Re: Writing a GREAT HTML editor!

Things I would like:

    a) a validation parser that flags errors when you press a button:
       You should be able to select HTML levels 2, 3 and even Mozilla, 
       and maybe even load in your own DTDs.
    b) a link checker to check all URLs the document being edited, 
       Note this should be separate from (a).
    c) a preview applet for previewing -- maybe a hook to a browser.
       Note I do not mean WYSIWYG, as that name merely deludes authors
       into thinking HTML is WYSIWYG, which it isn't. 

 exotic stuff....

    d) graphical link insertion. It would be nice to be able to add
       a link by simply dragging an icon for a local file over a piece 
       of marked text...... You could have a second window of icons from
       which you could drag the desired target URL.
    e) similar featufe for NAMEd links -- dragging a marked piece of text
       from document (a) to a marked piece of text in document (b) should
       create a link from (b) to (a).  This should also work within a
       single document. You would have 
    f) Document management control.  You should be able to manage the 
       various revisions of your documents.

Perhaps I am getting a bit carried away with myself...

Ian 
--
Ian Graham ...................................... igraham@utirc.utoronto.ca
.................  http://www.utirc.utoronto.ca/HTMLdocs/NewHTML/intro.html
Instructional and Research Computing                  University of Toronto    
> 
> > After working with the major HTML editing products I found through Strouds
> > Consummate Winsock Apps, I was somewhat dissappointed.  With this in mind, I
> > decided to write my own.  Hopefully I will be releasing a Beta in 2-3 months!
> 
>  Good for you.  I've been thinking of doing something like this, too.
> 
> > This product will DEFINITELY have a "Microsft feel", it's button bars
> > looking very much like Word or Access.  Further, I will be building in ALL
> > the features of the 3 or 4 other products, PLUS providing COMPLETE support
> > for HTML 3.0 (at least as it is proposed) and support for all Netscape
> > extended commands.
> 
>  You might want to make the Netscape extentions available only if a certain
>  flag is set, to prevent any from being inserted accidentally when trying to
>  write a non-Netscape document.
> 
>  Also, HTML3 should be given preference over Netscape.  If a user highlights,
>  say, a header and two paragraphs, the code generated should insert
>  ALIGN=CENTER into the <Hn> and <P> tags rather than just surrounding it all
>  with <CENTER></CENTER>.
> 
>  Also, the code generated probably should avoid optional omissions:  surround
>  paragraphs with <P></P> and list items with <LI></LI> explicitly.  And make
>  sure the raw HTML code is formatted in a human readable way -- I might want
>  to go in and tweak things by hand...
>  
> > I would GREATLY appreciate any input you may have in OTHER features everyone
> > would like to see.  In gratitude for your suggestions, I'll keep your e-mail
> > addresses handy in order to let you know exectly when the product is
> > released.  I'll also talk to my partner about providing free licenses to
> > those people with unique ideas we actually implement.
> 
>  There is one feature I could really use:  A user-definable menu of HTML to
>  be inserted into documents.
> 
>  For example, my WWW Guide to the Residents consists of about 150 HTML pages,
>  200 GIFs, and 15 icons.  It would be very handy if, when I want to create a
>  link to the lyrics for a song (which shows up on the pages by a lyrics icon
>  next to the song name), instead of having to type...
> 
>  <A HREF="../lyrics/constantinople.html"><IMG SRC="../icons/lyrics.gif"
>  ALT="[Lyrics]"></A>
> 
>  ...I could just go up to a menu and select "Lyrics Icon", then type
>  "constantinople" at a prompt.
>  
> > Thanks all!!!  Hope to hear from you soon!
> > Cordially,
> > John-Paul Clark
>  
>  
>  James H.G. Redekop                         Free confidential counselling for
>  tzoq@publix.empath.on.ca                         SURVIVORS OF DECONSTRUCTION
>  tzoq@csd.uwo.ca                                           Call 1-800-MEANING
>  http://www.csd.uwo.ca/~tzoq/    Ap(point)ments may be continually postponed.
>

Received on Monday, 3 April 1995 17:24:04 UTC