For a more Comprehensive Composer Tutorial try this one created by a Philosopher professor at CSU Longbeach or check out for Netscape documentation.

 
 
 

1. Start a new web page in Composer Choose New from the File  menu Drag across to the sub menu and select one of the following Blank Page <--to open a blank page Page From Template<--to open a template for a new page Page From Wizard<--to step you through a new page creation


 

I  usually choose Blank Page for maximum flexibility  A blank page will open in Composer Type as you would when using a word processing program.   Go to the Editing section to get an overview of the facilities in Composer Choose Save as from the File menu and save to your hard drive or floppy disk or choose Publish from the File menu to place your edited page on a web server. I usually save to a file folder I previously set up for my page (web pages have separate text [html] and graphics [.gif or .jpg] files). I then use an FTP program to move my files to the web server.  ---TOP---

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2. Edit a previously created web page  Start Netscape Communicator Open the page you wish to edit in the browser. This file could be on your computers hard drive, a floppy or from the web but it works best if the files are already on your computer.  You should have a folder created for your files if you are editing a page that is from the internet because you will need to save the text [htm] and graphics [.gif or .jpg] files.

Choose Edit Page from the File  menu and your page will open in Composer. If you opened the page from the internet you will be asked to save the page, save in your previously created folder. Make changes, check the  Editing section of this tutorial to get an overview of the editing tools in Composer   Choose Save from the File menu and save to your hard drive or floppy disk     You could then choose Publish from the File menu to place your edited page on a web server. I usually save to a file folder I previously set up for my page (html and graphics) and use an FTP program to move to the web server. I have found it easier to keep track of and maintain a backup of my files this way  ---TOP---

(1) The Formatting Toolbars

1. Headings.  Choose size for headings, lists etc. Press black down arrow, then select heading size for selected text.
2. Variable Width.  Choose Font type.  Press black down arrow, then select the font for selected text.
3. Font Size.  Choose font size.  Press black down arrow, then select size for selected text.
4. Font Color.  Choose a text color.  Press black down arrow, then select color for selected text.
5. Bold. Select text and click icon and selected text will be changed to bold or unbolds bold selected text
6. Italic. Select text, click icon and selected text will be Italicized
7. Underline. Select text, click icon and selected text will be underlined
8. Remove all style selections
9. Billeted Lists (HTML-Unordered Lists). Select list and clicking icon places a bullet in front of each item of a selected list
10. Numbered Lists (HTML-Ordered Lists). Select list and clicking icon places a number in front of each item of a selected list
11. Unindent lines. Select text and click icon moves selected to the left if possible
12. Indent lines. Select text and click icon  moves selected text to the right
13. Line Formatting; Select text, click on the icon, drag and select Left, Center or Right text format

(2) The Composition Toolbars
Select text to be formatted then choose editing tool

1. New, opens a new blank page for editing.  You could freeform do this or use a template or the wizard.
2. Open, opens a web page located on your PC floppy or hard drive.
3. Save, saves the web page on your PC floppy or hard drive,
4. Publish, lets you place your web page on your server.
5. Preview,  lets you save your page then previews saved page changes in the browser
6. Cut,  removes selected text or graphic
7. Copy, copies selected text or graphic to the clipboard
8. Paste, pastes previously copied material from the clipboard to the cursor location
9. Print, sends the web page to the printer
10. Find, searches for specified text
11. Link, will open a dialog box in which you can place a web address to link to from your page.  Select the text you want to be the link prior to clicking the link icon
12. Target, identifies selected text as a place that can have a link made to this location
13. Image, opens a dialog box that lets you bring in a graphic and determine the size and text placement for the graphic (should be either jpg or gif) image.
14. H Line, inserts a horizontal line (rule) at the cursor location
15. Inserts a Table at the cursor location.  You choose the number of rows and columns needed by dragging the miniature table that appears when this icon is clicked.
16. Spelling, will check the spelling of your page

(3) Inserting and Editing a Graphic
There are several ways to insert a graphic.

(a) Choose the Insert menu then Image and find the graphic in the dialog box on your hard drive or floppy that you want to insert .

(b) Click the image tool in the Composition toolbar (see above) for another way to insert and edit a graphics size and related text placement) Composition toolbar
 
 

The image dialog box will open (note: there are some small differences in the dialog box appearance when inserting a new graphic vs editing the characteristics of a graphic on your page.)

Click Choose File if you are bringing a graphic into your page.  Find your graphic file on the hard drive or your floppy and select it.  If you want to use the graphic as the background for your page, check this box If you want text to wrap around your graphic click on of these choices To make changes in your graphics size as it appears on your page, follow "5" and "6" Click Original Size to set the size on your page to the size of the original.  This the best for overall appearance in most cases. Click the Constrain box to make all dimensional changes proportional Change either the Height  or Width to change the graphic size on your page    Click the apply button Click the OK button to complete your changes You can distort a graphic by not selecting the Constrain box   ---TOP---

• Choose Save As from the File  menu or click the save icon on the composition toolbar (its the small disk image)
• Give your file a name with the suffix html or htm (I use htm for maximum compatibility)
• Find the floppy disk or on your hard drive folder
• You should save frequently when working on your web page by using the save key  feature

<Command/Apple Key> then <S Key>        <--on the MacIntosh
<Ctrl Key>  then <S Key>                        <--on Windows PC

Choose Pub lish from the  File menu then  (1) In the publish dialog box:  Add a title or change the title if you want  Give the file a name  Type in an FTP address for the location.  In the example my file is on the polaris server.  Current CSUB web pages for faculty are on www.csubak.edu the FTP address will be the same as mine up to my name.  Your name will be followed by the path to the web page you are publishing.  If your web pages are on the VAX the FTP address will be the same as the example below up to my name.  ftp://www.academic.csubak.edu/yourvaxaccount/... Your VAX account name will be followed by the path to the web page you are publishing.  If your web pages are on the web server www the FTP address will be:  ftp://www..csubak.edu/yourvaxaccount/...   When the dialog box entries are complete click OK  Click the Continue button when the Security Information warning appears  Click the OK button when the box announcing how many files were transferred  Open your page from the web and check it out.