In the previous lesson I talked about 5 different ways to build a website.
Today I’m going to be covering one of those methods in more depth. More specifically, I’m going to show you how to build a website from scratch using HTML without any special tools…
(Watch this video…)
Main points:
< >I recommend Notepad++:
NOTE: Regarding my instructions in the video… In order to change the file extension from .txt to .html you must have your file extensions visible.
For Windows XP go to:
Tools >> Folder Options >> Click the “View” tab >> Make sure there is NO checkmark by “Hide extensions for known file types”
For Windows Vista:
1. Open Folder Options by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clicking Folder Options.
2. Click the View tab, and then, under Advanced settings clear the Hide extensions for known file types check box, and then click OK.
http://www.w3schools.com (My favorite… Great resource for CSS and PHP too)
also http://htmldog.com
Action step:
1) Create a web page using HTML.
The next step will be to upload your new page to the web, and I’ll be covering that in the next lesson.
As always, you are welcome to post your questions and comments below 🙂
Have a great day!
Thank you, Eric, for explaining HTML so clearly. At last someone makes sense!!!
you lost me at html.
i have a mac. there is an app,” i web”. have you used this to build a website?
love the lessons. great format for me as a beginner.
thank you,
francis
Hello Francis,
We don’t use that particular app, but the following lessons should be helpful to you:
LESSON #30: Using Web Authoring Software
LESSON #31: Using Templates and Site Builders
micah
thank you so much. i am reviewing those lessons.
Hi I sell Mary Kay besides trying to get started with blogging and affiliate marketing. Does anyone know how I can set up my mary kay facebook page with an opt in. I have people liking my page but not being true customers or even interested in the product. But once they opt in i want them to agree to receive Mary Kay information which I can add to their info to my site or it would be nice if it would add automatically. I see how to add an opt in to my facebook page but not how to open the page with an opt in. Any suggestions?
Hi Eric
How about for Windows 7?
Thanks
Shan
Excellent video. HTML is not something I would ever have given a try at let alone to understand it. I am now excited to try this out. Thankyou Eric for getting me out of my shell.
1. Open Windows Explorer, you can do this by opening up any folder or you can just click Start > User Name.
2. Click “Organize”, scroll down and click “Folder and search options”.
3. Click the “View” tab. Scroll down until you see “Hide extensions for known file types”, un-check this line here by clicking on the check box.
4. Click “OK” and now your file extensions will now longer be hidden.
Hi Ayann, I teach how to do this in lesson #82.
Hey eric im new to building website so thank you for the great lessons. My question is how do you add another webpage to you website? so for example you have ideacash.org how would you add ideacash.org/signup
Hi Josh,
Eric actually discusses that in the next lesson:
Eric, This ifo is so informative it’s keeping me up very late and I’m getting up very erly.LOL!!! Have you looked at my site? By the way, I have sold many houses and also life insurance and retirement accouns. I really enjoyed selling. Now I’ll become a marketer.
Hello Clara,
It looks like you’re making strides, and will be marketing online soon!
I don’t think I’ll live long enough to learn this! I had ten errors and 4 warnings. I’m using Windows 7 pro. I read the previous comments and followed directions. There has to be an easier way.
Hi Eric:
I just want to say thank you! I was looking at those codes as if they were hieroglyphics but now I am at ease! 😀
Hello Ruth,
Eric discusses an easier method of building websites in the following lesson:
Hi Eric
I have been watching and learning from your site for some time now, and all i can say is WOW.
The lessons are great but what is really intereting is the input by the members.
For example in lesson 27 all the help that people are giving each other and the tips are brilliant.
May i make one suggestion for your site and the students help, would it be possible to make a short cut to the different pages as you have archived your years would it also be possible to archive each lesson.
eg.Build your website L27- L31
Domain name-L22
Or even when you send your emails would it be possible to list the subjects and lesson numbers as an index please
I am following the lessons and taking notes and i know i need to go back to certain lessons again and again.
I am enjoying the lesson and am looking forward to building my sites and succeeding.
Thank you very much for putting so much effort into the work that you have put in to help every single one of us and the feed back that you give.
Hello Laurie,
I think that’s a great suggestion. I’ll let Eric know!
I have been terrified of HTML, thank you for putting it in prospective.
Hi Eric,
I using Windows7 but I am not sure if this is the reason that I can’t set the web site like this.At the beginning when I have changed the file name to index.html I have got soon the Notepad. Follow your instructions I could not open the file in Web browser. Please for your help I would like to know what is the reason. Where can i read your rep?y? I never find any reply on my questions. Thank you very much. Marija
Hello Marija,
It sounds like the file is getting named with .html at the end, but it is still a .txt file.
In order to make it an .html file, you need to select “html” in the “Save as Type” field when you are saving the file.
Hello Eric. Great lesson! Very streamlined instead of those thick manuals I used to use. Oh, for some reason the bar with the pause/play/etc. buttonsw doesn’t show on this video. It took a little guess work to pause and work while watching the video. Thanks for your help and resources. God bless you.
Hi Eric I have been listening to lesson 28
several times and havent set up a web page yet
I down loaded notepad++ but i dont see new or how to go to tex document what can i do now.
Hello Roger,
If you open Notepad++, you may simply click File | New, to open a new text file. Or, you may press Control+n to achieve the same result.
If you want to see your progress in your web browser, you’ll need to click Run| Launch in Firefox, Chrome, IE, Safari, etc.
Eric, I have learned more from your “Eric’s Tips” than from entire books! Thnk you!
Another great lesson.
Thanks.
Mark
Eric, i create the folder and opened it in notepad and type the first sentence and was able to view it on my firefox browser page. However, when i type in notepad nothing shows up on the webpage. What i am i doing wrong, please help?
Hello Mark,
Are you saving the file whenever you make an edit, before refreshing the page in Firefox?
HI, Micah, i believe that i am saving the file. I type html in notepad and it showed on the webpage in firefox. But after i start to input the code as Eric showed it and went back to the firefox webpage nothing showed up.
Micah, can you resend tip number 31, i accidentally deleted it.
Thanks.
At what point did you save, and refresh the page in Firefox?
The first few things (Tags) Eric added would be invisible on your webpage. The first actual text that he inserted, was the Title, at the 7:32 mark in the video.
Hello Mark,
The next lesson will be sent to you soon. You can also visit the following link to see the latest lesson updates and revisit earlier lessons:
http://www.ericstips.com/tips/category/lessons/
Here is the direct link to lesson 31:
You may also simply change the number at the end of the link, to go to a different lesson number (example: /lesson1, /lesson2, /lesson3, etc…).
If your email happens to block some of the lessons, we recommend that you view this tip on whitelisting an email address:
This was excellent information about html and coding manually. I have always used dreamweaver but now I know basic html that I can code myself. Thanks!
Vernon
Thanks!!!
Just wanted to say how professional and classy your site looks love all the big images.
very nice
dc
Thanks for tip #28 – it was good to see how simple it can be to produce a page!
What are your thoughts on using Notepad 2 – it is also at Sourceforge?
Bob
Hello Bob,
We haven’t tried that one. Notepad++ is great for all of our needs. We’ve even installed additional plugins, right from within the software.
I have widows 7 and have applied your instructions above but when I changed “text document.txt” to “index.html” It asked if I want to change to html document and I said yes. The name changed to index.html but not with the internet explorer icon. It remains as it was before typing in “index.html” when I click on it, it opens up a white page which does not respond to any typing. So what to now?
Right-click and view properties, and make sure it’s really an html file. Right-click and do an “open with…” and open with an Internet browser.
When will you begin to explain how you can become a succesful affiliate marketer?
Hello Derrick,
Here are the links to Eric’s lessons that show, How to Make Money with Your Blog:
Making Money with Blogs (Part 2):
Eric,your tips along with the learning how to start on the web with free downloads for a Site is so helpful. Only thing I lost lesson 26 & 27, will you please e-mail those two lessons to me? That would make my year. Keep up the good work
Why don’t you do something for the people that has a Mac computer? This is so unfair to focus only on PC.
Hello Paula,
Here are some alternatives for you:
http://tamanmohamed.blogspot.com/2012/11/mac-alternatives-to-notepad-on-mac-os-x.html
I have created a text file on my desktop. But when I rename it to an html file, it doesn’t show the internet explorer symbol. Therefore, when I open It up it doesn’t come as a blank webpage. I was able to practice on my computer at work, but it doesn’t work on my home computer. ???? enjoying the lessons tremendously! Thank you….
Hello Papa Eric!
This was a wonderful lesson…HTML is the way to go for websites…thanks so much for teaching this.
I feel like I am a webmaster…this would actually make a good info product, what do you think:)?
BLESSINGS, BLESSINGS, and more BLESSINGS!
Hannah
Eric
I am really enjoying your tips. 🙂
What are your thoughts on doing html or web page design in Word? MS Word has a save as HTML function and the pages seem to come out alright. It essentially almost works like a WYSIWYG editor.
Hello Jesse,
That definitely sounds like an option worth trying. Please keep us updated on your success with it!
WOW! Eric you are soooo helpful and a great teacher!
I always learn ‘something’ from each video!
But, today, I heard something I would like to know more about and, that is… where in the world can I go with one of my many invention ideas without getting ripped off?
I wouldn’t mind paying a percentage of the income but, not the greater percentage!
PLEASE advise b’cause I have about 5 of ’em.
Thanks so much!
Patrisha
Hi Patrisha, The only way I know of to truly protect an invention is to patent it, which takes a good chunk of money. The more complex the invention and the more you need a lawyer to help you, the more expensive. An average patent might cost you about $5k to acquire. And of course you have to create a prototype.
Since it sounds like your inventions are still in the “idea” stage, there are some other options you may consider. Perhaps an ideal situation would be to find a partner who can take your idea and turn it into a reality. It could be someone who has experience creating prototypes, or it might be an investor. Either way, you can protect your idea by having an NDA (nondisclosure agreement) and non-competition agreement which would be signed by those you share the idea with.
It can be a bit of a catch-22, because you’re right… there are plenty of people out there who might rip off your idea. But at the same time, another approach can be to freely tell people about your idea and network with people and keep telling people and selling the “idea” until you find someone who is interested in making it happen. These days, especially on the Internet, many of the best inventions have come about as the result of freely distributing ideas and information.
To Francis, Paula, & other Mac users –
I have a Mac, (which doesn’t have Notepad) and I went to Finder > Places (on left of screen) > Applications > and clicked on TextEdit.app which seems to be like Notepad. When I saved the file I made the extension “.html” and it worked.