Message Forums HTML Tutorial

Introduction

NOTE: This HTML tutorial was borrowed from the Clemson TigerNet with the cheerful permission of webmaster Tommy Crumpton. Many thanks to our ACC brethren for saving us the trouble of writing it ourselves.

HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language, is the language of displaying information on the Internet. You can use it to become creative with your message board posts. HTML is made up of elements called tags. Tags are simply commands that tell the browser (Netscape, Lynx, etc...) how to display text. An HTML tag consists of a left angle bracket (less than sign), <, the command keyword, and a right angle bracket (greater than sign), >.

Most HTML tags come in pairs. That is, there is a starting tag and an ending tag. You have to tell the browser when to start the formatting and when to stop. This is the same command except with a slash, /, located in the ending tag. An example of this is the H1 tag which displays text in the largest font possible:

<H1>Florida State Football</H1> would look like

Florida State Football

HTML is not case sensitive that is <H1> is the same as <h1>. If a browser does not support a tag, the tag will be ignored.

Basic Formatting

To make text BOLD place your text between the and tags.

Florida State Football would look like
Florida State Football

To make text appear in italics place your text between the and tags.

Florida State Football would look like
Florida State Football

To center text, place it between the <CENTER> and </CENTER> tags.

<CENTER>Florida State Football</CENTER> would look like
Florida State Football

To blink text, place it between the <BLINK> and </BLINK> tags.

<BLINK>Florida State Football</BLINK> would look like
Florida State Football

To force a break, use the tag. This tag does not have an ending element.

Florida State Football ROCKS!! would look like
Florida State FootballROCKS!!

Changing the Size of Text

Use the FONT tag.

Florida State Football
Florida State Football
Florida State Football
Florida State Football
Florida State Football
Florida State Football
Florida State Football

 is the default.

Changing Colors

Florida State Football
Florida State Football
Florida State Football
Florida State Football
Florida State Football

Combining Tags

Florida State Football
Florida State Football

Adding an Image

You can add an image to your posts with the IMG tag. After the SRC element enter the address of the image you wish to use. Use the following format:

<IMG SRC="http://www.theterritory.org/images/logo.jpg"> would look like

Adding a Hypertext Link

To add a link to another site, use the HREF tag. After the HREF= element you place the address of the site in quotes. After the last quote you end that segment with a right angle bracket (greater than sign), >, and then the phrase that you want to link to comes next. Everything is capped off with a </A>. This command takes the folowing form:

<A HREF="http://www.tallahassee.com/">Tallahassee Democrat</A> would look like
Tallahassee Democrat Sports
This way you can link others to a news story.