How To Build A Website - Part 3

By Author: Max Rui
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How to build a website - Part 3

Once the HTML editor is installed, you are ready to begin construction. The first thing to do is to orient yourself to the HTML editor. Most products have good tutorial and "help" features that will explain how to use the tool. In general, however, they are intuitive and function much like word processors.

HTML editors let you insert images into the body of a document and create hyperlinks to other pages. They also permit you to reference a file to be used as a background image. Most HTML editors allow you to insert additional HTML code wherever you like. This is useful, for example, should you want to add a page counter, music or video clip to your site.

Hyperlinks are words or graphics on a web page that, when clicked, take the visitor to another page or another web site. To add a hyperlink, you simply highlight the text field or graphic, select the hyperlink icon and specify the destination address (URL). You should specify the full URL address.

Your main page should always be assigned the file name "index.htm". Other pages on your web site can be assigned any names ...
... you wish however keep them short and avoid using special characters. (e.g. #, @). For simplicity, all web page file names should end with ".htm".

If you feel really brave, you can write your HTML program using a simple text editor such as WordPad rather than using an HTML Editor. WordPad is a utility program that comes bundled with Microsoft operating systems (e.g. Windows XP).

To begin, find a simple web page on the Internet that you like and save it to your directory. Copy the graphics from that same web page to your hard drive. Print off the HTML code and see how it works! You can then make some minor changes to the HTML and watch the results in your web browser (i.e. Netscape or Explorer). Don't forget to save your program changes and "reload" your page in your browser. This method is not recommended for everyone, but is a very good way to learn HTML.

There are plenty of good HTML programming guides available on the Internet which explain the basic syntax of the HTML language. Tools are also available to validate the HTML that you write.

If you would like to add a Radio and Television Remote Control to your site, simply insert this HTML into your page. Your visitors will be impressed!

Copying files from your hard drive to the server is a simple process. The host site will prompt you for the name of the directory on your hard drive where your files are stored and the names of the specific files to be uploaded. To avoid confusion, make certain that all files are saved on the server using the same file names that were used on your hard drive. The only software that you require to upload files is a web browser such as Netscape or Internet Explorer. Alternatively, free FTP software (File Transfer Protocol) can be used.

Once you have uploaded all your files, you should test your page on the web server and make certain that it functions properly and that all files have uploaded correctly. It is also a good idea to test your page using a different computer to ensure that graphic files are being read from the server and not from your hard drive.

It is now time to congratulate yourself. You have published your very first page!

At this point, construction of your home page is complete but your page still resides on your computer, not on the internet. If you log on to the Internet, however, you should be able to test all your links to external web sites.

You are now ready to publish your page on the World Wide Web. To do this, you will need to copy your page and all graphic and music files which your page uses from your computer's hard drive to a web server (computer).

The Internet service provider (ISP) that you use for Internet access might provide free web hosting to its customers. Many do. If not, there are a number of companies that will provide server space at no charge. You will, however, be required to include a banner or icon somewhere on the page to promote the free hosting service or their sponsors.

Although there are disadvantages to using free web hosting services, such services do provide an opportunity to learn and develop basic web publishing skills. Alternatively, there are many professional web hosting companies that offer inexpensive hosting packages with advanced features for around $10 per month. For Zebra IT Solutions hosting, the minimum charge is $15/month.

When you register for web hosting services, you will be sent instructions on how to upload files to the web server. The web host will also provide you with a user ID and password so that other people can't access or alter your files.