Pre-Assignments ITSE 1411--Beginning Web Programming

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Reading:

Design Text, Chapter 1, Pages 1 - 6 Introduction)
Design Text, Chapter 2, Pages 7 - 19 (Overview)

Practice

If you do not understand the assignment, just ask for further explanation.

If you find broken links, please email me immediately so that I can fix them.

You will be creating web pages and uploading them to your website. To do this, you need to practice with several different software packages. You will view your pages in a web browser. The popular web browsers are Internet Explorer 7.0 and Mozilla Firefox. I recommend that you download the latest versions if they are not already installed on your computer. You can have multiple browsers installed on your computer (provided that you have the space). You are not restricted to using just one. If you are a Mac user, I recommend that you use Safari.

To create your pages, you use a software package called an editor. The textbook recommends that you use Notepad. I do not recommend using Notepad. It is difficult to find your errors and it offers you no assistance for necessary syntax. This course emphasizes XHTML and JavaScript; therefore, I do not want you to use software packages such as FrontPage or DreamWeaver. For PC users I recommend the Less Than Slash Editor because it is free and checks for compliant XHTML code. Please give it a try. Mac users try the recommendations listed on my Mac users site. The Less Than Slash editor has an option for completing your tag as you type. This option aggravates some students. If it aggravates you, turn off the option. PC users please download the Less Than Slash editor now.

For this first assignment you are copying, editing, saving, and uploading two pages.

If you do not have experience with placing files inside of folders, here is an explanation written by Sharon Joiner to help you understand file hierarchy.

Learn your editor.

PC users, using LTS, complete the edit orientation below.

Open your editor.
Click File, New Page
Notice the tabs on the right.
- HTML Source -- your edit mode.
- Preview -- allows you to view your page as it looks in Internet Explorer.
- Reference -- shows your validation results.
Notice the tools tab on the top.
- The W3 Validate link only works when you are connected to the Internet. The LTS editor sends a default meta tag with the content. You still need to include your meta tag showing the content on every page that you create.
- The Insert DTD will insert the selected DOCTYPE. FYI--You cannot highlight a line of code and press the Insert DTD and have it replace the highlighted line.
- The Syntax link, Autocomplete Enabled is a toggle to allow you to select the Autocomplete Enabled feature.

Mac users, select an editor and practice using it. I don't know of an editor using the Mac that directly links to the W3C validation program. So, you must also learn to validate your pages. Check out my validator links.

Create a folder on your hard drive named public_html.

I have started your index page and it has links. The spelling that I used must match EXACTLY the spelling that you use. For pages that you create, start the name with a lowercase letter and use an htm extension. For pages that you copy directly from the text, start the name with an uppercase letter and use an html extension. The book tells you to start your naming with uppercase and to use an html extension. Please use that only for pages taken directly from the book. Also, do not use any spaces in your names. This causes problems on some applications, so it is not a good habit to develop.

The first page of your assignment is to copy and save an html page that you will name index.htm. You will modify this page the rest of the semester.
- Outside of Blackboard, open this page:
```
http://www.austincc.edu/jscholl/fall2008/javascript/assignments/sampleIndex.htm
```
- Right click anywhere on the page and view the source. DO NOT click 'File, Save As' in your browser while viewing the actual page!
- Save the viewed source as index.htm in your public_html folder. You can used the Save As once you are viewing the source.
- Close the viewed source page.
- Invoke your Less Than Slash editor (Mac users, you must follow the steps necessary for your editor.)
- Open your index.htm page.
- Click on Edit > Replace on your Menu Bar
- In the Text to Find box enter: Your Name
- In the Replace with box enter: your actual name
- There should be 2 replacements made
- Save your page.
- Click on Tools > W3 validate on your Menu Bar
- Your page should show that there are no errors
The second page of your assignment is to copy and save an html page that you will name template.htm. This page will serve as the start (template) when creating an html page.
- Outside of Blackboard open this page:
```
http://www.austincc.edu/jscholl/fall2008/javascript/assignments/template.htm
```
- Right click anywhere on the page and view the source.
- Save the viewed source as template.htm in your public_html folder.
- Close the viewed source page.
- Invoke your Less Than Slash editor (unless it is already open).
- Open your template.htm page.
- Click on Edit > Replace on your Menu Bar
- In the Text to Find box enter: Your Name
- In the Replace with box enter: your actual name
- Save your page.
- Click on Tools > W3 validate on your Menu Bar
- Your page should show that there are no errors
You now need to upload your index page and your template to your web site.
Be sure that you upload into the folder named public_html. On the server, you will see two additional files in that folder. Those allow for the password protection. Just leave them there. If you accidentally delete them, let me know and they will be reinstated.
- Uploading uses a file transfer program.
- Click on the How to Post link for further instructions.
- Also, visit the software link to download and install one of the file transfer programs.
- Following one of the sets of instructions for file transfer, upload your pages to your web site.
- Your login will consist of the first letter of your first name, plus your last name. (hyphenated names, only the name up to the hyphen). Your password is your ACC eid.
Email me to look at your site. It is not graded but I will get back to you if you need to make any corrections so that you can start your assignments correctly.