Protocol 320 of HTML style

Recommendation HTML320 of Actiu informatica of 12/11/2001

Català / Catalan
Castellano / español / spanish
English / inglés / anglès

The following regulations have to be useful to the generation of all the HTML documents.
It is made to motive of making the pages with current browsers and futures compatible, as well as with specifications future of HTML, and also of normalizing the methods and lines of design on the part of internet developers.
As "Protocol HTML320" o "Protocol 320 of HTML style" only the documentation related to the direction of internet http://www.actiu.net/infordoc/html/html320/ is valid.

Due in what these regulations have been elaborated during the year 2001, it is a lot a current to find documents that do not fulfill it, which have been created since 1997.

As a vocabulary typical of the document, the clause word is used for designating the "nest" of contents that they form the opening, affected contents and closing of one marks (That is, a clause only forms a tag that has opening and also closing; the longest clause that we will have will always be the one formed by <html> and </html>).
Some part of this document is seen correctly with browsers whom they interpret tables (table, tr, td) and codes of double-comet (34), major-than (gt), minor-than (lt) and space (nbsp).

These regulations presuppose already that the effective legality and the specification HTML 3.2 that issued W3C in 14/1/1997 are respected.
Only there will be some exceptions:

It can be made use of the frames normalized with the HTML 4.01 specification that W3C issued in 24/12/1999.
For this case, it is necessary to use the clause <noframes> facing an alternative to the browsers who do not support the framing. It remains the use of the tag <iframe> discarded.
It can be made use of the tag <embed> not normalized for integrating multimedia contents. It follows an example of its syntax:
<embed src="filename.ext" width="2" height="0" autostart="true" loop="false">
"justify" can be made use of the value of attribute for the alignment of elements (div, h1...h6, p, td, th, tr), according to the HTML 4.01 foreseen in the specification that issued W3C the 24/12/1999.
As the alignment is made by default towards the left, this does not have to entail any problem for the browsers who do not interpret it.
For another type of exceptional contents (like for example, Macromedia Shockwave Flash, VRML, RealAudio, etc.) it is necessary always to plan on the alternative solution for the browser who does not support it.
The correct visualization can become use of tags and attributes HTML of back specifications W3C taler than HTML 3.2, always and when it does not depend on it with a browser who does not contemplate these tags or attributes.

At this moment the use of Unicode data is discarded, for the what all the document will be elaborated with ASCII characters.

All the HTML code has to be written in lower case, including tags, labels of attribute and constants. They are the only exceptions:
- The texts to show
- The tag/comment <!DOCTYPE> and its attribute PUBLIC
- The numbers expressed in hexadecimal format, how they are the codes of RGB color (Example: #00FF00)

As initial line of the file (before the tag <html>) it must to be the definition of document type. Literally:
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN//" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">

In the headboard of definitions, the title of the window, the definition of characters game, has to appear the author, the organization, the application or tool used for writing HTML, the configuration for the indexing robots and the links fate:
<title>Los angeles mudos</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name="Author" content="Narcis Garcia"> <meta name="Copyleft" content="Actiu informatica"> <meta name="Generator" content="notepad"> <meta name="robots" content="all"> <base target="_top">

In spite of describing the table of characters ISO Latin 1 (de HTML 4.0), it is advisable (but non compulsory) to conceal the special characters (non-english characters: accents, ç, ñ)

The following one, is the minimum contents of any HTML document:
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN//" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html> <head> <title>Carla's song</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name="Author" content="Narcis Garcia"> <meta name="Copyleft" content="Actiu informatica"> <meta name="Generator" content="notepad"> <meta name="robots" content="all"> <base target="_top"> </head> <body lang="en-GB"> </body> </html>

All the file names, local direction, label or reference to interpret or that they have to be part in some moment of an URL, they have to be written in lower case and only english characters (letters a...z, numbers 0...9 and low hyphen _ ). Nothing of accents, blank spaces, ç, ñ, nor symbols that can be confused with operators (the URL directions with parameters have exceptions).

All the references to an URL without especifying any file, it means, which points to a directory, must end with the directory slash "/".
An example: <a href="http://www.actiu.net/infordoc/html/">Ajuda sobre HTML</a>

All the document has to be written using the same table of ANSI characters (West Europe) of Microsoft Windows, with the following exceptions:
- For representing the "Minor than" symbol (<) is used the code <
- For representing the "Major than" symbol (>) is used the code >
- For representing the double quotes (") is used the code "
- For representing the "Ampersand" symbol (&) is used the code &

In the title of the window (<title>...</title>) non English characters (ç, ñ, stressed characters, nor special characters) do not have to be included.

As there are browsers that do not support <font color>, it is advisable (non compulsory) to specify a color of text comparable with the color of background in the opening <body text>.

In the tags, when ordering the attributes, he recommends to specify first the compulsory attributes and afterwards the optional ones.

All the HTML tags have to stand in independent lines, at least the maximum that is been able. For writing a tag, to make it in a new line; and for writing more things afterwards, to make it following in a line.
Of this recommendation the following tags are excluded, in as much that in its clause not him there nest other tags:
- <a> </a>
- <strong> </strong>
- <big> </big>
- <blockquote> </blockquote>
- <br> (This tag would be the last writing of the line)
  Example:
  Inmóviles, clavadas, mudas mujeres de los zaguanes<br>
  y hombres sin voz, lentos, de las bodegas<br>
  quieren, quisieran, querrían preguntarme.<br>
- <h1>...<h6> </h1>...</h6> (The clause that these tags of title form they would be in its own line)
- <em> </em>
- <li> </li>
- <small> </small>
- <strong> </strong>
- <td> </td>
- <textarea> </textarea>
- <title> </title>
- <tt> </tt>
- <u> </u>
- <var> </var>
In any case, the one that allows the achievement of tags has to be the good criterion of the developer and contents this without little readable the HTML code.

The tags have to be tabulated in the following way:
- Only the tags with opening and closing will change the tabulation (for example, <ul> and </ul>)
- As a character of tabulation only he will use standard 1 space (not theASCII(9) tabulation).
- The tag of opening will stand at the height affected by the former HTML code (if it had to continue with 2 tabulation, this opening is written then in a line of 2 tabulation)
- The code or text that follows the opening is the first line that will see itself affected for its tabulation, and the tag of closing will be the last one.
A first example:
A second example:

The values of all attributes have to be specified among double quotes (Example: <p align="left">)

The color values have to be written only in 24bit hexadecimal format (always 6 digits) and in capital letter, preceded of the "#" symbol (Example: <font color="#FF0000">)

As a macros language programming (interpretable by the browser) is only used the ECMAScript 1, (according to the ECMA-262 specification, reliable of ISO/IEC JTC 1), based on the JavaScript 1.1 of NetScape, and with resemblance to JScript of Microsoft
<script> tag and its clause has to be used with the following syntax:
<script src="filename.ext" type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" runat="client"> //<!- .............. //-> </script> It is necessary to use the clause <noscript> facing to the browsers which do not support JavaScript alternative. It follows an example fulfilled of implementation of JavaScript without problems:
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN//" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html> <head> <title>Time bandits</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name="Author" content="Narcis Garcia"> <meta name="Copyleft" content="Actiu informatica"> <meta name="Generator" content="notepad"> <meta name="robots" content="all"> <base target="_top"> </head> <body lang="en-GB"> <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" runat="client"> //<!- document.write("9 x 9 = ") document.write(9*9) //-> </script> <noscript> <!- //-> It can't do mathematical calculations. </noscript> </body> </html>

Among the tags of beginning and end of script it is necessary to avoid the use of the characters of comparison minor than (<) and major than (>) (especially this last). In its place, when literals are returned, it is necessary to specify it in hexadecimal, with "\x3C" and "\x3E" respectively. It follows an example:
<script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" runat="client"> <!- document.write("Hello \x3Cstrong\x3Egirl\x3C/strong\x3E, ") document.write("can I call you \x3C" + "em\x3E" + "friend\x3C/em\x3E?") //-> </script> <noscript> <!- //-> Hello <strong>girl</strong>, can I call you <em>friend</em>? </noscript>
It is important to be the different cases of this example, in which some notation in hexadecimal is continued expressly with a separation of strings " + " for which they do not get confused or the hexadecimal digits mix with the following characters, when they could interpret themselves in hexadecimal (0123456789ABCDEF). That is, that in the case to want to return "<em>hello", instead of writing the chain as "\x3Cem\x3Ehello" it is necessary to write two added up strings: "\x3C" + "em\x3Ehello".

The internal comments express in an own tag, opening with " <!- " and closing with " -> ". Example:

The <img> tag has to bring, necessarily, the alt attribute for giving a descriptive text in the image, that it is from utility who the discharge of images disfit out has or is a user of the browser Lynx (for mode of screen-text).
Can analyze itself the accounting of a HTML document with the browser Lynx through the checker of the SIDAR

It is recommended to make the maximum the HTML documents compatible with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WAI) of the W3C.
The WAI fulfillment of a HTML document can be analyzed with the checker of the SIDAR

Tags that do not have to be used (Majorly for accounting):

Obsolete tag	Substitutive tag
`<center>`	`<div align="center">`
`<u>`	(Not to highlight any text, except when it forms a link)
`<b>`	`<strong>`
`<i>`	`<em>`
`<blockquote>`	`<ul>` o `<table>`
`<code>`	`<tt>`

In the moment that we concentrate in the composition of each page HTML we will find again in the foreground questions related to the design. We will also have to have clear which HTML tags we will go to use.

Which HTML enlargements to use?

Even if it is already established HTML 4.0 and XHTML and they have it influences about this protocol this does not mean that we can launch for the gunwale the "past". One of the most polemical questions falls on the choice of the HTML tags to use. With HTML 2.0 a species of minimum rule was established in the creation of documents HTML. The enlargements of the manufacturers of browsers as well as the specifications HTML 3.2 and 4.0 offer all a series of alternatives for coding the HTML pages. The inconvenience of these "alternatives" is that many documents only reproduce correctly and in the way waited for in a determinate browser. The users of other browsers can not see anything or, as a lot, a broken document. Therefore like web site authors we have the option, and the responsibility, of taking a decision:
1. HTML for purists
  
  If we find ourselves among the purists, or at least our knowledge starts from this circle, practically we will be condemned to HTML 2.0, even though also in this case we will have to observe some basic principles:
  - We have to use only logical tags for describing documents (for allowing the browser its correct conversion)
  - On inserting graphics, we have present that there are also browsers directed at text, or situations in which the user deactivates the representation of graphics. We have to include, therefore, a text in each graph in the alt attribute
  We would doing without forms and, to possible being, inserting only GIF images, even though the ideal would be completely to renounce to the use of graphs.
2. HTML for "phenomena"
  
  The another expensive one of the development is represented for concepts like HTML 4.0, Style sheets, JavaScript, MM-Flash, etc. If our activity focuses on the new technologies or if we wish to show the modern browsers are capable of what (or which its limitations are), we will resort to the new HTML 4.0 tags. We will equip our documents with Style sheets and we will use script languages with generosity. And as supposed also we will have to give the fair tribute to the new HTML enlargements that each manufacturer introduces in its browser. Then we will be able to include among a group of vanguard creators and, at the same time, to have the certainty of that only a few readers and browsers will be able to see correctly our documents. There is still and it will continue existing people who will not update immediately its equipment with the last internet browser nor either friends of "to stack" numberless plugins in the hard disk.
3. HTML for the rest of the world
  
  Probabily both extreme cases that we have just mentioned are not representative for the majority of the HTML creators. At any rate, as an author we do not have to stop reflecting about who they are the readers of our pages and which consequences derive:
  - The major part of the current browsers who access to the internet they are compatible with HTML 2.0. If we limit ourselves to these tags we will have a high provabilitat of the immense majority of users being able to read our documents and being able to see them in its browser as we have designed them.
  - The pilot shows us that a great percentage of users acquired absolute confidence in Netscape 3.0 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 (and in its next versions). This means that the HTML enlargements for Netscape/Mozilla and Microsoft also are usually disposable. On analyzing the extensions we find that many tags and attributes have the necessary support in both environments of navigation. HTML 3.2 has written down of this fact and already included the tags and corresponding attributes to a large extent as standard. For this reason for the great majority of the users no problem should suppose the inclusion of different colors, font sizes and tables in the web pages.
  As more and more documents are generated with tools like Microsoft FrontPage, Netscape/Mozilla Composer, HoTMetaL, Macromedia DreamWeaver and other assistant HTML, we will depend on the implementation of the corresponding generators of code. An analysis of the font code HTML demonstrates that, basically, Microsoft and Netscape/Mozilla make an intensive use of tags like <font>, <big>, etc.. In HTML code generated with assistant-tools the tag <center> turns up also with frequency. Many of the used tools start from the basis that the user uses a browser compatible with Microsoft or Netscape/Mozilla. If we use the "web site enlargements" of Microsoft FrontPage we will depend, besides the web site server of Microsoft.
  
  In theory we have the possibility to adapt standard the HTML code generated with assistant-tools, even though it is not usually carried out by reasons of cost or work, to determinate regulations. On some occasion we will be able to optimize the code HTML of tables manually. It will bring us better results to renounce in these tools, like for example the Marquee function by Microsoft.
  
  From this recognition, this type of argument about the HTML tags is purely an academician. With every certainty there are still users who depend on Lynx. Everybody who wishes or it needs to write for this type of customers will not have more remedy than abiding by the premises of the section "HTML for purists". Whenever we do not resort to very special tags the majority of browsers do not have because to have excessive problems for representing the documents in an acceptable way. And if we take into account much more that online services like AOL or Compuserve integrate and discharge the browsers of Microsoft and Netscape/Mozilla. Also these browsers, or other alternative ones, for other platforms / operating systems, are disposable. Under these conditions we advise, however, to follow as a recommendation the Protocol 320 of HTML style the goal of which is to make the pages with present and future browsers compatible, without renouncing to new possibilities of modern and powerful browsers.
  
  If possible, we prove the documents in the two most popular browsers (Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator/Mozilla Firefox).
  
  Already it has been mentioned before: The means of publication and the readers-goal gauge the tags that we will be able to use. Generally the reserved groups of intranets are usually already delimited by its equipment of hardware and software, that is, we can know a priori with which browsers they work. With something similar entity find in the projects in CD-ROM where, if it is necessary, a browser can include itself and it can detail the requirements of hardware and software in the cover of the disk. In these two cases, the creator HTML will be able to ignore many limitations that he himself forces itself on to publish to the web page of internet.
  
  In greater projects it is advisable to use specialized tools for generating and sustaining the HTML code. These tools usually contemplate also the administration of projects. Likewise, it is convenient to have staff, who will facilitate us the creation of pages. Many tools offer these staff in its standard distribution.

Protocol 320 of HTML style

Recommendations about the creation of HTML documents