 Netscape
Composer Tutorial
Images
This section describes how to use images on
your web pages.
Quick Links:
Working with Images
There are two ways that images typically
are presented. The most common way is as an inline image, where the
picture appears as part of the Web page. The less common way is as a
separate external link that you need to download apart from Web pages.
Images are actually separate image files and do not "live" in
the HTML document itself. The images that appear on your Web page can be
image files on your local disk, or on a remote computer.
Most of the current Web browsers support
either of two image formats; the Composer supports both formats as well:
- GIF (CompuServe Graphics Interchange
Format .GIF extension)
- JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group
.JPG extension)
GIF files lack the higher quality of JPEG
files but are usually faster because they're more compact and optimized
for electronic downloading.
You can get images by drawing them
yourself, scanning them, or buying them as part of a commercial clip art
package. You can also find images out on the Net in one of the many image
archives available. If you intend to use images on your Web pages, it's
wise to create your own, get permission from the owner of an image, or use
royalty-free clip art so you don't infringe on a possible copyright.
Composer provides two alternatives to
displaying images: alternate text and low-resolution images. Alternate
text is displayed in place of images. You should specify alternate text
for those readers who use text-only browsers.
Low resolution images are another alternate
to normal image display. You simply specify a low-resolution image to
display while the normal image is loading.
Tip: If the document you're editing
contains an animated GIF file, press Esc to stop it from continually
loading so that you can work in the document.
Inserting an Image
Inserting an image in your Web page
either copies the image file to the same directory as that of the parent
document - the Web page you're editing - or leaves the image file where
it is, depending on the settings you've specified in Composer
Preferences.
Tip: To quickly insert an image,
cut and paste it from the clipboard, or drag and drop it to the location
you want on your page.
To insert an image:
- Place the insertion point where you want the
image to appear in your document.
- Choose Insert|Image or click the
Image button on the Character Properties toolbar. The Image Properties
dialog appears, allowing you to specify the source location of the
image, its alignment relative to text, and the amount of space you
want around it.
- Type the name and path of the image file you want
to insert in your document. If you're not sure of the file name or its
location, click Browse to select an image file from the directory
list. Important: If you later move an image file from the
specified location, it will no longer appear on your Web page.
- Type the name of a low-resolution version of the
image previously specified. This image loads first while the higher
resolution image is loading on top. If you're not sure of the file
name or its location, click Browse to select an image file from the
directory list. (Optional)
- Type the text that you want to have appear in
place of the specified image file. You should always specify
alternative text for readers who use text-only Web browsers, such as
Lynx, or who have graphics turned off. If you don't include this
alternative, your readers might see placeholder images instead of
informative text. (Optional)
- Select the options you want.
Images Properties
dialog
About the Image Properties dialog
Lets you insert a new image or modify an
existing image's properties. Click OK to make the specified changes and
close the dialog box. Click Apply to preview the changes you've specified
and then click Close to accept the changes and exit the dialog box.
Image file name
- The name of the image file you want to insert in your document, or whose
properties you want to modify. The editor supports .GIF and JPG image file
formats. If you're not sure of the file name or its location, click Browse
to select an image file from the directory list.
Edit Image - Click
this to edit the image using the external editor you specified in the
General panel of the Composer Preferences dialog box. If you haven't
specified an image editor, you will be prompted to do so.
Leave image at the original
location - Normally Composer makes a copy
of the image and places it in the same directory (folder) as your page. If
you don't want a copy made, click this option.
Important: If you move an image file from
the specified location, it will no longer appear on your web page.
Use as background
- Click to use the image as a background for your entire
page.
Alignment and Wrapping - The
position of the selected image relative to text, top, center, or bottom.
You can also specify whether to have the image right-align or left-align
to the page. To see alignment changes you've made, view your page in the
browser.
Dimensions - The
height and width of the new or currently selected image as measured in
pixels. Click Original Size to undo any changes to the size you've
specified.
Space around - The
amount of white space (space where no text is allowed) on the right and
left, top and bottom of the image. You can also select to have a black
border surround the image and specify its width in pixels.
Remove Image Map - Click
this to remove all link regions from the image. An image map is a
special type of image that contains links to different locations within
the same image.
Extra HTML - Displays
a dialog box where users familiar with HTML and JavaScript can add tags
that manipulate the image.
To preview your settings, click Apply. To
accept the changes, click OK.
Alternate Image
Properties dialog
You'll see this dialog when you select Alt.Text/LowRes...
in the Image Properties dialog.
Alternate text - Enter
the text string you want to display in place of the image, for example, a
caption or brief description of the image. For example, the Alternate Text
for the image above is "Alt-Image Dialog". You can see this by
holding your mouse still over the image.
Low resolution image - Enter
the name of the lower resolution image you want to display while the main
image is loading. Click Choose File to browse for the file
location.
Edit Image - Click
to edit the image using the external editor you specified in the Composer
Preferences General dialog box. If you haven't specified an image editor,
you will be prompted to do so.
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