Principles of Web Design

by Sklar, Joel

• ISBN13: 9780619064518
• ISBN10: 061906451X
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-10-28
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

This is the newest edition of Joel Sklar's Principles of Web Design! This text will help your students plan and develop well designed Web sites that combine effective navigation with the balanced use of graphics, text, and color. New features included in this latest version include increased coverage of HTML Forms, more complete code samples throughout, and more coverage of XHTML. Screen shots and browser information have been updated to reflect the latest, most current Web trends and technology.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
Variables in the Web Design Environment	1	(26)
The Current State of HTML	2	(3)
HTML: Then and Now	2	(1)
HTML and the World Wide Web Consortium	2	(1)
The Limitations of HTML	3	(1)
The Need for Style Sheets	3	(2)
Organizing Information with Hypertext	5	(1)
XML: An Open Standard for Structuring Data	5	(3)
XML Describes Data	6	(1)
XML Syntax Rules	7	(1)
XHTML: The Future of HTML	8	(3)
Benefits of Moving to XHTML	8	(1)
Style Sheets Are Required	9	(1)
Stricter Syntax Rules	10	(1)
How Web Browsers Affect Your Work	11	(3)
Browser Compatibility Issues	11	(1)
Creating Cross-Browser Compatible Pages	12	(2)
Solving the Browser Dilemma	14	(1)
Coding for Multiple Screen Resolutions	14	(5)
Fixed Resolution Design	15	(2)
Flexible Resolution Design	17	(2)
Bandwidth Concerns	19	(3)
Working with the Cache	20	(1)
Should You Use an HTML Editor?	21	(1)
Chapter Summary	22	(1)
Review Questions	22	(1)
Hands-on Projects	23	(1)
Case Project	24	(3)
Web Site Design Principles	27	(36)
Design for the Computer Medium	28	(3)
Craft the Look and Feel	28	(1)
Make Your Design Portable	28	(2)
Design for Low Bandwidth	30	(1)
Plan for Clear Presentation and Easy Access to Your Information	30	(1)
Design the Whole Site	31	(9)
Create Smooth Transitions	33	(1)
Use a Grid to Provide Visual Structure	34	(1)
Use Active White Space	35	(5)
Design for the User	40	(16)
Design for Interaction	42	(2)
Design for Location	44	(1)
Guide the User's Eye	45	(3)
Keep a Flat Hierarchy	48	(2)
Use the Power of Hypertext Linking	50	(3)
How Much Content Is Enough?	53	(2)
Design for Accessibility	55	(1)
Design for the Screen	56	(3)
Reformat Content for Online Presentation	57	(2)
Chapter Summary	59	(1)
Review Questions	59	(1)
Hands-on Projects	60	(1)
Case Project	61	(2)
Planning the Site	63	(24)
Create a Site Specification	64	(1)
Identify the Content Goal	64	(2)
Analyze Your Audience	66	(3)
Identify Technology Issues and Constraints	68	(1)
Identify Software Tools	69	(1)
Build a Web Site Development Team	69	(1)
Create Conventions for Filenames and URLs	70	(3)
File Naming	71	(1)
URL Usage	72	(1)
Set a Directory Structure	73	(4)
Relative versus Absolute Paths	75	(1)
Building a Relative File Structure	75	(2)
Diagram the Site	77	(6)
Create the Information Structure	78	(5)
Chapter Summary	83	(1)
Review Questions	84	(1)
Hands-on Projects	85	(1)
Case Projects	86	(1)
Planning Site Navigation	87	(32)
Creating Usable Navigation	88	(3)
Locating the User	89	(1)
Limiting Information Overload	90	(1)
Building Text-Based Navigation	91	(1)
Linking with a Text Navigation Bar	92	(13)
Linking to Individual Files	94	(2)
Adding Internal Linking	96	(1)
Adding an Internal Navigation Bar	97	(3)
Linking to External Document Fragments	100	(3)
Adding Page Turners	103	(2)
Adding Contextual Linking	105	(2)
Using Graphics for Navigation and Linking	107	(7)
Using Text Images for Navigation	107	(1)
Using Icons for Navigation	108	(3)
Using the alt Attribute	111	(3)
Chapter Summary	114	(1)
Review Questions	115	(1)
Hands-on Projects	116	(1)
Case Projects	117	(2)
Creating Page Templates	119	(46)
Understanding Table Basics	120	(6)
Using Table Elements	120	(2)
Defining Table Attributes	122	(2)
Spanning Columns	124	(1)
Spanning Rows	125	(1)
Formatting Tables	126	(6)
Choosing Relative or Fixed Table Widths	126	(3)
Determining the Correct Fixed Width for a Table	129	(1)
Adding White Space in a Table	130	(1)
Removing Default Table Spacing	131	(1)
Table Pointers for Well-Designed Tables	132	(5)
Writing Easy-to-Read Table Code	132	(1)
Removing Extra Spaces	133	(1)
Centering Tables	134	(1)
Stacking Tables	134	(1)
Nesting Tables	135	(2)
Creating a Page Template	137	(17)
Building the Basic Table Structure	138	(1)
Setting a Fixed Width	139	(1)
Creating the Page Banner Cell	140	(2)
Creating the Feature Article Cell	142	(1)
Creating the Link Column Cells	143	(2)
Setting the Column Widths	145	(2)
Completing and Testing the Template	147	(7)
Evaluating Examples of Page Templates	154	(6)
Two-Column Template	154	(1)
Two-Column with Banner Template	155	(1)
Three-Column Template	156	(1)
Three-Column with Banner Template	157	(1)
Three-Column Sectioned Template	158	(1)
Three-Column Main Sectioned Template	159	(1)
Chapter Summary	160	(1)
Review Questions	161	(1)
Hands-on Projects	162	(1)
Case Project	163	(2)
Web Typography	165	(36)
Type Design Principles	166	(4)
Choose Fewer Fonts and Sizes	166	(1)
Use Available Fonts	167	(1)
Design for Legibility	168	(1)
Avoid Using Text as Graphics	169	(1)
Controlling Typography with the <font> Element	170	(2)
Setting Font Size	170	(1)
Specifying Font Alternates	170	(1)
Setting Font Color	171	(1)
Using the <font> Element	171	(1)
Controlling Typography with Cascading Style Sheets	172	(16)
CSS Basics	173	(2)
CSS Selection Techniques	175	(2)
CSS Font Properties	177	(8)
Specifying Block-Level Space Values	185	(3)
Building a Style Sheet	188	(10)
Setting Up Document Divisions	189	(1)
Styling the Standard Paragraph	190	(1)
Styling the Chapter Number	191	(2)
Styling the Chapter Title	193	(2)
Styling the Credit and Book Title	195	(3)
Chapter Summary	198	(1)
Review Questions	199	(1)
Hands-on Projects	199	(1)
Case Project	200	(1)
Graphics and Color	201	(38)
Understanding Graphics File Formats	202	(6)
GIF	202	(2)
JPG	204	(1)
PNG	205	(1)
SVG	205	(1)
Using Interlacing and Progressive Display	206	(1)
Where You Can Find Images	207	(1)
Choosing the Right Format	208	(1)
Computer Color Basics	208	(2)
Color Depth	209	(1)
Dithering	209	(1)
Using Non-Dithering Colors	209	(1)
Choosing a Graphics Tool	210	(17)
Using the <img> Element	211	(1)
Replacing img Attributes with Style Sheet Properties	212	(1)
Specifying alt and title Attribute Text	213	(1)
Specifying Image Width and Height	214	(4)
Sizing Graphics for the Page	218	(1)
Removing the Hypertext Border from an Image	218	(1)
Aligning Text and Images	219	(2)
Adding White Space Around Images	221	(1)
Using Single-Pixel Rules	222	(2)
Using Background Images	224	(3)
Working with Hexadecimal Colors	227	(4)
Universal Color Names	228	(1)
Setting Background Page Color	228	(1)
Using Background Color in Tables	229	(2)
Changing Link Colors	231	(1)
Working with Images and Color	231	(5)
Chapter Summary	236	(1)
Review Questions	236	(1)
Hands-on Projects	237	(1)
Case Project	238	(1)
HTML Frames	239	(34)
Understanding Frames	240	(2)
Frame Benefits	240	(1)
Frame Drawbacks	241	(1)
Frame Syntax	242	(10)
The <frameset> Element	242	(1)
The <frame> Element	243	(2)
The <noframes> Tag	245	(1)
Nesting Frames	246	(1)
Restricting Resizing	247	(1)
Controlling Scroll Bars	248	(1)
Controlling Frame Borders	249	(2)
Controlling Frame Margins	251	(1)
Targeting in Framesets	252	(7)
Naming Frames	252	(1)
Targeting Named Frames	253	(2)
Using Special Target Names	255	(4)
Planning Frame Content	259	(6)
Frames and Screen Resolution	259	(1)
Designing Effective Frames	260	(1)
Mixing Fixed and Variable Frames	260	(5)
Working with Framesets	265	(4)
Chapter Summary	269	(1)
Review Questions	270	(1)
Hands-on Projects	271	(1)
Case Project	272	(1)
Working with Forms	273	(30)
Understanding How Forms Work	274	(1)
Understanding Form Syntax	275	(13)
Using the Forms Element	275	(1)
Creating Input Objects	276	(8)
Using the Select Element	284	(2)
Using the textarea Element	286	(1)
Creating Input Groupings	287	(1)
Building Forms within Tables	288	(2)
Building and Testing a Sample Form	290	(6)
Adding a List Box List and Radio Buttons	292	(2)
Adding a File Element and Submit Button	294	(2)
Chapter Summary	296	(1)
Review Questions	297	(1)
Hands-on Projects	297	(4)
Case Project	301	(2)
Publishing and Maintaining Your Web Site	303	(14)
Publishing Your Web Site	304	(4)
Choosing a Web Hosting Service Provider	304	(2)
Registering a Domain Name	306	(1)
ISP Comparison Checklist	306	(1)
Using the File Transfer Protocol to Upload Files	307	(1)
Testing Your Web Site	308	(3)
Testing Considerations	309	(1)
User Testing	309	(2)
Refining and Updating Your Content	311	(1)
Attracting Notice to Your Web Site	311	(3)
Working with Search Engines	311	(1)
Use Meaningful Titles	312	(1)
Using <meta> Elements	312	(1)
Be Careful with Frames	313	(1)
Use alt Text with Images	314	(1)
Submit URLs to Search Engines	314	(1)
Chapter Summary	314	(1)
Review Questions	315	(1)
Hands-on Projects	315	(1)
Case Project	316	(1)
APPENDIX A HTML Reference	317	(16)
Core Attributes	318	(1)
Alphabetical HTML Reference	318	(5)
Categorical HTML Reference	323	(5)
Global Structure Elements	323	(1)
Text Elements	324	(1)
List Elements	325	(1)
Table Elements	325	(1)
Link Elements	326	(1)
Inclusion Element	327	(1)
Style Sheet Element	327	(1)
Formatting Elements	327	(1)
Frame Elements	328	(1)
Numeric and Character Entities	328	(5)
APPENDIX B CSS Reference	333	(16)
CSS Notation Reference	334	(1)
Alphabetical CSS Property Reference	334	(5)
CSS Properties by Category	339	(5)
Font and Text Properties	339	(1)
Box Properties	340	(2)
Background Properties	342	(1)
Visual Properties	342	(1)
Classification Properties	343	(1)
CSS Measurement Units	344	(1)
ISO 369 2-Letter Language Codes	344	(5)
Glossary	349	(4)
Index	353