Using HTML Authoring Tools
Summary
HTML authoring tools can help you design and maintain a Web site. They do so by helping you to write HTML, to create and modify Web pages, and to publish your finished content to your Web directory. UW Technology provides very limited help desk support for these tools. Nevertheless, most can be used to create sites hosted on central UW Web servers. Please use the references below to learn more about using HTML authoring tools.
This article includes:
Authoring Tools Documentation
The table below links to specific instructions for using several common HTML authoring tools.
| Software | Windows | Macintosh |
|---|---|---|
 Adobe GoLive CS 2 |
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 BBEdit Lite 6.1 |
|
|
 Catalyst SimpleSite |
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 Macromedia Dreamweaver MX
2004 |
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 Microsoft FrontPage |
|
|
 Mozilla Composer 1.x |
||
General Advice
HTML authoring tools such as Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe GoLive, Microsoft FrontPage, and Netscape Composer help you write HTML, often without having to learn it. Most HTML authoring tools feature:
- WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editing
- Optional source code editors to edit HTML directly
- Web page previewing with your Web browser
- Saving Web pages on your hard drive
- File transfer tools to help move your pages to a Web server
- A price tag
Using an HTML authoring tool goes something like this:
- Start your HTML authoring tool.
- Open your Web page(s) from your hard drive.
- Create/edit as needed.
- Preview your work.
- Save your work to your hard drive.
- When ready, move pages to your Web directory.
Training
UW Technology Computer Training offers introductory and intermediate training courses for learning to use some common HTML authoring tools. Please refer to the HTML and Web Training category in the training catalog.
Campus educators, including faculty, librarians, instructors, teaching assistants, and instructional staff, can also take Catalyst workshops on a variety of topics relating to teaching with technology.
Making Sites That Work for Everyone
Most HTML authoring tools now include features to help you create Web sites that are accessible to the handicapped and that work well with other assistive technologies. Software companies including Microsoft, Adobe, and Macromedia have made major commitments to supporting accessible design. See the Creating Web sites that work for everyone site for further information.
