Platinum Edition Using HTML 4, XML, and Java 1.2:HTML 4.0 Tag Reference

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Platinum Edition Using HTML 4, XML, and Java 1.2
(Publisher: Macmillan Computer Publishing)
Author(s): Eric Ladd
ISBN: 078971759x
Publication Date: 11/01/98

Table of Contents

This code sets the document’s base URL to http://www.myserver.com/index.html and the base frame for targeting hyperlinks to the frame named “bigframe”.

<ISINDEX>

Type:

Standalone

Function:

Produces a single-line input field used to collect query information.

Syntax:

<ISINDEX PROMPT=”Please enter the value to search for.”>

Attributes:

The PROMPT attribute specifies what text should appear before the input field. In the absence of a PROMPT attribute, the text will read “This is a searchable index. Enter search criteria:”

Example:

<HEAD>
<ISINDEX PROMPT=”Enter the last name of the employee you want to search for:”>
...
</HEAD>

NOTE: <ISINDEX> was used in the early days when the <FORM> tags had yet to come onto the scene. The W3C has deprecated the <ISINDEX> tag, meaning that it discourages its use in favor of using the <FORM> tags and it expects to drop the tag from the standard in the future.

<META>

Type:

Standalone

Function:

Defines document meta-information, such as keywords, expiration date, author, page generation software used, and many other document-specific items. It also supports the notion of client pull—a dynamic document technique in which the browser loads a new document after a specified delay.

Syntax:

<META HTTP-EQUIV=”header” CONTENT=”value”>

<META NAME=”name” CONTENT=”value”>

Attributes:

The <META> tag takes the following attributes:

• HTTP-EQUIV—Specifies a type of HTTP header to be sent with the document. The value of the header is given by the CONTENT attribute. The two most commonly used values of HTTP-EQUIV are REFRESH, which refreshes the page after a specified delay, and EXPIRES, which gives the date after which content in the document is not considered to be reliable.

• NAME—Set equal to the name of the document meta-variable you want to specify. The value of the variable is given in the CONTENT attribute. Typical values for NAME include AUTHOR, KEYWORDS, GENERATOR, and DESCRIPTION. The KEYWORDS value is particularly useful for specifying words you would like a search engine’s indexing program to associate with the page.

• SCHEME—Provides information on how to interpret the meta-variable. For example, with the following <META> tag:

<META SCHEME=”9-digit-ZipCode” NAME=”zip” CONTENT=”02134-1078">

a browser may not know how to interpret “02134-1078” without information from the SCHEME attribute.

• CONTENT—Specifies either the HTTP header or the value of the meta-variable.

Example:

<HEAD>
<!-- The first <META> tag instructs the browser to load a new page after 5 seconds. -->
<!-- This is useful for creating a splash screen effect. -->
<META HTTP-EQUIV=”Refresh” CONTENT=”5; URL=http://www.myserver.com/index2.html”>
<!-- The remaining <META> tags specify author and keyword information. -->
<META NAME=”AUTHOR” CONTENT=”Eric Ladd”>
<META NAME=”KEYWORDS” CONTENT=”Main page, welcome, neat stuff”>
...
</HEAD>

<LINK>

Type:

Standalone

Function:

Denotes the linking relationship between two files.

Syntax:

<LINK HREF=”url_of_linked_file” TITLE=”title” REL=”forward_relationship” REV=”reverse_relationship”>

Attributes:

The <LINK> tag takes the following attributes:

• CHARSET—Denotes which character encoding scheme to use.

• HREF—Set equal to the URL of the file to which you’re making the linking reference.

• HREFLANG—Specifies the language code for the linked file.

• MEDIA—Provides the intended display destination for the linked document. The default value of MEDIA is “screen.”

• TARGET—Specifies which frame to target.

• TITLE—Gives the link a descriptive title.

• REL—Specifies the relationship of the linked file to the current file.

• REV—Specifies how the current file relates to the linked file.

Table 3.3 shows some possible values for REL and REV and what these values mean.

Table 3.3 Possible Values for the REL and REV Attributes

Value	Meaning

Copyright	Web site’s copyright page
Glossary	Glossary of terms for a site
Help	Site help page
Home	Site home page
Index	Site index page
Made	Mail to URL pointing to the email address of the page author
Next	Page that logically follows the current page
Previous	Page that precedes the current page
Stylesheet	File containing style information for the page
TOC	Site table of contents
Up	Page that is above the current page in a site’s hierarchy

NOTE: Because so many types of linked files exist, it is permissible to have more than one <LINK> tag in a document.

Example:

<HEAD>
<LINK HREF=”/style/styles.css” REL=”Stylesheet”>
<LINK HREF=”/index.html” REL=”Home”>
<LINK HREF=”/help.html” REL=”Help”>
<LINK HREF=”back_one.html” REV=”Previous”>
...
</HEAD>

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