5 Globals

The following topics are covered in this section:

• "About Globals"

• "Adding Rules to a Web Page"

• "Adding Separators to a Web Page"

• "HTML and Scripting"

• "Suppressing Cross-References in a Web Page"

• "Specifying a Target for External Hyperlinks"

• "Graphical Elements"

• "Other Web Page Settings"

5.1 About Globals

Globals is one of four property sheets used to edit templates. In Globals, your settings apply to a Web page as a whole. The settings are still saved as part of the template but are not associated with specific elements.

Globals options include:

• Set colors for the whole Web page, including colors for links, depending on their status

• Insert separators and rules to be placed at the beginning and end of a Web page

• Insert an address, copyright line, and email address in your Web page

To open Globals, click the Globals icon (Figure 5-1) in the Classic HTML Conversion Editor main window.

Figure 5-1 Globals Icon

In Classic HTML Conversion Editor, you can move between the four property sheets and use them in any order. You can also preview your changes as you make them.

5.2 Adding Rules to a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of Web pages include the option to add rules to a web page.

To add rules to a web page:

1. Click Globals (Figure 5-2), and then click Rules to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-2 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Click Insert rule before content. If you want to accept the defaults, go to step 7.

3. In the Width Is panel, select % or Pixels. In the Set Width edit box, enter a value for the percentage or number of pixels you want to use, or use the Up/Down control to select the value.

4. In the Set Height edit box, enter a value for the number of pixels you want to use, or use the Up/Down control to select a value.

5. Under Color, click Set Color and then click the Color button to open the Color dialog box. Select the color you want to use for the rule and click OK.

6. Under Alignment, click Left, Center, or Right, depending on how you want the rule to align on the page.

7. Check the Samples box to view the changes you make.

8. To add a rule after the content, click Insert rule after content and repeat steps 4 to 7. Then click OK.

5.3 Adding Separators to a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of Web pages include the option to add separators to a web page.

To add separators to a web page:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-3), and then click Separators to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-3 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Click Insert separator before content.

3. Enter the path and file name of the graphic you want to use in the text box, or click Gallery to locate the graphic. If you already have a default graphics set, the separator from that Set will appear when you click the check box.

4. Under Alignment, click Left, Center, or Right, depending on how you want the separator to align on the page.

5. To add a separator after the content, click Insert separator after content and repeat the steps above.

6. In the Alternative Text box, enter information that you would like to display onscreen in the event that the separator doesn't display.

7. Click OK.

The alternative text will display when (a) a user's browser is text only, (b) a user chooses to disable the browser's graphics functionality, or (c) a visually impaired user is viewing Web pages with an HTML screen reader.

If you do not add alternative text, no default text will be used.

5.4 HTML and Scripting

The following topics are covered in this section:

• "Including HTML or Scripting Code at the Top of an HTML File"

• "Handling an Event Within a Body Page"

• "Including HTML or Scripting Code in a Web Page"

• "Including HTML or Scripting Code in the Head of a Web Page"

• "Including HTML or Scripting Code Inside the HTML Tag"

• "Including Scripting Variables in Output"

• "Compliance With HTML 4.0"

• "Generating XML-Compliant Output"

5.4.1 Including HTML or Scripting Code at the Top of an HTML File

The global settings available to enhance the look of Web pages include an option to place HTML or scripting code at the top of an HTML file, before the <HTML> tag. (See also "Including HTML or Scripting Code in the Head of a Web Page".)

To place HTML or scripting code at the top of a file:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-4), and then click Head to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-4 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Click Include HTML or scripting code at the top of file, and do one of the following:

   • Click Use the following, and enter the code in the box, or

   • Click Use the contents of this file and enter the path and file name in the text box or click the Gallery button to locate the file.

3. Click OK.

It is up to the author to supply and verify any linked file in HTML or scripting code that is inserted. If the HTML or scripting code calls another file, that file should be placed in the proper output directory.

To state that your web pages comply with HTML version 4.0, use the <!DOCTYPE> declaration at the top of your HTML file. That is, check the appropriate boxes and place the following in the first text box: <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C/DTD HTML 4.0 Final//EN">. See "Compliance With HTML 4.0".

5.4.2 Handling an Event Within a Body Page

You can assign an event handler to a Web page that is triggered each time an event occurs in your browser. Such an event handler might be onLoad or onUnload. You could also include HTML code or JavaScript within the page.

To assign an event handler or include HTML or scripting code:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-5), and then click Tags to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-5 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Click Include HTML or scripting code in the Body tag, and then click either Use the following or Use the contents of this file.

3. If you click Use the following, enter the code you want to use in the box provided.

4. If you click Use the contents of this file, enter the path and file name in the text box, or click Gallery to pick a file from the HTML Code folder in the Gallery.

5. Click OK.

To temporarily remove an event handler from a body page but keep it available for future use, clear the Include HTML or scripting code in the Body tag check box. When you're ready to assign the event handler once more within the body page, select the check box.

See also "Handling an Event for an Element" and "Including HTML or Scripting Code Inside the HTML Tag".

5.4.3 Including HTML or Scripting Code in a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look or functionality of Web pages include the option to place HTML or scripting code in a Web page.

To include HTML or scripting code in a web page:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-6), and then click HTML to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-6 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Click Include HTML or scripting code before the content.

3. Do one of the following:

   • Click Use the following and enter the code you want to use in the box.

   • Click Use the contents of this file and enter the path and file name in the text box or click the Gallery button to locate the file.

4. If necessary, click Include HTML or scripting code after the content and repeat step 3.

5. Click OK.

5.4.4 Including HTML or Scripting Code in the Head of a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of your Web page include an option to place HTML code in the head of the page. (See also "Including HTML or Scripting Code at the Top of an HTML File".)

To include HTML or scripting code in the head of a web page:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-7), and then click Head to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-7 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Click Include HTML or scripting code in the Head, and do one of the following:

   • Click Use the following, and enter the code in the box, or

   • Click Use the contents of this file and enter the path and file name in the text box or click the Gallery button to locate the file.

3. Click OK.

You can convert HTML source files (for example, ASP files) by adding the appropriate header information to the output files. In addition to following the above steps to add the code containing the header information, you should select the Include for HTML documents check box. The specified code will be added to the top of all HTML source files associated with the selected template.

5.4.5 Including HTML or Scripting Code Inside the HTML Tag

You can include HTML or scripting code inside the HTML tag, which will be applied globally to your Web output pages. Typically, the most likely use of this would be to drop in the LANG or Version attributes.

The LANG attribute allows you to identify the language being used for the Web pages associated with the template, while the Version attribute allows you to include a version number in the output. The LANG attribute can be used by a user agent in different ways, including assisting search engines and speech synthesizers.

To include HTML or scripting code in the HTML tag:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-8), and then click Tags to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-8 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Select Include HTML or scripting code inside the HTML tag, and then click either Use the following or Use the Contents of this file.

3. If you click Use the following, enter the code you want to use. For example, to denote Web pages in Italian, you would enter LANG="it" (note the quotations marks around the language abbreviation).

4. If you click Use the contents of this file, enter the path and file name in the text box to locate the file.

5. Click OK.

To temporarily remove HTML or scripting code from a body page but keep it available for future use, clear the Include HTML or scripting code in the HTML tag check box. When you're ready to assign the code once more within the HTML tag, select the check box.

See also "Handling an Event Within a Body Page" (which you would also set up on the Tags tab dialog).

5.4.6 Including Scripting Variables in Output

The global settings available to enhance the look or functionality of Web pages include the option to include scripting variables in output pages. With JavaScript, these variables can be used to access different information stored in the output HTML files.

To include scripting variables in output:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-9), and then click Options to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-9 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Click Include scripting variables in output.

3. Click Variables contain source file details if you want the TRANSIT_SOURCE variable to include the path of source documents.

4. Click OK.

5.4.7 Compliance With HTML 4.0

If you are using a CSS-enabled template, Classic HTML Conversion Editor is fully compliant with the HTML 4.0 standard. If you are using a non–CSS-enabled template, Classic HTML Conversion Editor does not comply with HTML 4.0 in one respect.

Classic HTML Conversion Editor seeks to duplicate the look of source documents in the Web pages you create. As a result, in order to duplicate indentation in the source documents, Classic HTML Conversion Editor uses the <BLOCKQUOTE> and <UL> tags. You can remove these if you want to create a Web page that is fully compliant with HTML 4.0.

To create a Web page compliant with HTML 4.0:

1. Click the Formatting icon (Figure 5-10).

   Figure 5-10 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Select all the elements in the Elements list.

3. Click the Paragraph tab to open that tab dialog.

4. Under Alignment, click Don't Specify.

5. Click Save to save your template changes.

5.4.8 Generating XML-Compliant Output

The global settings available in Classic HTML Conversion Editor include the option to generate XML output.

Any source documents that Dynamic Converter can turn into HTML output, it can just as easily turn into XML output. As a result, information is no longer trapped in Web pages, but can be made accessible to other applications.

Classic HTML Conversion Editor generates XML output by removing telltale HTML elements such as the HTML, Head, and Body tags. It also balances tags, where necessary. Thus, instead of generating <IMG SRC="filename.gif"> for HTML output, Classic HTML Conversion Editor will generate <IMG SRC="filename.gif"/> (the forward slash at the end of the element content is used to denote the closing tag).

To generate XML-compliant output:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-11), and then click Options to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-11 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Click Generate XML-compliant output.

3. Click the XML Options button to open that dialog box.

4. Enter XML code, as appropriate, at the top of all output HTML files and also at the end by selecting the appropriate check boxes, clicking Use this (specify the code) or Use the contents of this file (specify the file that contains the code).

5. Click OK to return to the Options tab dialog, and click OK again to return to the main window.

In the XML Options dialog box you might specify an XML declaration such as <?xml version="1.0"?>.

5.5 Suppressing Cross-References in a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of Web pages include the option to include or suppress cross-references.

Classic HTML Conversion Editor automatically includes cross-references in Web pages and retains the links inserted in the source document. But you can suppress the cross-references, if you want.

To suppress cross-references in a web page:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-12), and then click Options to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-12 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Clear the Include cross references in output check box.

3. Click OK.

   The cross-references are no longer linked to the target text in the Web page (but they remain linked in the source document).

5.6 Specifying a Target for External Hyperlinks

You may want to include a link from your Web site to an external location, such as an altogether different Web site. When you include this type of external link, you may want the site that is referenced in the link to open in a separate browser window. When this occurs, those viewing your Web site retain their place on your site and can simply close the window of the external site without losing their connection to your site.

To specify a target for external links:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-13), and then click Options to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-13 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Under Include cross-references in output, select Use this target for external hyperlinks, and enter _blank in the text box (see below).

3. Click OK.

You can enter any standard HTML target into the text box depending on what you want to do:

• _blank opens a new browser window that is separate from your web site.

• _self opens the document in the same window that contained the page with the link, so the current page is "overwritten."

• _top opens the document in the full browser window.

5.7 Graphical Elements

The following topics are covered in this section:

• "Setting Colors for a Web Page"

• "Selecting a Graphics Set for a Web Page"

• "Selecting a Background Graphic for a Web Page"

5.7.1 Setting Colors for a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of your Web page include the option to set colors for the text, links, and background of Web pages.

To set colors for a web page:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-14), and then click Colors to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-14 Globals Icon

   
   

2. To select a background color, click the Background check box and the click the Color button to open the Color dialog box. Select any color, and then click OK to return to the Color tab dialog.

   The color you selected appears in the color bar and can also be viewed in the Sample box.

3. Choose additional colors for other components of the Web page, if you want. The Sample box will show the result of each color choice.

There are four color options plus a fifth choice that enables you to use a graphic instead of a color as the background for the Web page.

You can also select a background graphic, instead (see "Selecting a Background Graphic for a Web Page"). Or you can use a background color with a background graphic, if the graphic is transparent.

5.7.2 Selecting a Graphics Set for a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of Web pages include the option to select one of the 28 graphics sets supplied with Classic HTML Conversion Editor.

Making one of the graphics sets the default Set for a particular template ensures the consistent use of navigation buttons and visual aids for all the Web pages created with that template. You can switch between Sets at any time to dramatically alter the look and feel of your Web pages.

To select or change a set:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-15), and then click Set to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-15 Globals Icon

   
   

2. The Set text box displays the name of any Set currently selected for the template. Click Gallery to open the Gallery dialog box.

3. Select the Set you want to use. The graphics from the Set will appear in the Preview window.

4. Click Make Default. The name of the selected Set is now in bold.

5. Click OK to return to the Set tab dialog.

6. Click Apply Set Selection. This will change all graphics currently specified in the template.

   A dialog box appears and asks you to confirm your selection of the Set. Click Yes.

7. Click OK to return to Globals.

If you make a graphics set the default for a particular template, the background graphic from that Set will automatically be applied by Classic HTML Conversion Editor to all Web pages created with that template. You can change or turn off the background graphic in the Colors tab dialog of Globals.

5.7.3 Selecting a Background Graphic for a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of your Web pages include the option to add a background graphic. You can choose a graphic from the selection of GIFs shipped with Dynamic Converter.

To select a background graphic:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-16), and then click Colors to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-16 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Click Use a background graphic.

   If you have picked a graphics set from the Gallery and made it the default, the background graphic from this Set will automatically display in the Sample box and the path to the GIF will display in the File Name text box.

3. If you have not picked a graphics set, or want to select another graphic, do one of the following:

   • Enter the path and file name of the graphic you want to use, or

   • Click Gallery and choose a graphic from the Backgrounds group of graphics.

4. Click OK.

You can use a background color instead of a graphic, if you want. See "Setting Colors for a Web Page". You can also use a background color with a background graphic, if the graphic is transparent.

5.8 Other Web Page Settings

The following topics are covered in this section:

• "Adding an Address to your Web Page"

• "Adding an E-Mail Address to Your Web Page"

• "Adding Titles to a Web Page"

• "Displaying Headers and Footers in a Web Page"

• "Including Revision Information From Source Documents"

• "Setting the Order of Navigation and Visual Aids in a Web Page"

• "Skipping Single Hard Carriage Returns"

• "Suppressing Footnotes and Endnotes in a Web Page"

• "Adding Options to a Web Page"

• "Suppressing Tables in a Web Page"

5.8.1 Adding an Address to your Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of your Web page include the option to add an address to Web pages.

To add an address to a Web page

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-17), and then click Address to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-17 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Under Address Lines, click Include Address. In the four text boxes, enter the information you want to display in your Web page. It will appear at the end of the page.

   Note: The address can contain any kind of information. For example, you might enter a copyright line here.

3. Click OK.

You can format the address by using Address (System), the special element that is automatically a part of every template in Classic HTML Conversion Editor. However, the address will always appear in italic because that is how browsers interpret the <ADDRESS> tag that Dynamic Converter applies to this information. If you don't want the address to appear in italic, you can apply the <P> tag, instead, to this content.

5.8.2 Adding an E-Mail Address to Your Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of Web pages include the option to add an email address.

To add an email address to your web page:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-18), and then click Address to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-18 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Under Email Lines, click Include Email Address.

3. In the Email Prompt text box, enter the text you want to appear on the Web page to signify an email link.

4. In the Email Address text box, enter the complete email address you want to use.

5. Click OK.

You can format this email address by using Email (System), the special element that is automatically a part of every template in Classic HTML Conversion Editor.

5.8.3 Adding Titles to a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of Web pages include the option to add titles. Classic HTML Conversion Editor lets you place the titles in both the title bar of the Web browser and the body of the Web page.

To add a title to a Web page

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-19), and then click Titles to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-19 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Under Title Placement, click Place a title in the body of the Web pages.

   If you also want to the title to appear in the title bar of your Web browser, click Place a Title in the title bar of the Web browser.

3. Under Title Contents, click the appropriate check boxes to decide which components you want to use to create the title. Select any number of check boxes.

4. Classic HTML Conversion Editor combines the components you select into one title.

5. Under Document Component of Title (if you checked the appropriate box in step 3), decide whether you want the title to come from an element (click the appropriate radio buttons for the Title element or select an alternative element from the list) or from the Title entry in the Document Properties dialog box (click the last radio button).

6. Under Page Component of Title (if you checked the appropriate box in step 3), decide whether you want to use content derived from an element (select from the list) or type a title in the text box.

7. Under Page Numbering, select None or one of the numbering options available if you want to add this component to the title.

8. Click OK.

By default, the Title (System) element for a body page template consists of the document title.

You can format the title by using Title (System), the special element that is automatically a part of every template you create in Classic HTML Conversion Editor.

5.8.4 Displaying Headers and Footers in a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of your Web page include the option to place headers and footers in output pages. Classic HTML Conversion Editor does not automatically include headers and footers in Web pages, but you can display them, if you want.

To display headers and footers in a web page:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-20), and then click Options to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-20 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Click Include headers in output if you want to include headers in the output pages.

3. Select Place on all pages or Place on first page only. You may want to choose the second option if you're splitting a source document into several Web pages.

4. Click Include footers in output if you want to include footers in output pages. Again, select Place on all pages or Place on first page only.

5. Click OK.

5.8.5 Including Revision Information From Source Documents

The global settings available to enhance the look of Web pages include the option to include revision information in output pages.

By default, if a source document contains text that has been inserted or deleted with revisions turned on, Dynamic Converter will implement the revisions in the output Web page. That is, the Web page will look the same as if the revisions had been accepted in the source document before translation. You can, instead, display the revisions just as they are in the source document.

To include revision information in a Web page:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-21), and then click Options to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-21 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Click Include revision information from source documents.

3. Click OK.

Classic HTML Conversion Editor maps inserted text to underscore and deleted text to strike through. You can change this mapping, if you want. See "Changing Text Effects".

Classic HTML Conversion Editor does not retain any colors associated with inserted or deleted text in the source documents.

5.8.6 Setting the Order of Navigation and Visual Aids in a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of Web pages include the option to set the order of navigation and visual aids in Web pages.

When you create a Web page, you may add navigation buttons bars or text bars, separators or rules, HTML or scripting code, and a regular or email address. Your source document will probably have a title and may also have headers and footers.

You can set the order of all of these for your web page.

To set the order of navigation and visual aids:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-22), and then click Layout to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-22 Globals Icon

   
   

   All possible navigation and visual aids appear in the two Preview windows, including ones you may not be using. You can use a different order for the same aids at the top versus the bottom of the page. You can also change the alignment of the items.

2. In the Preview pane for Top of Page, select the navigation aid, separator, or rule that you want to move, and use the Reorder arrows to change its order in the sequence. Or select the navigation aid, separator, or rule, and with the mouse button held down, drag and drop the item to reposition it.

3. To change the alignment of the navigation or visual aid, select the item and with the mouse button held down, drag and drop the item so that it is flush left, centered, or flush right in the pane. The cursor changes as you drag the image, indicating the Left, Center, or Right alignment.

4. Do likewise in the Preview window for Bottom of Page, if you want to reorder items there, too.

5. Click OK.

5.8.7 Skipping Single Hard Carriage Returns

The global settings available to enhance the look of Web pages include the option to skip single hard carriage returns. This may be useful if your source document is in ASCII format.

To skip single hard carriage returns:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-23), and then click Options to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-23 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Click the Skip single hard carriage returns check box.

3. Click OK.

5.8.8 Suppressing Footnotes and Endnotes in a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of your Web page include your ability to control the display of footnotes and endnotes.

Dynamic Converter automatically includes footnotes and endnotes in your Web pages. But you can suppress them, if you want. Dynamic Converter also automatically places endnotes in their own page. You can change that, too.

To suppress footnotes and endnotes in a web page:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-24), and then click Options to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-24 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Clear the Include footnotes and endnotes in output check box.

3. Click OK.

You should also ensure that any elements associated with footnotes and endnotes are not included in the body of your Web pages. Open Element Setup and check the status of any such elements in the Elements tab dialog.

5.8.9 Adding Options to a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of Web pages include the option to place headers and footers in output pages. You can also suppress footnotes and endnotes, if you want, as well as cross-references and tables.

To set these options for a web page:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-25), and then click Options to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-25 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Click or clear each check box that applies.

3. Click OK.

5.8.10 Suppressing Tables in a Web Page

The global settings available to enhance the look of Web pages include the option to include or suppress tables. Dynamic Converter automatically includes tables in Web pages. But you can suppress them, if you want.

To suppress tables in a web page:

1. Click the Globals icon (Figure 5-26), and then click Options to open that tab dialog.

   Figure 5-26 Globals Icon

   
   

2. Clear the Include tables check box.

3. Click OK.

   Tables in the source document will no longer appear in the web page.

If the intent is to provide files that will display properly in those browsers that do not support tables, you will also need to turn off certain formatting options. That's because Dynamic Converter uses tables to position certain graphical elements on a Web page. For example, the following will be affected if you suppress tables and are using such a browser:

• Any bulleted lists with graphical bullets

• Element button bars where the buttons are placed on the same line as the element

• Icons that are set "away from content"