Paragraph Objects
Paragraphs are generally defined as all the characters and images that
come between ENTER keystrokes. A paragraph of
text, typed in continuously, wraps to a new line as it reaches the window
boundary, similar to word processing systems. Unlike word processors,
however, which usually deal with fixed page widths, web browsers (and Composer)
reformat basic paragraphs every time the user resizes the program's window.
Usually one paragraph is separated from the next paragraph with a blank
line. However, a Line Break (Menubar: Insert, select
New Line Break -or- Shift+ENTER
) also functions to end one paragraph and start another,
but without the intervening blank line. Other things can start and
end paragraphs as well, for example horizontal lines across the page, and
placing a block of text in one cell of a table.
For those familiar with HTML, Composer generally maps two consecutive
ENTER keystrokes to <P> and one
keystroke to <BR>. Note that a Paragraph Object
as defined here is more general than a Paragraph Container, which is always
enclosed by <P> and </P> tags.
For example, the paragraph object could be all the text in a table cell,
enclosed by <TD> and </TD> tags.
Paragraph Properties
The Paragraph Properties window intermixes properties of Paragraphs and
Lists. Paragraph properties include:
-
the alignment of a paragraph's lines (left-justified, centered, right-justified)
-
the paragraph style:
| left-justified |
centered |
right-justified |
| Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this
continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition
that all men are created equal. |
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon
this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the
proposition that all men are created equal.
|
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth,
upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated
to the proposition that all men are created equal.
|
Heading Styles
The consistent use of heading styles across web pages presents a consistent
view to readers, and allow for the automatic creation of hierarchical Tables
of Contents for pages and sites. For example, Heading 1
is used for chapters, Heading 2 for sections, and Heading
3 for subsections. Headings 5 & 6 are typically
used for credits, footnotes, and disclaimers.
The normal display of heading styles is in boldface, with blank lines
before and after them. The 12 lines following this paragraph were
entered as plaintext (without boldface) and without intervening blank lines.
Since each ended with an ENTER keystroke, each line
was a paragraph to itself. Alternate lines (paragraphs) were then
set to the corresponding heading style.
A Heading 1 (most important)
A bunch more text immediately thereafter
A Heading 2 (important)
A bunch more text immediately thereafter
A Heading 3 (somewhat important)
A bunch more text immediately thereafter
A Heading 4 (a mild separation)
A bunch more text immediately thereafter
A Heading 5 (for credits)
A bunch more text immediately thereafter
A Heading 6 (Minor notes)
A bunch more text immediately thereafter |
Other Paragraph Styles
Block Quote style indents both left & right margins. Formatted
style leaves the text exactly as typed, usually in mono-spaced font (all
characters are the same width); lines never wrap, so a reader may have
to scroll horizontally to see a whole line if they are too long.
Address style usually is displayed in italics; this style makes
it easy to extract addresses automatically from web pages. Here's
how these styles display...
Normal: Four score and seven years ago our fathers
brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty,
and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Block Quote: Four score and seven years ago our
fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in
liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Formatted: Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation,
conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC.
Adding a paragraph to a page
Click the cursor where the Paragraph is to begin. Start a new paragraph
with a blank line (one or two ENTER keystrokes depending
on where the paragraph is starting), enter the new characters and/or images,
and end the paragraph with two ENTER keystrokes.
Deleting a paragraph from a page
-
Select all the text of the paragraph (L-Click & sweep the cursor over
it); then
-
Use the DELETE key, or CUT it
out.
Changing the properties of a
paragraph
The entirety of a paragraph need NOT be selected to change it's
properties. To change a paragraph's properties, the cursor needs
only be placed anywhere in a paragraph to effect the entire paragraph block.
To change the properties of three adjacent paragraphs, make one selection
that includes some of all three (L-Click-and-hold anywhere in the first
paragraph; sweep across the second, and release the mouse anywhere in the
third paragraph); changing paragraph properties will affect the entirety
of all three paragraphs.
Most
of the properties of a paragraph can be modified from the items shown on
the Formatting Toolbar. The pulldown menu highlighted on the left
sets paragraph styles. The button on the far right sets paragraph
alignment. The indent controls (second & third buttons in on
the right) effect paragraphs, although strictly speaking, these are List
Object properties. (The Block Quote style can not be set from
this toolbar).
Paragraph styles and alignment can also be set from the Menubar:Format
options.
Paragraph Properties are specified in the Paragraph TAB
of the Character Properties or Image Properties window. This window
intermixes properties of Paragraphs and Lists.
-
R-Click anywhere in a Paragraph (or in a selection of several adjacent
paragraphs): select Paragraph / List Properties
=OR=
-
L-Click anywhere in the paragraph, or select across several paragraphs;
then
-
Menubar:Format: select Character
Properties, and select the Paragraph TAB.
=OR= (if the paragraph includes an image):
-
L-DoubleClick anywhere in the image; then select the Paragraph TAB.
Then, modify the appropriate Paragraph Properties...
pages by Stewart Crawford-Hines, ©
1998