| HTML Wizard v1.51 | - by J.R. Link |
HTML Wizard v1.51 is a native HTML editor which enables the OS/2 user to simplify the task of creating, testing, modifying and saving HTML documents. HTML Wizard is an HTML editor and does not generate HTML documents from your ASCII text as do several Windows programs. However, a number of aids such as query boxes and a document template ease the task of HTML document creation. HTML tags appear on the screen and text can be entered as appropriate for the tag. This means that the user will have to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of HTML to use this editor.
Installation
Installation is easy although no installation program is provided. The user unzips the distribution files into the directory in which they will be used. A small REXX program is provided to create an HTML Wizard object on the desktop. The main program is written in VX-REXX and therefore requires the presence of VROBJ.DLL (supplied with the distribution package) in the LIBPATH. If VROBJ.DLL is not placed in a directory already in the LIBPATH (such as C:\OS2\DLL), then the config.sys must be modified to add the location of VROBJ.DLL to the LIBPATH. The distribution package requires about 900K of disk space excluding VROBJ.DLL which requires another 900K additional disk space.
Features of HTML Wizard
The program is executed by dropping an HTML object on the HTML Wizard icon or by double-clicking the icon. However, you cannot drop an HTML object on the open HTML Wizard window. Once running, you must use the "File-Open" dialog to open a file.
When run by double-clicking the HTML Wizard icon, the program will be initiated with an HTML skeleton document template (gif 9k) in the edit window. The contents of this template are defined in the DEFAULT.HTM file and this template may be modified to support your needs. The DEFAULT.HTM template is also reloaded whenever the current document is closed with the "File-Close" dialog.
Using It
HTML tags may be inserted from the "Tags" menu or by clicking a "Floating Tagbar" button. This Tagbar provides 27 common and 12 user definable tags. Buttons are identified with abbreviated names but display "Hint" text (the tags' full name) when passed over by the mouse pointer. Clicking on a Tagbar button or on a "Tags" menu item will insert the tag at the cursor position in the edit window; text may then be inserted manually at the appropriate position. A much easier method is to type the text into the edit window, select it and then press the desired tag. The selected text will be automatically and properly inserted into the tag. The 12 user-defined Tagbar buttons are programmed by right-clicking on the button and entering the tag and a description for the "Hint" text query box. The "Options" menu allows you to select a vertical, horizontal or hidden Tagbar.
The "Characters" menu provides a large selection special characters and symbols that may be easily inserted in your text. Included are registered, copyright, currency, manuscript, math, and many others.
Other useful features enable users of non-English code pages to type HTML documents with special characters directly from the keyboard without having to use the "Characters" menu or multiple keystrokes; and simplified list, table and form making tools. Text may even be imported with paragraph tags automatically inserted. Many menu options have associated hot keys to speed operations. In addition, the Alt-z hot key will repeat insertion of the last tag.
Checking Your Documents
There are a couple ways to check your work. If you have an active network connection, you can check your document for syntax errors by connecting to the WebLint web site (www.unipress.com). Or documents may be previewed in Web Explorer by selecting "Preview Document" from the "File" menu. If Web Explorer is already running, you may also preview a document by dragging the little (unmarked) square at the bottom right of the HTML Wizard screen and dropping it on the Web Explorer window.
And, of course, concise on-line help for program operation is available.
Technical Support
The author provides excellent technical support and solicits program suggestions via E-mail. An all new C++ version 2.0 of HTML Wizard is in progress and promises faster speed, portability and new features. No release date is available for version 2.0.
Problems Encountered
HTML Wizard was tested on three dissimilar clone-based computers running OS/2 WARP Connect and Netware Client. One computer has an Intel DX2-66 with 24 MB RAM and a Spider Graphics 64 video card, running at 1024x768x64K. The other two have Intel DX4-100's with 16 MB RAM and #9GXE64 Pro video at 800x600x64K. No hardware problems were encountered during installation or running HTML Wizard on any of the three computers.
A software problem has surfaced, however, with the v1.51 release of HTML Wizard in late October 1995. The new splash screen added at the opening of the program causes a SYS3175 error upon running HTML Wizard on all three computers. (editor's note: this problem was not reproducible on our machines.) In addition, query boxes for the "Font Size" and "Background Image" have entry boxes without sufficient entry space. A discussion with the HTML Wizard author revealed that the problem occurs with VX-REXX programs when some of the later FixPaks (FixPak10 in my case) have been installed. This problem will have to be resolved by IBM and/or Watcom, the makers of VX-REXX.
Summary
HTML Wizard is an excellent native OS/2 application for the creation and editing of HTML documents. The author continues to actively develop the program and provides excellent technical support. I highly recommend HTML Wizard.
HTML Wizard v1.51 (822k)
Author(s): Dr. Dirk Terrell
Format: Shareware
Registration: US$ 20
J.R. Link is a retired engineer and Netware LAN manager and has actively used OS/2 since the first v2.0 beta. He is a member of Team OS/2.
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