Go through an online web design program from the comfort of your couch.

Simulate a Web Page

In Microsoft Office

by Bruce Cook

Columbia College

Tired of trying to generate html code in Microsoft Word? (So is Dreamweaver, the leading web development program on the market today. Word html is so bad that Dreamweaver has a special subprogram to make html files created in Word become normal, like other html files on the web!) So try this and become an obnoxious student who demands that you get credit even though you aren’t posting on a real web page.

Do you prefer Microsoft Excel? No problem. Do the same thing in Microsoft Word or Excel. No matter where you start, you can always copy and paste your "Web Page" into the other program!

This example uses Excel, but you could do this as easily in Word.

1. Open a new page in Excel

2. Create a title and optional logo at the top of your page

3. Create two or more links in a group under the title. For each linked item...

a. You can simply type in some text. To create a link so it will lead to another file or a web page, highlight the lettering and click Control-K [Command-K for the Macintosh], click File (for a file in the same directory as the file you are creating) or Web Page (for an Internet page). Once you locate the "target" file, click OK. (Note: if you are linking to a file created outside of Microsoft Office, select All Files at the bottom of the dialogue box when you are browsing to find the file you want.)

b. Or, you can Create a text box.. Use the text box tool to trace the text box area. Then enter lettering. Next click on the outside border of the box and select Format>Text Box. Click Alignment Tab to adjust alignment (centered horizontal and vertically, usually). Click on Colors and Lines Tab to set optional background color and select "No line" unless you want your text box to have a border. Then create the link as in paragraph a, above. (To do this, be sure you select the border of the box, not its interior.)

c. Or, you can create a Word Art graphic or other object for users to click on. This option is best if you want to really enjoy the format. Then create the link as in paragraph a, above.

4. Save the file

5. Test the links. (To return to the web page" you created, simply use the Left Arrow in the Excel panels above.)

6. Examine the page for effective design and wording. Make changes as needed.

7. If you’d rather use this in Word, copy it and paste it into a new Microsoft Word page.

In emailing a copy, be sure to include any linked files in the same folder or directory as the "Web Page" file you just created.

Click click!

Good luck!