mainframe

* *TEXT TRICKS* *

USING HTML TAGS and 

OK here's one dumb thing about HTML: when you are making an HTML page and hit "Enter" or "Return" on your keyboard to finish a paragraph or add a blank line, it doesn't show up in your browser! Even if you are making your HTML file in Notepad or TextEdit and you make a new paragraph in the text, when you save it as an HTML file and open it up in Explorer or Firefox all the text will run on together.

This is because HTML is designed to ignore most kinds of formatting that don't use one of it's special tags. It even happes with spaces between words - for example now I'm typing five spaces between every word in this sentence [ go to "view source" and check the source code of this page if you don't believe me] but it will still look totally normal in your browser.

So to keep your webpages looking tidy like this one you need to use some formatting tages, specifically the tag and the tag. They are very easy to use and, as you'll soon see, they come in really handy. The HTML tag <IMG> will work in any text box on myspace so you can use it to decorate your own page or put an embarrassing end of the party picture of your best friend at their last birthday in the comments box.

In your myspace account go to EDIT PROFILE or ADD COMMENT. In the text box where you add info to your profile or comment for your friend, type in the following information [except use the URL for your image instead of the example information].

this is HTML which is formatted using the tag

Here is my first paragraph Here is my second paragraph Here is my third paragraph

You MUST make sure you include every < and > as this is all part of the HTML. Your code won't work if you miss these parts out. Also for each tag you use, you should also put a closing tag at the end of the paragraph.

notice how there are now breaks between my paragraphs

Here is my first paragraph

Here is my second paragraph

Here is my third paragraph

Now let's try using the tag. is different to because it represents a line BReak...instead space between lines of text like with , the line of text ends wherever there's a and the next one starts right below. It's just like typing the 'Enter' key once in Microsoft Word.

this is HTML which is formatted using the tag

Here is my first paragraph Here is my second paragraph Here is my third paragraph

this is what the text will look like in your browser

Here is my first paragraph
Here is my second paragraph
Here is my third paragraph

LINE BREAKS AND PARAGRAPHS WITH PICTURES

It is important to know to make text start on a new line after inserting a picture because myspace does not automatically do that and it can make the smart and witty remark you made look untidy. Unless of course you want to leave it like that for artistic purposes. You already know how to make a new line using the HTML tag - it will place the new text directly below the previous image [or for that matter text / video / whatever] and the HTML tag - it will make a new paragraph and leave a clear line then start the new text. You can use this code in any of the text fields when editing your profile or adding a comment.

this is what the code looks like:

<img src="http://projects.lektrolab.com/damyspacehustlerz/expics/stonerdude.gif"> Thanks for the Add!!!Life is always a party with you Paul. Awesome.

this is how the brower will show the code:

Thanks for the Add!!!

Life is always a party with you Paul. Awesome.

SCROLLING TEXT OR IMAGES - using the HTML <marquee> tag

The <marquee> tag is one of those ones that can be lumped in with animated .gifs and midi files. You might think your web page isn't complete until you have used this one all over the place, or you might think that it is as classy as XXtina's knicker drawer. Either way, this is <marquee> explained Da Myspace Hustlerz way.

This tag makes text scroll horizontally or vertically on the page. You can't make text do anything else like spin using HTML.

the code for the <marquee> tag looks like this:

<marquee>Hey dude! Where's the party?!</marquee>

this is how the brower will show the code:

Hey dude! Where's the party?!

IMPORTANT: this tag explained also needs to be "closed" when you have finished using it. At the end of the thing you want to scroll, you need to put this </marquee> to stop the scrolling.

You can get fancy with the <marquee> tag. You can control whether it starts left or right, if it bounces back and forth [like at the top of this page] or put a colour behind your text or image in the path of the <marquee> scroll.

Jazzing up the <marquee> tag
bgcolor=	#XXXXXX	put your HTML HEX color here
behavior=	slide	scrolls in, then stops
	alternate	scrolls in from one side and bounces back when it reaches the other
direction=	left	scrolls left to right
	right	scrolls right to left
	up	scrolls up
	down	scrolls down

When you want to use these fancy tags, you put them within the same brackets like this <marquee behavior=alternate> and at the end of the line to stop everything, you simply use </marquee>

the code for the fancy <marquee> tag looks like this:

<marquee behavior=alternate direction=up><img src="http://projects.lektrolab.com/damyspacehustlers/expics/peace.jpg"></marquee> <marquee>PEACE OUT MOTHERFUNKERZZZ!!!</marquee>

this is how the brower will show the code:

PEACE OUT MOTHERFUNKERZZZ!!!

A list of every possibility with the <marquee> tag is here. Try some of the different possibilities out. Notice that this page says that an image will not work with the <marquee> tag. This is OBVIOUSLY incorrect. ALSO NOTE that when using the <marquee> tag [and any HTML], you need to spell everything the American way or it won't work so BEHAVIOR and COLOR. Sad but true.

MAKING A LINK - using the HTML <a href> tag

Finally in your profile or when commenting in someone else's profile, you might want to make a link to another webpage - you might be advertising a rave, you might want to feature your band's profile on your personal myspace page as "more than just friends" etc. You can either make text or an image an active link by using the <a href> tag but you need to know the complete URL for the page you want to direct the browser to. You also need to make a decision as to where the webpage will appear and set the "target" - do you want it to appear in a fresh browser window, or appear in the same window you are already reading?

For example you want people to check out your other profile but in a new window. Before the image or text you want to transform into a link, you need to open the <a href> and include the URL plus the target. After the image or text you need to close your link with </a>

Possible targets for the URL
target=	"_blank"	a fresh browser window opens with the new URL
	"_parent"	the URL opens in the same browser window already open

NOTICE: If you do not set a target, the default action is that the URL will open in the same browser window.

the code for the <a href> tag looks like this:

Not only am I a member of Da Myspace Hustlerz, but I also am internet personality and musician Lektrogirl. You can check out my other myspace profile <a href="http://www.myspace.com/lektrogirl" target "_blank">here</a>.

this is how the brower will show the code:

Not only am I a member of Da Myspace Hustlerz, but I also am internet personality and musician Lektrogirl. You can check out my other myspace profile here.

same thing but using a picture:

this is how the brower will show the code: