[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference terri::web_authoring

Title:Welcome to WEB_AUTHORING
Notice:Before writing, please check for an existing topic
Moderator:VAXCAT::LAURIE
Created:Tue Mar 05 1996
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:186
Total number of notes:1479

154.0. "Basefont Size" by CIMBAD::CROSBY () Thu Feb 06 1997 18:06

Ok, once for the intellectually challenged.

What is the proper usage of this tag?

I thought I could assign a font size for an entire document, but I can't seem
to get it right.

I want to avoid going through a document and entering 

<font size = -1>  to get the font size where I want it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

gc
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
154.1MOVIES::POTTERhttp://www.vmse.edo.dec.com/~potter/Fri Feb 07 1997 12:127
I would have thought that you can simply put the tag immediately after the
<BODY> tag, with a </FONT> tag just before the </BODY>.  

What you may want to do is modify the tag to be <FONT SIZE="-1">

regards,
//alan
154.2basefont sizeCIMBAD::CROSBYFri Feb 07 1997 16:0420
Alan,

Thanks for the response...let me clarify my question.

Many of my pages (http://cimnt.hlo.dec.com/cst/index.htm) use tables to
control format and to improve readability.  Additionally, I am a fan of 
a slightly smaller font size for various resons...mostly to get more info
on a screen without the need for scrolling.

To define font sizes in tables using the <font size = "x"></font> method,
you need to define it on a cell by cell basis (frankly, I haven't tried it
on a row by row or on a table basis). I was hoping to use the basefont tag for
the entire document, and them just use the <font siz...><> tag for exceptions.

I can't seem to get the basefont tag to work...and I'm feeling pretty dumb 
about it.

cheers,

gc
154.3VMSNET::S_VORESmile - Mickey's Watching!Fri Feb 07 1997 17:068
    This appears to work...
    
    <body background="/images/site-background.gif"> 
    <basefont face="Courier" size="4">
    
    ...with some browsers, at least.   On my NT system, MSIE honours this,
    NSGold only partially does.
    
154.4VAXCPU::michaudJeff Michaud - ObjectBrokerFri Feb 07 1997 18:345
> I can't seem to get the basefont tag to work...and I'm feeling pretty dumb 
> about it.

	It would help if you gave us a sample html of what you're
	been trying to use.....
154.5VAXCPU::michaudJeff Michaud - ObjectBrokerFri Feb 07 1997 18:356
>     <body background="/images/site-background.gif"> 
>     <basefont face="Courier" size="4">
>     ...with some browsers, at least.   On my NT system, MSIE honours this,
>     NSGold only partially does.

	"partially"?  can we be any more vauge :-)
154.68153::tecotoo.mro.dec.com::mayerDanny MayerFri Feb 07 1997 19:1610
> control format and to improve readability.  Additionally, I am a fan of 
> a slightly smaller font size for various resons...mostly to get more info
> on a screen without the need for scrolling.

	According to whose screen?  Yours?  Some people have larger screens
  and some have smaller screens.  In addition, some people use the whole screen
  for the window, some people use smaller screen.  Try not to make too many
  decisions for the user.  Let them size the fonts for themselves.

		Danny
154.7VAXCPU::michaudJeff Michaud - ObjectBrokerFri Feb 07 1997 20:3013
>> a slightly smaller font size for various resons...mostly to get more info
>> on a screen without the need for scrolling.
> According to whose screen?  Yours?  Some people have larger screens
>  and some have smaller screens.  In addition, some people use the whole screen
>   for the window, some people use smaller screen.  Try not to make too many
>   decisions for the user.  Let them size the fonts for themselves.

	As Dan said, the default font size in most browsers is settable
	by the user.  I already have my font sizes smaller than the
	netscape default for example.  When a document like yours uses
	smaller than the default for the entire document, it makes it
	very hard to read (sometimes I have to go and change my defaults
	to read those pages, then set my default back afterwards, a pain!)
154.8BasefontCIMBAD::CROSBYFri Feb 07 1997 21:1310
Good points all...

I assume a 640 pixel window...In the empirical research (not purely scientific,
but adequate) I have done outside Digital, 640 pixels with no browser
adjustments to font size is the "norm".

Has anyone surveyed the DEC community in any fashion to get a handle on the
population, or personality of the browsers out there?

gc
154.9VMSNET::S_VORESmile - Mickey's Watching!Fri Feb 07 1997 21:205
    >    "partially"?  can we be any more vauge :-)
    
    gaak, now that I've undone the changes, I can't remember which way it
    went... but either the size or the fontface didn't change (I think it
    was the fontface) and the other did.
154.108153::tecotoo.mro.dec.com::mayerDanny MayerFri Feb 07 1997 21:2410
	I track all the HTTP_USER_AGENT fields of all browsers that download
  from the IBG Software Distribution Server.  I can therefore tell what browser
  they're using. It doesn't tell you about font sizes being used.  MSIE 3.0
  will tell you something about the number of pixels, cf:

[HTTP_UA_PIXELS = 1024x768]

  but that's about the best you'll get.

		Danny
154.11Code samplesCIMBAD::CROSBYFri Feb 07 1997 22:239
Re.: .4

Jeff, when I figure out how to copy from hot dog and paste into an Excursion

X-Window...I'll show you.

Thanks,

gc
154.12Sample CodeCIMBAD::CROSBYFri Feb 07 1997 23:1232
I figured out the copy/paste part...

Here is what I'm doing:

<tr>
<td align = left valign = top>
<H6>Report</H6>
</td>
<td align = left valign = top>
<H6>Text File Created</H6>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align = left valign = top>
<FONT  SIZE=-1>
D705OWNER
</FONT>
</td>
<td align = left valign = top>
<FONT  SIZE=-1>
DFAB6705MERGED.TXT
</FONT>
</td>
</tr>

I had hoped to use a basefont tag at the beginning of the document..after the
body tag... but a <basefont size = "x"> has no effect,
regardless of the value of X.

?

gc
154.13VAXCPU::michaudJeff Michaud - ObjectBrokerSat Feb 08 1997 02:1915
> Here is what I'm doing:

	Sorry, I should of stated I was hoping to see what you were trying
	that did not work, not what does work :-)

> I had hoped to use a basefont tag at the beginning of the document..after the
> body tag... but a <basefont size = "x"> has no effect,
> regardless of the value of X.

	Maybe it's not able to deal with the whitespace between the
	attribute name and the = sign, and the whitespace between the
	= sign and the attributes value?

	Also maybe try putting the BASEFONT tag inside the HEAD section
	instead of the BODY for yuks.
154.14won't work in tablesPOLAR::SCHILDKRAUTDon't seal home.... Share it!Sat Feb 08 1997 02:2712
    According to the DTD's, basefont won't work on data inside tables for
    any of today's browsers. Further, SIZE is apparently the only basefont
    setting that works for Netscape.
    
    SOURCE: a realy good site i often use at home that lists all HTML tags
    known to mankind, their usage, how each browser treats it etc... the 
    address to which i wrote on a piece of paper and forgot to bring with 
    me today. 
    
    reg's
    
    -al
154.15got it!POLAR::SCHILDKRAUTDon't seal home.... Share it!Sat Feb 08 1997 03:003
    http://www.eskimo.com/~bloo/html/alphabet.htm
    
    Select BASEFONT to see the tag's peculiarities
154.16Basefont sizeCIMBAD::CROSBYMon Feb 10 1997 16:1215
Gee,

I'm not feeling quite so dumb....

Al, thanks for the pointer...I'll check it out.

Jeff, 

I've tried putting the tag in all sorts of places with no effect...

I think Al's got it...

Thanks for the illumination....

gc