What an 'invention'! What would we do without it? Actually it was probably more an evolution, rather than something new ... Typing those 4 letters in Yahoo recently yielded some 1/4 million hits ... Perhaps you should start at www.w3.org/MarkUp/ , to learn it is based upon SGML, circa 1994/5, and is fast evolving into XHTML, to take full advantage of XML, and onwards, upwards ... see DOM also ... and Tidy, a HTML editor of type ...
Dynamic HyperText Markup Language, DHTML, happens at the client end. If the browser displaying the HTML received from the web site supports scripts, it is possible to dynamically change, re-change, and change again, the HTML being displayed. On clicking [Start] the following sample will change the text and the colour approximately each 2 seconds ... until [Stop] is clicked ...
Simple Text
On clicking [Start], with Javascript enabled, the above paragraph will be changed each few seconds, or so, by some simple script. The HTML being displayed by the browser is being changed in a small cycle, while you are watching ...
I began writing HTML around 1995. At that time there were very few helpful HTML editors. My first was the MS 16-bit Home Page Wizard, and I still use some of its background samples. I note in the file person2.htm that by 1996 I had found a WinHTML, written in MS Visual Basic, shareware, that took some of the grudge and grind out of manually writing HTML.
Now there is a fleet of WYSIWYG editors, so you can drag and drop an image from another window, and the underlying HTML will be written. Presently I use a mixture of tools, including MS FrontPage 2000 ;-)). In addition, when writing scripts, say either client side java or server side php, you often have to add the HTML code by hand, so one must keep a reasonable knowledge of manual HTML.
I will leave it to other sites to predict some future level of HTML. Although version 4, namely XHTML, takes on the Extensible of XML, where is it really trying to go? Although some ten years have elapsed to this 2004 update, HTML has changed quite modestly, but that is good for an internationally agreed 'standard' of data exchange. One might also say HTML is perpetually -
under construction ;-))
While HTML is written in normal text, there are quite a number of special characters. Luckily in FP you can just type them, like normal, but the underlying HTML contains the character sequence representing that character is inserted. For example when I type the "<" (less than sign), the HTML contains "<". Interesting, huh? Even the double quotation marks I used were inserted as ""e;". You got it?
So, I've been programming in HTML for about 10 years, and love attempting to stay up with where it is going ... Here is another, server, markup language, CFML.
There are an immense number of helpful sites out there if you want to learn HTML. Of course you should perhaps begin at the defining site, where you will find, for example, a 10 minute guide, and much, much more, but, from the above yahoo "HTML" search I visited, read, used ...
www.davesite.com/webstation/html - They
vend web space, and have some very helpful tutorial pages. Gain some early insight into that
beast called Cascading Style Sheets, CSS, there ... you know, like -
<STYLE>
p { text-indent : 3em; }
</STYLE>
But, where ever you learn more about this interesting language, is great ;-))
One thing that helped me was a simple table of elements ...
element |
description. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
a |
Designates the start or destination of a hypertext link. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
acronym |
Indicates an acronym abbreviation. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
address |
Specifies information, such as address, signature, and authorship, of the current document. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
applet |
Places executable content on the page. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
area |
Defines the shape, coordinates, and associated URL of one hyperlink region within a client-side image map. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
b |
Specifies that the text should be rendered in bold. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
base |
Specifies an explicit URL used to resolve links and references to external sources such as images and style sheets. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
baseFont |
Sets a base font value to be used as the default font when rendering text. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
bdo |
Allows authors to disable the bi-directional algorithm for selected fragments of text. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
bgSound |
Enables an author to create pages with background sounds or soundtracks. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
big |
Specifies that the enclosed text should be displayed in a larger font than the current font. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
blockQuote |
Sets apart a quotation in text. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
body |
Specifies the beginning and end of the document body. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
br |
Inserts a line break. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
button |
Specifies a container for rich HTML that is rendered as a button. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
caption |
Specifies a brief description for a table. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
center |
Centers subsequent text and images. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
cite |
Indicates a citation by rendering text in italic. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
code |
Specifies a code sample, usually fixed font. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
col |
Specifies column-based defaults for the table properties. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
colGroup |
Specifies property defaults for a column or group of columns in a table. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
comment |
Indicates a comment that is not displayed. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
custom |
Represents a user-defined element. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
dd |
Indicates the definition in a definition list. The definition is usually indented in the definition list. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
del |
Indicates text that has been deleted from the document. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
dfn |
Indicates the defining instance of a term, usually rendered in italics. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
dir |
Denotes a directory list. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
div |
Specifies a container that renders HTML. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
dl |
Denotes a definition list. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
dt |
Indicates a definition term within a definition list. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
em |
Emphasizes text, usually by rendering it in italic. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
embed |
Allows documents of any type to be embedded. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
fieldSet |
Draws a box around the text and other elements that the field set contains. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
font |
Specifies a new font, size, and color to be used for rendering the enclosed text. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
form |
Specifies that the contained controls take part in a form. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
frame |
Specifies an individual frame within a FRAMESET element. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
frameSet |
Specifies a frameset, which is used to organize multiple frames and nested framesets. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
head |
Provides an unordered collection of information about the document. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
h[n] |
Renders text in heading style, 1 to ... |
||||||||||||||||||||||
hr |
Draws a horizontal rule. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
html |
Identifies the document as containing HTML elements. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
i |
Specifies that the text should be rendered in italic, where available. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
iframe |
Creates inline floating frames. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
img |
Embeds an image or a video clip in the document. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
input |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
ins |
Specifies text that has been inserted into the document. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
isIndex |
Causes the browser to display a dialog window that prompts the user for a single line of input. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
kbd |
Renders text in a fixed-width font. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
label |
Specifies a label for another element on the page. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
legend |
Inserts a caption into the box drawn by the fieldSet object. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
li |
Denotes one item in a list. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
link |
Enables the current document to establish links to external documents. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
listing |
Renders text in a fixed-width font. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
map |
Contains coordinate data for client-side image maps. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
marquee |
Creates a scrolling text marquee. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
menu |
Creates an unordered list of items. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
meta |
Conveys hidden information about the document to the server and the client. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
noBR |
Renders text without line breaks. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
noFrames |
Contains HTML for browsers that do not support FRAMESET elements. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
noScript |
Specifies HTML to be displayed in browsers that do not support scripting. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
object |
Inserts an object into the HTML page. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
ol |
Draws lines of text as a numbered list. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
optGroup |
Allows authors to group choices logically in a select element. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
option |
Denotes one choice in a SELECT element. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
p |
Denotes a paragraph. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
param |
Sets the initial value of a property for an APPLET, EMBED, or OBJECT element. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
plainText |
Renders text in a fixed-width font without processing tags. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
pre |
Renders text in a fixed-width font. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
q |
Sets apart a quotation in text. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
rt |
Designates the ruby text for the RUBY element. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
ruby |
Designates an annotation or pronunciation guide to be placed above or inline with a string of text. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
s |
Renders text in strike-through type. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
samp |
Specifies a code sample. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
script |
Specifies a script for the page that is interpreted by a script engine. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
select |
Denotes a list box or drop-down list. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
small |
Specifies that the enclosed text should be displayed in a smaller font. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
span |
Specifies an inline text container. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
strike |
Renders text in strike-through type. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
strong |
Renders text in bold. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
style |
Specifies a style sheet for the page. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
sub |
Specifies that the enclosed text should be displayed in subscript, using a smaller font than the current font. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
sup |
Specifies that the enclosed text should be displayed in superscript, using a smaller font than the current font. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
table |
Specifies that the contained content is organized into a table with rows and columns. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
tBody |
Designates rows as the body of the table. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
td |
Specifies a cell in a table. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
textArea |
Specifies a multiline text input control. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
tFoot |
Designates rows as the table's footer. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
th |
Specifies a header column. Header columns are centered within the cell and are bold. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
tHead |
Designates rows as the table's header. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
title |
Contains the title of the document. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
tr |
Specifies a row in a table. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
tt |
Renders text in a fixed-width font. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
u |
Renders text that is underlined. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
ul |
Draws lines of text as a bulleted list. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
var |
Defines a programming variable. Typically renders in an italic font style. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
wbr |
Inserts a soft line break into a block of NOBR text. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
xml |
Defines an XML data island on an HTML page. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
xmp |
Renders text used for examples in a fixed-width font. |
Back to top , CV or Home pages.
This rather big list can be split into 'type', for example, those effecting the text style -
... and so on. If that type of division helps you remember and understand the list, then look for site that gives you that ...
When using objects, be aware that Dynamic HTML (DHTML) extends every object by providing these additional properties:
align classid code codeBase codeType data form height name object recordset type width
HTML, particularly DHTML, in the client, can be generated using javascript - On to java page ... good HTML help is important ... like -
http://www.htmlhelp.org/reference/html40/special/object.html
with help like
<quote>
Syntax | <OBJECT>...</OBJECT> |
---|---|
Attribute Specifications |
|
Contents | PARAM elements followed by block-level elements and/or inline elements |
Contained in | HEAD, inline elements, block-level elements except PRE |
The OBJECT element is used to include objects such as images, videos, Java applets, and VRML worlds. OBJECT is intended to replace the more specific IMG and APPLET elements, as well as the proprietary EMBED and BGSOUND elements, though a lack of browser support and severe bugs in supporting browsers make the other elements a better choice for the time being.
OBJECT's DATA attribute specifies the URI of the embedded object. Relative URIs are interpreted with respect to the CODEBASE attribute if it is given.
and following the BGSOUND link leads to MSDN -
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/workshop/author/dhtml/reference/objects/BGSOUND.asp
</quote>