I need emergency HTML assistance - who can help?

I am launching a new site in the AM coinciding with my appearance on the Thom Hartmann show. The site is almost ready but I'm having some HTML formatting problems. This is not my area of expertise. I have a few other things to do to be ready for tomorrow and this is eating away at my limited time. Are there any HTML whizzes here who can help me? Please use PM to let me know.

Thanks in advance.

Peace.

The simpler the better. Stick with simple and standard markup.

Best for making fancy things just work, is <table> ... </table>

Pay attention to field parameters for <table>, <tr>, <td> markups.

Get the O'Reilly "WebMaster in a Nutshell" It has all sorts of good stuff.

Maybe if you could be specific, somebody here can give you some assistance.

One more thing. Do *not*, under any circumstances, use Microsoft Web development tools to generate your HTML.

This is a blog template I am building. All the features are in place (sorry, not as simple as you might hope). The problem is the format is three columns and when I test it the column widths are too narrow and sometimes overlap. I just experimented with making a table so each column could be separated that way, but this made things worse. The three columns are already built into the template though I don't seem to be able to determine the overall combined width and in turn the individual widths.

My best case scenario for someone willing to help is I will e-mail the code for the page so you can preview it and correct, or write back to tell me how to correct.

Thanks again.

Use nested <table> constructs.



Columns can each be a nested table construct. Use the align=left or align=right to adjust horizontal alignment of column. You can add horizontal space with the hspace=n which adds some space to the left and right of the column. If need be you can specify width=n however this may restrict you to a specific screen size. But width=n may be required to get it to render properly. I would avoid using width=n in the main column, unless absolutely necessary.

Attributes are also available for <tr> and <td> markups.

There are several good Open Source Blog markup generators. I'm no expert in these, but you might want to see if you can Google one that fits your needs.

Would you be willing to take a look at my code? It is a template generated by one of the markup generators you mention. I have modified it only in that I've put my links in where they are designated to go on the left column, etc.

It would be nice if you just go ahead and give me all the information so I wouldn't have to keep asking for this and that.

If you can, throw what you have up on the server so I can look at it.

The generator is called firdamatic

http://www.wannabegirl.org/firdamatic/

M$ FrontPage generates the worst markup in the industry. Microsoft Web tools just plain suck. They tend to use Internet Explorer only features which is possibly part of the reason why your Web page renders *horribly* on my machine. (I run *only* Linux here.)

Here's a Blog tool that is small, and very complete: Blosxom It just may get you going more quickly. You only need Perl to get it running. Blosxom is a CGI script, so you do need that capability on your server. If you have control of your server that should not be a problem.

Again, you're not giving me complete info. What kind of environment are you running this site? What server? Do you have Perl 5?

BTW, Blosxom will also run in static mode where you get static markup in the event that you do not have Perl CGI capability.

I'm just using what I have available. I don't know PERL or any scripting. I'm trying to use a free blogging service (blogger.com), which I have successfully used before, to launch a new blog with a new free template I created through firdamatic (http://www.wannabegirl.org/firdamatic/). Front Page is the only editor I have to customize the template. I don't know if the template itself or the program or both cause problems. I just know this site has to be live before I go on a national radio show in the morning. If it would be easier, and I could keep all the customizing I've done, I would gladly ditch the template in favor of another. But in sum, the only server belongs to blogger and I can't use any of the more advanced programming suggestions. How can this be salvaged?

PS: I took a quick peek at Blosxom and a few of the first links I clicked gave me a 404 error (install, configure).

Thanks.

For now, you're basically stuck. I wish I could help you more here, but you've not left any time to resolve the issues. It's late here and I can't give you any more time tonight.

You might try and put up a "place-holder" page to get things going. Just do some basic page with an article or two. Ask people to e-mail you and you'll put them on your mailing list. When you get the full blog going, you can send them a quick e-mail. Keep the sample page simple. One column only. This will eliminate all your rendering issues which seem to be related to the columns.

See if you can get somebody local to you to assist. I could help, but I'm afraid that it would take too much of my time, for which I usually charge over $100 per hour. (You get the DUer free rate. ;-) )

I can and will give you generic advice, though. So don't be afraid to ask me questions. However, I cannot answer questions without knowing all the particulars about what you want to do, how you're doing your hosting, what tools you have available, etc. Give me full info and I can and will give you advice at the DUer rate. ($0)

http://WeDoNotConsent.blogspot.com

hopefully that will look a lot different tomorrow than it does right now

I appreciate your time and effort and discount ;-)

Thanks y'all. The site will be live in the morning.

http://WeDoNotConsent.blogspot.com