Netscape Composer Webpage Tutorial
Use Anchor Links for Better Navigation 



Web visitors don't want to scroll long pages--
two or three screen-lengths is best. 

If you can't avoid a long page, provide navigation within page,
as in this EXAMPLE
Clicking on listed links at top of page,
jumps page display to
special anchored places further down. 

Rule for linking to anchors is same as rule for linking to pages:

FIRST create ANCHOR-
-THEN create LINK to it.

NOTE: Netscape 4.7x calls these "targets" and labels button as such, however "Target" is term properly used for frames.  Internet Explorer calls these "page bookmarks." 
This lesson uses correct HTML term "anchor".



To add anchors to page:

  1. Place cursor next to spot you want browser to display at top of page after jump.
    Subheadings are good spots to put anchors.

  2. Click Anchor/Target button on Composer toolbar
  3. (looks like arrow entering target); 
    Target Properties window opens.
     
  4. Enter name for anchor.

  5. Each anchor on page must have unique name; single letter or number can be anchor,
    but 3-6 letters helps you remember what anchor is for.
    (Anchor is unique only to that page; similar anchor names or numbers can be used on other pages.)

  6. Type name in field, click OK. 

  7. Anchor/target symbol appears next to cursor.

    Anchor symbol only visible in Composer; 
    it doesn't display in Navigator.

  8. Create additional anchors with appropriate names as desired. 

Now, set up links to anchors using bulleted list at top of page: 

  1. Place cursor at top of page. 
  2. Click Bullet List button
  3. Create bulleted list with each anchored subsection as separate bullet.
  4. (At end of list hit Enter once and re-click Bullet button to end list)
    a
  5. Highlight text at first bullet and click Link button to create Link.
  6. a
  7. In Link Properties window, in bottom field are named anchors you created
    in same order they appear on page.
  8. a
  9. Click on anchor which corresponds to first entry;
  10. anchor name displays in the link field
    with  #  symbol before it.
    Symbol tells you this is link to an anchor.
    a
  11. Click OK 
  12. Create corresponding links to rest of anchors. 
  13. Click Save button, then click Preview button;

  14. click links and see the results. 

Wouldn't it be easier to go back to the list at top
if there was a link to take you there?

  1. Put cursor above Bullet list at top of page. 
  2. Click Anchor/Target button; in window type Top.
  3. Click OK.

  4. Scroll to bottom of first anchored section; click cursor to place.
     
  5. Click Link button;
  6. in Linked Text field type Return to Top
    In anchorname field, highlight Top in list.

  7. Click OK.
  8. a
  9. To simplify placing this link down rest of page,
  10. highlight entire Return to Top link.

  11. Click Copy button on Composer toolbar.

  12. Scroll to bottom of next anchored section, click to place cursor, 

  13. then click Paste button on Composer toolbar.
    a
    Text with its link are pasted on page.
    a
  14. Do same Paste at bottom of each section. 
  15. Click Save and then Preview to test results. 

SUGGESTION: If navigation links on your homepage are not visible in opening window, visitors who return from subpages must re-scroll to click another link.

Minimize re-scrolling, by putting anchor at link area of homepage.

When you use Choose File to create homepage link on sub-page, any homepage anchors display in anchor field. Click on name of link area one to add it to link.

Now that you've created a webpage, how do you get it out there on the Internet?


Barbara Paciotti, June 2005

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