programs such as the Microsoft® FrontPage® 2000 Web site creation and management tool, you can create Web sites without knowing HTML. But it may be helpful for you to understand the basics. To learn more about HTML, read NCSA’s A Beginner's Guide to HTML.

DHTML—Dynamic HTML, an extension of HTML. DHTML gives you more control over the appearance and position of everything on your Web page. It's considered dynamic because it gives you a way to include elements on your page that download to a user's Web browser along with the page but don't become visible until the user interacts with them. This means that when the user interacts with the elements, they activate without requiring anything of your Web site's server.

XML—Extensible Markup Language, a data format that makes it easy to define types of documents, author and manage documents, and share them over the Web. It's an abbreviated version of Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), the mother of all languages to describe documents, so it's easier to use, understand, and write programs for.

ActiveX®—A Microsoft technology that facilitates interoperability, or sharing, among applications. ActiveX controls (or component applications) let you embed smart objects in the site. Once a user's browser software downloads an ActiveX^® control from a site, the control remains on the user's computer. So when the user visits another site (or another page on your site) using the same control, it doesn't have to download again.

Java—An object-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems to create applets, or programs that can be distributed as attachments to Web documents. An applet can be included in an HTML page, much as an image can be included. When you use a Java-capable browser to view a page containing a Java applet, the applet's code is transferred to your system and executed by the browser.

Scripting—A programming shortcut that gives non-technical users a way to create richer content on their computers and gives programmers a quick way to create simple applications. Scripting enables you to set and store variables, and work with data in your HTML code. Many Web sites now employ scripting to check the browser a user is running, validate input, work with applets or controls, and communicate to the user.

Sites to visit

• MSDN™ Online - contains information about many aspects of creating a Web site, including introductions to HTML, DHTML, XML, scripting, and more
• ZDNet's DevHead - a resource for Web users and developers; look for more information about Web design basics and programming
• World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)

Microsoft DHTML editor

The Microsoft DHTML Editing Component allows Web authors and application developers to add HTML editing capabilities to their Web sites and applications. The editing component uses Microsoft's component object model (COM) technology to make editing services such as basic HTML formatting, tables, undo/redo, find, and absolute positioning readily available.

Applications that use or output HTML (for example, Web authoring, electronic mail, or Help applications, or HTML forms) can use the DHTML Editing Component to provide rich editing capabilities. Web authors and developers can use any language to access editing services, and provide a user interface for editing features. They can also access the Document Object Model to add more sophisticated, custom editing features to their applications.

Sites to visit

• DHTML, HTML & CSS - a page from the MSDN Online Web Workshop, where you can learn more about the Microsoft DHTML Editing Component
• Getting Ready for Internet Explorer 5: XML and DHTML Enhancements - an excellent discussion of XML enhancements to Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5.0 and 5.5
• XML Tutorial: Authoring XML Elements - learn the basics of XML with text and interactive instruction

How to view source code

One way to learn about HTML and how to create the Web site you want is to view the source code of a Web site that contains a feature similar to the one you'd like to create. Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 and 5.5 makes this easy. To view source code:

• On the View menu, click Source. Source code for the Web page you're on will appear in a Notepad window.

To save time in scanning for code in the text editor, download Internet Explorer 5 Web Accessories. With these add-ons, you'll be able to highlight any part of a Web page, right-click it, and instantly view the HTML code for that particular section.

Sites to visit

• A Beginner's Guide to HTML
• World Wide Web Consortium
• Download Internet Explorer 5.0 and 5.5

How to save Microsoft Office documents as HTM files

An HTM file is a file in HTML. Microsoft Office lets you use HTML as the default file format while taking advantage of key Office features and functionality. You can publish a copy of the current document in HTML format directly to a Web server. To save a file as a Web page in any Office 2000 application:

1. On the File menu, click Save as Web Page.
2. If you want to save the document in a different folder, locate and open the folder in the Save As dialog box.
3. In the File Name box, type a name for the document.
4. Click Save.

Sites to visit

• Microsoft Office Web site