(built back in 98, still valid)

In Line Tags (also known as 'addys') are what makes it possible to change font (letter) colors and sizes, insert graphics, pictures, links, music etc. into web sites chats, forums and guest books that are HTML ENABLED. You've seen others do it - Here's how you do it.

I'm not going to do a lot of explaining here on why things work, just show how you too can play in a few quick steps. I'm going to treat ya all like real beginners because some of you are, those of you here for a little review can just jump ahead to the tags you need.

First thing you need to do is open a new document in your text editor, that would be your 'Word' or 'Word Perfect' program. Once you have it open on a 'New' document, go up to 'File' /choose 'Save As' /name it 'In Line Tags'. Then, leave it open and come back here. We're going to put all these tags in there so you can alter them to your own purposes and have them ready for use.

If your not real comfortable with the 'Copy and Paste' trick (C & P), go back to 'Computer Tricks' and bone up. This is the method we'll be using. Once you understand these tags you'll be able to compose em on the fly as needed but for now, humor me. All these tags will stand alone because of the DEFAULT (automatic settings) in each program, or in conjunction with each other. All your doing with a tag is telling the viewers browser that you have a preference for the displaying of information or that you are creating a gate (hyper link) to something else.

E-Mail tag

<a href="mailto:oliveoil@thegrid.net"> E-Mail</a>

Now what you want to do is 'select' from the beginning of the 'less than' symbol ( < ) to the end of the last 'greater than' symbol ( < ). Now 'copy' and go 'paste' in that new file 'In Line Tags' you created. Change the e-mail address to yours, it's the part you see here in red. Be exact, don't leave any spaces. Now you have a tag that you can C & P anywhere, all that will show after you submit will be 'E-Mail' and it will be a hyper link to a form with your mail address. Go try it in the chat and send yourself a well done. (You can change the 'E-Mail' to anything you prefer, like your name.)

Colored fonts

~~Popeye~~

Same deal here, replace what you see in red with anything you like, any length. Want to be seen in a busy 'html' chat? Copy this 'tag' onto your 'clip board'- - Paste this (remember Ctrl V) into the text box, place your cursor in the center of the >< symbols and do your typing. Everything you input will be whatever color you put in there where I have = 'blue'. Note: Most common colors work by name. Don't worry if you pick one a browser doesn't recognize it will use a default. Note: Colors can also be defined by 'values'. If you see a particular color you like and want to know how it's defined... go back to Computer Tricks / Quick Tricks and check out View Source.

Size fonts

** poof **

7 is bigger 1 is smaller. Stay with these numbers from 1 to 7 as their universally understood by all the major browsers, yes I know there's other ways to do it, but this is safe.

Style fonts

<fontface="Comic Sans MS">**poof**

This is the style I use in the site, you can go into your text editor, go up to the top where you will see the name of your default font face, click the little down arrow next to it and you'll find a lot of choices. Or when you see something you like, make a note of it, again to find out what it is, refer to Computer Tricks / Quick Tricks / View Source.

Combining tags

Hello..

This is a big hello.. Notice the close font tag () is only used once at the end. This whole tag only regulates whatever you put in place of the Hello.. You can also combine multiple tags. If you wanted to put something in a chat like this: Hello....Hello....Hello....Hello....Hello.. Echo's in hear ! How would you do it? Go to your In Line Tags file, Use your C & P to assemble the tags you need, then C & P the whole mess into where ever you want it. Once you paste it just finish typing what you want to say, in this case: Echo's in here !! Then post it.
Note: Play with the colors, fonts and styles. See what you can come up with, then go try it in the chat and see if you've got it ;-)

Couple of little Enhancer's

The next character after this tag starts a new line- 'does not' require a closing tag. ()
Italicizes - Does require a closing tag 
Bolds - Does require a closing tag

<center>Centers the line - requires closing tag</center>

Hyper Link Tags

Insert Music

Same as inserting an Image Except NO quotation marks. I usually use the tag on the ends so title (My Life) will stick out from the rest of the text. Note: you can capture music the same way you capture images. Choose 'Copy Link Location'. The tag to have ready in you In Line Tags - <A href= >Music</a> Start your paste after the = . Go try it now, take a selection from the Music Skiff' and put it in the chat, (Remember right click on your selection).

Link to another location

This tag will cause only The Life Boat to show up but it will be a 'Hyper Link' back to this site. Just change the 'URL' (address) that you see here in red to where ever you want to provide a link to. Don't forget to change the title.
Note: Be exact - if you have any spaces in this one it won't work.

Insert an Image

<img src=>http://www.thegrid.net/popeye/redribbon.gif>

This is the red ribbon gif you've seen around. You can ONLY use images that are on the net somewhere, NOT out of a file in your computer. IF you want to use something you've made or a picture you have, you MUST have it 'uploaded' to the 'Internet' for you to be able to insert it.
Note: There's a real easy way to 'Capture' these URL's (addresses) when you find something you like - links, graphics, pictures and Music. = Right click on the object and choose 'Copy Link Location' or 'Copy Image Location' This places that URL on your 'clip board' now you just go to your 'In Line Tags' file and paste it. You can have tags ready for insertion, like this <img src=""> then all you need do is paste between the quotation marks.

Combining tags

This is the music tag from above, take the words 'My Life' and delete them. In their place between the > and the <, symbols 'C & P' in an entire image tag like a music symbol or a guitar you've found, get creative. Now 'copy and paste' the whole 'combined tag' where ever you like. All that will show up will be the image but when clicked viewers get the music.

Note: This also will work with a 'hyper link' to another location, like 'The Life Boat' example from above. Replace the words the same way with the 'Red Ribbon gif' image tag. Clicking the image takes them to the place. Here's the formula for the 'hyper link tag'. <a href=""><img src=""</A>
* Remember, paste your url's between the quotation marks.

In line < tag's >

Hyper Link Tags