Using HotDog

From the HotDog Help Pages:

HotDog offers many ways to make creating HTML documents easier. If you are an experienced HTML author, you can type all the formatting tags directly, or select them from menus and pop-up lists. If you are new to HTML, HotDog has screens to let you insert images, formatting, and hypertext links into your document without having to learn the HTML language.

Creating Your Own Template

You can use the "untitled" template that is opened for you to create your own template for future use. Just above the </body>, on a new line, you might want to place your name and MAILTO link for your e-mail address. To make a MAILTO link:

  1. Click on EXTERNAL on the Button Bar.
  2. In the RESOURCE TYPE box choose "mailto:"
  3. In the box marked "e-mail address" type your e-mail address. Watch it appear in the URL box auto*magic*ally!
  4. In the "description of link" box type your e-mail address again if you want your address to be the link. Type your name if you prefer that your name is the mailto link.

Here are the results:

pweeg@shore.intercom.net Patricia A. Weeg

If you have chosen to make your e-mail address your MAILTO link then you will want to place your name on the line above your MAILTO link. If you want to add other information that will be on every HTML page you should add it now. You might also want to place a link that will take your visitors back to your top page. Here is a sample for you:

Patricia A. Weeg
Delmar Elementary School
pweeg@shore.intercom.net
Return to The Global Classroom

Once you are satisfied that you have the template that you want for all your pages, go to TOOLS, then MAKE TEMPLATE FROM DOCUMENT. Give your template a name. From now on, when you choose FILE, then NEW, you will see your template name. Click on that name and you will have your template each time you start a new HTML file in HotDog.

Creating a Simple HTML Document

  1. Go to FILE, NEW, then select your template name.
  2. Go to FORMAT, DOCUMENT (document information) and write your title in the "document title" box.
  3. While still in the DOCUMENT window click on "graphics/colors."
  4. If you want a BACKGROUND image put the filename in the top box marked, "background graphic."
  5. If you want a Netscape background, click on the background in the box and move the red/green/blue bars until you have the color you want.
  6. Click on the text links to change the colors to those you want.
  7. If you simply want black text and the default link colors don't choose anything. Click on "OK" and go back to your editing screen in Hot Dog.
  8. Place your curser just below the <BODY> tag on a new line.
  9. Click on H1 on the Elements Bar to add a HEADING tag to your Web page. Your cursor will land between the tags.
  10. Type the heading you want on your Web page. Or... you can type your Heading first, highlight it, then click on H1.
  11. You are now ready to add text to your page. Remember to separate paragraphs with the <P> tag.
  12. Once you have finished your text notice that the "footer" of your HTML document is already in place.
  13. Save your file with a .htm extension. Your TOP WWW page should be "index.htm"

Adding a Link to Your Page

Linking to Another One of Your Pages

  1. Make sure your cursor is where you want the link to be placed.
  2. Go to EXTERNAL on the Button Bar.
  3. Near the bottom of the page where you see URL type the filename of your other HTML file that you want to link to.
  4. In the "Description of the Link" box type the word(s) that you want to be the hypertext link. This word will be underlined and highlighted on your page.
  5. Click "ok"
  6. You will have created a link like this: Our Shoebox Project

Linking to a URL That is on the WWW Somewhere Else

  1. Make sure your cursor is where you want the link to be placed.
  2. Go to EXTERNAL on the Button bar.
  3. In the "Host Address" box type the URL, e.g. www.washingtonpost.com
  4. In the "Description of the Link" box type the word(s) that you want to be the hypertext link. In this case you would type: Washington Post.
  5. You will have created a link like this: Washington Post

Adding an IMAGE to Your Page

  1. Place your cursor on a new line.
  2. Go to IMAGE on the Button bar.
  3. In the box for "image file" give the filename of the image you want to display on your page.
  4. As soon as you click on another box the image will appear in the box at the bottom and the width and height of the image will appear as numbers in the appropriate boxes.
  5. Choose a border width if you want a border. You would not want one for a transparent .gif.
  6. Type some text for the "Alternate Description" for those who are not using a graphical browser to see your web pages.
  7. Choose an alignment. Where do you want the image in relation to the text on the page?

Adding a LIST to Your Page

  1. Type your list items in individual rows.
  2. Highlight the text
  3. Click on the LIST type you want from the Elements Bar in HotDog.
  4. Your items will be surrounded by the LIST tags

Gettin' Fancy

Adding Colored Text and Font Sizes

  1. Go to FORMAT, then FONT.
  2. Choose font size.
  3. Choose font color.
  4. Type your text.
  5. You can also type your text first, highlight it, then go to FORMAT and FONT.

Adding Horizontal Rules

  1. Go to INSERT, then HORIZONTAL LINE
  2. Choose width, alignment, shading and thickness.

Centering

  1. Go To FORMAT, then CENTER.
  2. This will give you the opening and closing CENTER tags. Type your text within the tags.
  3. You can also type your text, highlight what you want centered, then go to FORMAT and CENTER.
  4. *NOTE* that the <DIV ALIGN=CENTER>... </DIV> tag has been suggested as an alternate centering tag.

Importing a Text File

You can import a text file into your HTML template.

  1. Go to INSERT, then TEXT FILE.
  2. Give the path to the file you want. Click OK.
  3. Hot Dog will automatically put <PRE> and </PRE> tags around your file unless you change the default in the TOOLS, OPTIONS, General Settings menu.

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Patricia A. Weeg
pweeg@shore.intercom.net
Return to Global Classroom