Web page writing with Corel's WordPerfect 7

Initially most IEEE-related Web pages were produced by IEEE staff members. We are increasingly seeing links to section and society Web sites that are being developed by IEEE members. It has become fairly common practice for Internet service providers to offer file space for home pages of their customers, and many IEEE members are now producing their own personal home pages.

Software developers are responding to this situation by providing tools to help in the writing of Web pages. Netscape Navigator Gold has an HTML (hypertext markup language) editor. Microsoft provides no-charge add-in software called the Internet Assistant that can be downloaded and used with Microsoft's word processor, called Word. Corel, having acquired WordPerfect from Novell, has recently released Version 7 (WP7) for Windows 95. This latest version builds in the use of HTML as a selectable input/output format. I tried the Netscape HTML editor but did not like it. I tried WP7 and liked it.

Having been a WordPerfect user for several years, I was interested to see what Corel had done to this software product. What with the sale of WordPerfect to Novell, and then the subsequent resale to Corel, I was among the users who wondered if this was the demise or renewal of this product. I have to say I am delighted -- for me it has been worth the wait, not only for the Web-related features but in other ways as well.

WEB SITE MAINTENANCE.   I am using WP7 to maintain my own Web pages and those for our department. We expect that as our department Web site grows, several of our staff will be maintaining specific content portions of the site.

Managing the content is a very different task from managing the server itself. The two tasks require very different skills. Before the advent of HTML editors, Web page creation and editing typically required a knowledge of the Unix operating system and its (to the non-expert) particular eccentricities. Today, one can easily build Web page editing skills on a general knowledge of word processor commands and processes.

To create an effective environment, we are upgrading our staff's PCs to run Windows 95 and installing WP7 on each staff PC. We have also asked our system manager to set up a linking mechanism so that the working directory on the Unix machine "ece.eng.mcmaster.ca" appears as a local drive on each staff PC. This "local drive access" is effective within our department's local area network but not from home via telephone/modem connection. Without the local drive access, one downloads sufficient HTML files that are hypertext-linked, develops new files or edits existing files, then uploads, using FTP (file transfer protocol) -- a somewhat longer process.

We are converting to Windows 95 for three reasons: our Windows-based programs seem more stable, we have the flexibility to use longer filenames with better understanding, and we can use WP7. With this setup, we can use four-character ".html" extensions, not worry about the difference between Unix and DOS file formats, and our staff will continue to use their own PCs while maintaining HTML files that are stored on our Unix-based Web server. The additional training to learn the HTML editing commands is minimal.

EDITING HTML WITH WP7.   When you open a file and select HTML format, the power bar changes and provides tools that are appropriate for editing HTML documents. For example, the font selection converts to a selection of heading levels or paragraph styles such as bulleted lists. A hypertext link creator/editor appears, and so on. The menu bar and tool bar are converted in a similar fashion. As an example, the "Format" menu has features to set the background color as well as the color of plain text and hypertext links. The table feature becomes a mechanism for formatting Web pages -- useful, since the concept of the tab does not exist in HTML.

GETTING STARTED.   Let's assume you have WordPerfect 7 running under Windows 95 on your computer, and you have no HTML files as yet. Suppose you have a WordPerfect file that you or someone else has prepared which contains most of the content that you want to display as an HTML document (using a Web browser). You open this file in the usual way -- click on "File," then "Open," and select the appropriate directory and the file. Now click again on "File" and then click on "Internet Publisher." Then select the box "Format as a Web Document." Up pops an advisory window to remind you that you are restricted to using Web-compatible formats and features. Click "OK" or the "Disable" box to permanently disable this window. The power bar display changes to one appropriate for editing HTML files.

If you do nothing except save this file now -- adding no heading or list formats; font attributes such as bolding or italicizing; or hypertext links, etc. -- you will have created an HTML document in a basic format. One feature to be aware of is that all Web browsers ignore all hard returns and replace multiple spaces with a single space. If paragraph tags are not inserted, your entire file becomes a single paragraph! To save your file, click on "File," "Publish to," and "HTML." Up pops another window containing a directory path and file name for saving. Click "OK" after you accept or edit the file name and path. Alternatively, click on "File," then "Save," and a window is displayed where you select either WordPerfect or HTML or "Other" format. Select "HTML" and click on "OK." That's it! You have just produced a Web page.

Don't close your file or exit WordPerfect until you have viewed your new Web page. The next step is to bring up your browser -- I use Netscape Navigator 3. Click on "File," then "Open," then select your new HTML file in the directory where you just saved it. By having both WordPerfect and your browser open at the same time, you can alternate between editing and viewing until you are satisfied with the result.

ADDING HYPERTEXT FEATURES.   The next step is to add headings in a larger font size. To do this, block the text, click on "Font/Size," and select from one of the seven heading choices. The selection of bullet or numbered lists is in the same window. To use bold, italic, underline and other enhancements, block the text, click on "Font Attributes" and select. Color for the background, regular text, and hypertext links can be selected by similar block and click techniques. Creating tables remains a simple click and drag procedure. To create a hypertext link, block the text, click on "Hypertext," select "Create Link," select "Document," and type in the URL (uniform resource locator, which is the Web address) for the document you want to link to.

EDITING EXISTING HTML FILES.   You can also open an existing HTML file -- click on "File," then "Open" and select the file in the appropriate directory. Up comes a window in which you must confirm that you want to convert this file from HTML format (so you can bring it into WordPerfect -- later , when you want to save the file, you convert back to HTML format). Click on "OK" and watch the power bar display change to one appropriate for editing your HTML file. You then get an advisory window to remind you that you are now restricted to using Web-compatible formats and features -- you have the option to disable this window if that is your wish. Continue editing, saving and viewing as described above.

There are lots more features in many Web pages that newer browsers can recognize. Some of these features require specialized knowledge and tools to implement. But the basics -- creating and formatting Web pages that are easy to read, structured to focus attention, and linked to other Web pages -- these tasks can be performed by non-computer experts who are used to producing documents in a word processor environment. In my view, the significant breakthrough is that the production of Web pages has been brought back within the grasp of people who have learned the art of producing quality printed material. Hopefully this will result in higher quality Web pages and more efficient Web page production and maintenance. That having been said, the bottom line is that creating and maintaining Web pages just got a whole lot easier.