HomeNetscape Composer Tutorial
Getting started with Composer

This section provides an overview of ways to start Composer and create an HTML document.

Quick Links:

Creating a New Document

Editing the Page You're Browsing

Editing an Existing Page

Using the Toolbars and Pop-up Menus

Drag and Drop

Creating a New Document

Choose New|Blank Page from the File menu or click the Composer button (pencil icon) on the Component bar.

BlankPage.gif (3547 bytes)

A Composer window opens containing a blank page. The original browse window remains open behind the Composer window.

BlankScreen.gif (7472 bytes)

Editing the Page You're Browsing

Click the Composer button (pencil icon) on the Component bar. You can also choose File|Edit Page. The current browse window becomes an edit window containing the document you were viewing.

Editing an Existing File

Choose File|Open Page in Composer. A Composer window opens containing the specified file. The original browser window remains open but behind the Composer window.

Using the Toolbars and Pop-up Menus

The two Composer toolbars contain buttons corresponding to frequently-used commands. You can access most of these commands from the menus, but it's generally quicker to use the toolbars.

Composition Toolbar

Use these items to create, open, and save HTML files, publish (upload) files to a remote server, view your HTML document in the browser, perform standard editing tasks, create links and targets, and insert images, horizontal rules, and tables.

CompositionToolBar.gif (3206 bytes)

Formatting Toolbar

Use these items to apply paragraph formatting, specify fonts, font sizes and font styles, apply text color, control text alignment, and check spelling.

FormattingToolBar.gif (2270 bytes)

You can reposition a toolbar by dragging it to the area you want. Depending on the area to which you move the toolbar, it will either snap into position (the area below the menus), or become a floating palette (anywhere else).

Pop-up Menus

Pop-up menus are a handy way to get to frequently used commands: you select an object (such as text or a link) and then right-click the mouse to display the pop-up menu. The commands that are available are completely dependent on what's selected when you right-click. For example, right-clicking while on a link provides you with commands to copy the link or modify its properties. If you right-click while on an image, you'll have quick access to commands to save the image under a new name or display its properties.

Place the pointer on Use the pop-up menu to
Text Change character, paragraph, or list properties, insert a new link, or paste from the clipboard.
A link Change link, paragraph, or list properties, open the link in a browse or edit window, copy or remove the link, or add a bookmark for the link.
An image Change link, paragraph, or list properties, create a link using the image, save the image under a new name, cut, copy, or paste.
A horizontal line Change horizontal line, paragraph, or list properties, cut, copy, or paste.
An HTML tag marker Change tag, paragraph, or list properties, cut, copy, or paste.
A table Change paragraph, character, or list properties; change table, row, or cell properties; insert or delete a table, column, row, or cell; insert a link; paste.

Drag and Drop

Several drag-and-drop operations are available while using Composer. You can:

Drag a link from a browse window and drop it in an edit window. This is like inserting a link in the document you're editing.

Drag an HTML file (or multiple files) from the Windows File Manager (Explorer in Windows 95) and drop it in an Composer window to create a link to that file.

Drag a link from a bookmark, mail, or news window and drop it in the Composer window.

Drag an image from a browse window and drop it in the Composer window. This is the easiest way to add images to your Web pages.

Drag an image file (.GIF or .JPG) from the desk and drop it in an edit window to insert the image in the current document.

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Overview ] [ Getting Started ] Working w/pages ] Paragraph Formats ] Character Formats ] Images ] Hyperlinks ] Tables ] Publishing ] Page Properties ] Composer Prefs. ] HTML and Java ] Design Issues ]