• Opening Composer
• Establishing Page Properties
• Adding Text
• Inserting Graphics
• Organizing Information
• Creating Links

Introduction to Composer
Step 4: Creating Your Page

5. Organizing Information

Netscape Composer provides four aids to help you organize your information.

• Indent
• Bullet and Numbered Lists
• Horizontal Lines 
• Tables (See Intermediate Composer)

A. Indent

• Indenting is a useful tool for information that can be outlined.


• The Indent button is #11 on the Text Format Tool Bar. 
• Under your web page welcome statement, type the four topic headings from II. of your Outline.
• Under Teacher Recommended Web Sites type Alta Vista, and under Alta Vista, type Homework Central. (You will create links for these later.)
• Place your pointer in front of the "A" in Alta Vista and click on Indent.  Now indent Homework Central.
• You can reverse Indent by clicking on the Decrease Indent button, Text Format Tool Bar #10. 

B. Bullet and Numbered Lists.

• The Bullet List button is #8 and the Numbered List button is #9 on the Text Format Tool Bar. 
• Lists with bullets or numbers focus the reader's attention and emphasize the outline context of a list. 
• Start a bullet/numbered list by clicking on button #8 or #9.
• When you use these features, the line spacing for the list will automatically double space from text above it. 
• The line spacing for the items in the list will be a single space.
• Additional lines of type will align to the right of the bullet or number. 
• The next bullet/numbered item will not begin until you press Enter.
• You can end the list by a second click on the button.
• You can extend the outline by using Indent.

Your outline would look like this.

For a bullet list, an indent at the beginning of this line, moves the text, and a new bullet symbol appears. You bring the list back to the first bullet style by clicking on Decrease Indent.

A numbered list, will work the same way, but the numbers might become confusing. Maybe a combination list--bullets and numbers--would work better for an extended outline.  The key to this is the Indent. Every time you indent, the numbers will start over from #1. Numbered lists are tricky because only the number sign (#) appears in Composer.  The actual number only appears in Preview/Navigator.

• Try using bullets or numbers for your indented Alta Vista and Homework Central.

C. Horizontal Lines

• Horiziontal lines are often used as dividers for a long web page.
• Lines alert the reader to the end of a section.
• A Horizontal line is inserted by clicking on the Insert H. Line button, Composition Tool Bar #14. 
• After inserting a line, you can adjust it by a double click on the line itself. 
• A dialogue box will appear. 
• You should have no trouble understanding the options presented. 
• If you don't like the results, double click on the line again and make new adjustments in the properties box that appears.
• See PC version of the dialogue box below.

 


 

• Fancier lines are available in clip art collections.  This type of line would inserted as an image file. 

D. Tables

• Tables are probably the only way to align side-by-side lists and/or text.
• Tables are explained in the Intermediate Composer Tutorial.