Visual HTML Editor

A visual HTML editor has been provided to facilitate quick and easy editing of text, rather than being confined to modifying text directly with HTML.  This editor can be found while adding and updating content in various tools such as articles, discussions, and the formatted text field of a database record.  Please see below for an overview of the most commonly used features.

Visual HTML Editor Menu Bar

Note: Members using the following Web browsers, or higher versions, will be able to use a visual HTML editor: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 (Windows), Firefox 1.0, Mozilla 1.3 and Netscape 7. It will appear in place of the standard body text input area.

Common Features

Below is a list of commonly used features of the visual HTML editor.  An overview has been provided for each.

Source

If your body text contains special characters (i.e. HTML, XML or a programming language), you may wish to select the source button. By selecting the source button, you can add, and edit the source code and tags manually.  Pressing this button again, will return to the visual editing mode.

Preview

Press the preview  button to open a browser window, containing a view of how the final result will be presented.

Cut

Press the cut button to remove a highlighted section, and place it in your clipboard.  This button is used in conjunction with the paste button.

Copy

Press the copy  button to duplicate a highlighted section, and place it in your clipboard.  This button is used in conjunction with the paste button.

Paste

Press the paste  button to place an item from the clipboard into the editor window.  Pressing the plain text paste  button will place an item from the clipboard, into the editor window, removing any pre-existing formatting such as bold, and italics.  If you are pasting an item copied from word, pressing the paste from word button will attempt to retain the formatting of the original document.

Print

Press the print button to send the contents of the editor window to your printer.

Spell Checker

Press the spell check button to verify the spelling of the text entered into the editor window.

Note: Members using the Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher Web browser will be able to use the spell checker. If it is not currently installed in your browser, you will be prompted to do so.

Select All

Press the select all button to highlight all text in the editor window.  This button is commonly used with the cut and copy features.

Bold, Italic and Underline

Pressing the bold button, italic button,  or underline button will apply the respective formatting to subsequent text that is entered.  To apply the formatting to text already entered into the editor window, highlight the text and select one or more formatting buttons.

Numbered and Bulleted Lists

To create a numbered or bulleted list, simply press the number button,  or bullet button to insert the desired list formatting.

Justification

Select one of the justification buttons, left , center , right , or block , to modify the orientation and layout of the items in the editor window.

Insert, Edit and Remove Hyperlinks

To create a hyperlink press the insert/edit  button.  A pop-up window will open, prompting for the URL to link to.  To modify a link, select the hyperlink from the editor window and press the insert/edit  button.  Change any desired settings in the pop-up window that appears.  To remove a hyperlink, without deleting the text from the page, select the hyperlink and press the remove link button.

Insert or edit image

To insert or edit an image, press the image  button.  A pop-up window will appear prompting for the URL of the image to present.  If you wish to make the image an active link, enter the URL to point to in the link tab.  To edit an image, you must first select the image from the editor window, then press the image button.

Insert/Edit Flash

To add flash content, press the insert/edit flash button.  A pop-up will appear, prompting for the URL of the flash item to insert.  To edit a flash item you have entered, you must first select the item from the editor window, then press the insert/edit flash button.  The same pop-up window will appear, however it will contain the URL previously provide along with any other settings to be modified.

Insert table

Press the table  button to insert a table into the editor window.  A pop-up window will appear, prompting for information such as the number of rows and columns the table should have.

Format

To apply formatting to new or selected text, select a pre-defined format from the drop-down menu.

Font

To change the font of new or selected text, select a font from the drop-down menu.

Text size

To change the size of new or selected text, select a text size from the drop-down menu.