# How to convert text to HTML?



## HorrorFreak (Apr 24, 2009)

This is probably one of the biggest n00b questions and I'm aware it has probably been asked a number of times but what is the most simple of way of converting a text file to html?

I have the html down, now it is just a matter of converting the text document to html. My classmate mentioned a program called Notebook ++ or Notebook plus plus but I haven't been able to find it.

Any help?


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## xgerryx (May 16, 2003)

HorrorFreak said:


> what is the most simple of way of converting a text file to html?


Open a new text document and save as .html


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## xgerryx (May 16, 2003)

Save this .txt file to your desktop, open it, add a few words to into the body and save as "something.html" and you have a very simple web page


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## HorrorFreak (Apr 24, 2009)

Ha ha, nothing to it.

My classmate confused me in to thinking I needed a program to do it.

Thank you. +10 n00b points!


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## xgerryx (May 16, 2003)

HorrorFreak said:


> Thank you. +10 n00b points!


Yep, its quite fun


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## xgerryx (May 16, 2003)

Try this:

Create a new folder on your desktop 
Give it a name. eg, My Web.

Create a folder within My Web folder,
Call this folder: images

Now download the "simplewebsite.txt" file I've attached and save to the "My Web folder"
and rename it "simplewebsite.html"

Now open and download the image I've attached and save to the "images folder"
Rename it "sydney.bmp"


Now open the Internet Explore icon and have a look at your simple web page


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## HorrorFreak (Apr 24, 2009)

Ha! Excellent!

This is actually for a project I'm doing at the moment. We have to learn html, then create a webpage for a help desk company with links to a network diagram and survey forms. Pretty hefty considering I have to learn all the MS programs from scratch.

If I have any other questions I'll be sure to ask.

Thank you for your help.:up:


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## snorkytheweasel (May 3, 2006)

HorrorFreak said:


> This is probably one of the biggest n00b questions and I'm aware it has probably been asked a number of times but what is the most simple of way of converting a text file to html?
> 
> I have the html down, now it is just a matter of converting the text document to html. My classmate mentioned a program called Notebook ++ or Notebook plus plus but I haven't been able to find it.
> 
> Any help?


It depends:

which editor you use to create your pages?
how much text are you putting on a page?
do paragraphs matter, or is it ok to scrunch all of your text into one massive paragraph?
 Many of the web-based editors assume that a line break in your content is a line break in code, and they insert the line breaks for you. Most good editors do not assume that. Instead, they require you to declare where line breaks should occur on the web page - as it is rendered by someone's browser. The following information assumes that you will someday leave the web-based crutch behind and use a real HTML editor.

So... to separate paragraphs, you have to encase a paragraph between

and

or insert manual breaks 
between paragraphs.... or scrunch everything into one big paragraph.

That's where you use notepad, notepad++, dreamweaver, or any of dozens of other HTML editors. In notepad++ I do a search-and-replace to replace all "double-line-break" (also shown as "\n\n") with "

double-line-break

". That inserts the necessary HTML and makes the code readable (for me). There are several other ways a good editor will accomplish the same task.

If I had to convert a lot of text to HTML, I'd use (in fact, I do use) a program named txt2htm "It supports headings, lists, some tables, simple character markup, and hyperlinking, and is highly customizable. It recognizes some of the apparent structure of the source document (mostly whitespace and typographic layout), and attempts to mark that structure explicitly using HTML."
http://txt2html.sourceforge.net/

txt2htm is not an HTML editor. It's just a tool to make a cumbersome task - converting text to HTML - simpler.

The real issue is using a proper HTML editor. With that, the HTML that you have down will do you some good. When you learn a good HTML/CSS/PHP editor, your web pages will look and act much, much better. Someday you'll thank me.


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## colinsp (Sep 5, 2007)

If you want notepad++ (which is an excellent editor) it is available *here*


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## matt-h (Apr 30, 2006)

As a code editor, I highly recommend Notepad++ 

Also, for general knowledge on HTML and also CSS, http://www.w3schools.com/ is an excellent place to go.


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## HorrorFreak (Apr 24, 2009)

colinsp said:


> If you want notepad++ (which is an excellent editor) it is available *here*


Excellent, thank you :up:


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## HorrorFreak (Apr 24, 2009)

matt-h said:


> As a code editor, I highly recommend Notepad++
> 
> Also, for general knowledge on HTML and also CSS, http://www.w3schools.com/ is an excellent place to go.


Yes! I have already used that website for a lot of tutoring. It's written for n00bs, which is great! HTML is actually quite fun when you start to get a grasp on things.


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## xgerryx (May 16, 2003)

Be careful HorrorFreak
You might get addicted to Tsg


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## HorrorFreak (Apr 24, 2009)

Ok, this will probably be my final question in this thread.

I basically have all of my html set up in notepad and it looks great when I open it up in Mozilla.

My problem now is that I need to know how to link three different files to the page. Two are MS Infopath files and one is a MS Visio file.

I know I have to keep them in the same directory as the html file.

Here is the html code I have set up already. All three links open a new page, I just need to know how to link the files to the actual hyperlinks on the page.

example...

Caller survey *This is an Infopath form*

Help desk call log *Another Infopath form*

Network Diagram *And this is the Visio file
*


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## xgerryx (May 16, 2003)

Put this into notepad and save as .htm

see were this takes you


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## HorrorFreak (Apr 24, 2009)

Cool, I get that. I pasted the filename including it's extension after <a href="....

but all it asks to do is do I want to save file? I actually want it to open up the file in a new page.

I'm doin it wrong. Ha ha.


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## xgerryx (May 16, 2003)

see were this takes you

Give the page a title here


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## xgerryx (May 16, 2003)

HorrorFreak said:


> My problem now is that I need to know how to link three different files to the page. Two are MS Infopath files and one is a MS Visio file.


Be warned,
I know sweet all about this, just enough to make a page and thats it from me


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## HorrorFreak (Apr 24, 2009)

My issue is connecting a file to a link, not linking to another page on the web. I need to be able to open a file within my html folder, in a new page.

You've been a great help thus far


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## xgerryx (May 16, 2003)

HorrorFreak said:


> My issue is connecting a file to a link


Download this "practice web.zib"
Extract to your desktop
Read the "index source.txt" and see how the address's point to the .jpg files in the image folder


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## xgerryx (May 16, 2003)

I say again
My knowledge in this is basic


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