WebCT

Using the WebCT HTML Creator

WebCT includes a built-in basic HTML editor that can be used to format your text in Mail and Discussion messages. Your messages can now be easily formatted with paragraph breaks, bold typeface, bulleted lists, etc. It is functionally similar to a word processor, where you type your text in the window and then use icons to format the text (figure 1). HTML files can be plain text or include more advanced HTML coding, such as tables, links, and images.

Figure 1: WebCT HTML Editor

To start the HTML editor, you must first choose to compose a new mail or discussion message. When the Compose Message window opens, click the radio button next to HTML Creator to turn on / off. When you select “on,” a Java applet launches and loads the editor in the same window. You must have the Java Virtual Machine installed as instructed in the Computer Settings section of this tutorial.

In the editing area, enter the text of your message. Use the toolbar to edit your text or enter other content. When finished editing, save your file or post your message.

The following table describes the icons on the toolbar.

Icon Label	Icon	Task
Shrink the Toolbar icon		If you want to shrink or expand the toolbar, click the Shrink the Toolbar icon. The toolbar shrinks or expands.
Open		If you want to open a saved HTML file: Click the Open icon. The Open dialog box appears. In the URL text box, enter the location of the saved HTML file and click OK. The Create File or Edit File screen refreshes and the selected file opens in the editing area.
New		If you want to open a new file, click the New icon. The Create File or Edit File screen refreshes and the editing area is cleared.
Cut		If you want to cut text, in the editing area, select the text you want to cut and click the Cut icon. The selected text is cut from the editing area.
Copy		If you want to copy text, in the editing area, select the text you want to copy and click the Copy icon.
Paste		If you want to paste cut or copied text, in the editing area, place your cursor where you want the text to appear and click the Paste icon. The text is pasted at the specified point.
Insert Text		If you want to insert an external plain text or HTML file into the editing area: Copy the external file, and, in the editing area, place your cursor where you want the file to appear. From the toolbar, select the Insert Text icon. The Paste Text from Clipboard dialog box appears. Paste the file in the provided editing area. If the file is a text file, select Plain Text and click OK. The text is inserted in the editing area at the specified point. If the file is an HTML file, select HTML and click OK. The HTML tags are parsed and the file is inserted in the editing area at the specified point.
Paragraph Format		If you want to modify the format of text, in the editing area, select the text you want to modify, and from the Paragraph Format drop-down list, select the heading format you want to apply. The selected text is modified.
Font Type		If you want to modify the font of text, in the editing area, select the text you want to modify, and from the Font Type drop-down list, select the font you want to apply. The selected text is modified.
Font Size		If you want to change the size of text, in the editing area, select the text you want to modify, and from the Font Size drop-down list, select the size. The selected text is modified.
Bold		If you want to make your text bold, in the editing area, select the text you want to appear in bold and click the Bold icon. The selected text appears in bold.
Italic		If you want to italicize text, in the editing area, select the text you want to italicize and click the Italic icon. The selected text is italicized.
Underline		If you want to underline text, in the editing area, select the text you want to underline and click the Underline icon. The selected text is underlined.
Font Color		If you want to change the font color: In the editing area, select the text you want to modify and click the Font Color icon. The Colors dialog box appears. Select the desired color. The color is applied to the selected text.
Align Left		If you want to align text to the left, in the editing area, select the text and click the Align Left icon. The selected text is aligned to the left.
Center		If you want to center text, in the editing area, select the text and click the Center icon. The text is centered.
Align Right		If you want to align text to the right, in the editing area, select the text and click the Align Right icon. The selected text is aligned to the right.
Insert Table		If you want to insert a custom table: In the editing area, place your cursor where you want the table to appear and click the Insert Table icon. The Table Properties dialog box appears. Select the desired number of rows and columns, the table and color properties, and click OK. The table is inserted at the specified point.
Insert Default Table		If you want to insert the default table, in the editing area, place your cursor where you want the table to appear and click the Insert Default Table icon. The table is inserted at the specified point.
Insert Row		If you want to insert a row into a table: Place your cursor in the cell above or below which you want to insert the row and click the Insert Row icon. The Insert Row dialog box appears. Select the position in which you want to insert the row and click Insert Row. The row is inserted in the specified point.
Insert Column		If you want to insert a column into a table: Place your cursor in the cell to the right or to the left of where you want to insert the column and click the Insert Column icon. The Insert Column dialog box appears. Select the position in which you want to insert the column and click Insert Column . The column is inserted in the specified point.
Bullets		If you want to insert a bulleted list: In the editing area, place your cursor where you want the list to appear and click the Bullets icon. The first bullet in the list appears. Enter the first item in the list and press Enter. The next bullet in the list appears. Repeat steps a and b until you have entered all the items in your list.
Numbered List		If you want to insert a numbered list: In the editing area, place your cursor where you want the list to appear and click the Numbered List icon. The first number in the list appears. Enter the first item in the list and press Enter. The next number in the list appears. Repeat steps a and b until you have entered all the items in your list.
Alphabetical List		If you want to insert an alphabetical list: In the editing area, place your cursor where you want the list to appear and click the Alphabetical List icon. The first letter in the list appears. Enter the first item in the list and press Enter. The next letter in the list appears. Repeat steps a and b until you have entered all the items in your list.
Increase Indent		If you want to increase the indentation of your text, in the editing area, select the text you want to indent and click the Increase Indent icon. The selected text is indented.
Decrease Indent		If you want to decrease the indentation of your text, in the editing area, select the text for which you want to decrease the indent and click the Decrease Indent icon. The indentation for the selected text is decreased.
Insert Hyperlink		If you want to insert a link, from the Create File or Edit File screen, click Help and select Using the HTML Creator to Insert Links into Files.
Insert Bookmark		If you want to insert a bookmark: In the editing area, place your cursor where you want the bookmark to appear and click the Insert Bookmark icon. The Insert Bookmark dialog box appears. In the Bookmark Name text box, enter a name for the bookmark and click OK. The bookmark is inserted at the specified point.
Insert Image		If you want to insert a bookmark, from the Create File or Edit File screen, click Help and refer to the topic Using the HTML Creator to Insert Images into Files.
Insert HTML		If you want to insert an external HTML page: In the editing area, place your cursor where you want the HTML page to appear and click the Insert HTML icon. The Insert HTML file at current position dialog box appears. In the URL text box, enter the URL of the page you want to include and click OK. The page is inserted in the specified point.
Insert Horizontal Line		If you want to insert a horizontal line, in the editing area, place your cursor where you want the line to appear and click the Insert Horizontal Line icon. The line is inserted in the specified point.
Insert Symbol		If you want to insert a symbol: In the editing area, place your cursor where you want the symbol to appear and click the Insert Symbol icon. The Insert Symbol dialog box appears. Select the symbol and click Insert. The symbol is inserted in the specified point.
Spelling Check		If you want to check the spelling in your message: Click the Spelling Check icon. If there are any potential spelling errors, the Check Spelling dialog box appears. Make your selections and, when the spelling check is complete, click OK . Any spelling errors are corrected.
Show All		If you want to display formatting marks, click the Show All icon. The formatting marks appear in your message.
Default Settings		If you want to set the default settings for your message: Click the Default Settings icon. The Default Settings dialog box appears. Make your selections and click OK . The settings are applied to your message.
About		If you want to know more information about the HTML Creator: Click the About icon. The About dialog box appears. If you want to read about the system properties, click System Info . The System Properties dialog box appears. When you are finished reading the system properties, click OK. The System Properties dialog box closes. Click OK. The About dialog box closes.