The simplest Web pages are text-based (i.e. no tables, images or plug-ins). A text-based Web page is similar to a Word document. Here is an example.

To create a text-based Web page, type the text, format it, and make some links from certain key words. I assume that you know how to type, here are some ways to format the text. Try to remember the function of each button.

Note:
The following instructions happen in Composer, not in this screen you are now reading. You may need to switch to the Composer window to play around and then switch back to the lesson.

1. Alignment:

Select the text. Then click on the Alignment button and choose left, center or right. You can also choose Format > Align from the menu bar. 

Paragraph format are illustrated by the following examples.

Notes:

1. Headings: Each heading comes with its own fixed spacing.
2. Address: This format is used for a web page "signature." The "signature" indicates the author of the page and the person to contact for more information, as in the above example. You might want to include the date and copyright notice. This format usually appears at the bottom of the web page under a horizontal line.
3. Formatted: This is useful for elements such as code examples, tables, and mail messages that you want displayed in a fixed-width font. Most browsers remove extra spaces, tabs, and paragraph returns in your text. However, text that uses the Formatted style is displayed with the white space intact.
4. Desc. (Description) Title and Text: Use the Description Title and Text formats for glossaries and similar lists, as in the above example.

Select the text and change the font, font size and color as illustrated below. You can also choose Format > Font, Format > Size, and Format > Color from the menu bar.

4. Bold, Italic, Underline, and Remove All Style

Likewise, you can also choose Format > Styles from the menu bar.

Clicking on the "Remove all styles" button will remove all formatting of the selection -- no bold, no italic, no underline, no heading, no links.

Two buttons are used to adjust the size of the indentation of text. To indent text or increase the indentation of text, select the text to be indented, then click on the "increase indent button" . On the other hand, to decrease the indentation of text, select the text and click on the "decrease indent button" . You can indent the paragraph to make it easier for the reader to read. For example,

You can also increase or decrease indent by choosing Format > Increase or Decrease Indent from the menu bar.

Finally, the above techniques are also applied to indent images and other objects.

6. List

Sometimes, a list makes things simple. Composer provides two types of lists as shown below:

Bullet List

• American Beauty
• Boys Don't Cry
• The Sixth Sense

Numbered List

1. Maria Maria (Santana Featuring The Product G&B )
2. Breathe (Faith Hill)
3. Bye Bye Bye (Destiny's Child)

To make a list, type the list items in separate lines. Select the list and hit Bullet List or Numbered List button.

To delete the bullets/numbering, click on / button again.

7. Other Tools

There are some other formatting tools that are not available from the tool bar but are found under the Format menu on the menu bar. Feel free to play around with these formatting tools and make the best of your text.

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