Microsoft to Preview Dynamic HTML Editing Component For Broad Application Use

Microsoft to Preview Dynamic HTML Editing Component For Broad Application Use

REDMOND, Wash., March 30, 1998 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the preview release of its new Microsoft® Dynamic HTML editing component, which provides software developers an easy way to add rich, visual HTML editing capabilities to their Windows® operating system-based applications. This preview component uses the leading support for Dynamic HTML in Microsoft Internet Explorer to enable precise, WYSIWYG editing, freeing software vendors from the need to develop basic editing capabilities in their applications.

Demonstrating major industry momentum for this technology, 11 top software vendors have committed to using the Microsoft Dynamic HTML editing component in future releases of their products. These vendors – leaders in the HTML tool, e-mail and help segments – are Allaire Corp., Blue Sky Software Corp., EveryWare Development Inc., ExperTelligence Inc., HyperAct, Microsoft, Novita Communications Inc., Pictorius Inc., SoftQuad Inc., Sybase Inc. and Vectrix Corp.

Representatives from more than 30 companies are attending a Microsoft design review in Redmond tomorrow to learn about the Dynamic HTML editing component and how they can incorporate features such as text formatting and absolute positioning in their products.

“Microsoft’s approach of delivering Dynamic HTML editing technology in a well-defined component is exactly what application developers and ISVs need,”
said Jeremy Allaire, co-founder and vice president of technology strategy for Allaire.
“With this component, we can easily add basic WYSIWYG editing features to HomeSite, our award-winning HTML editor, without having to invest in our own browser rendering engine. This will help us extend the product to reach an even broader range of professional Web developers.”

“The Dynamic HTML editing component brings precise, WYSIWYG editing to Windows-based applications,”
said David Cole, vice president of the Web client and consumer experience division at Microsoft.
“We’re excited by the tremendous industry support announced for it today.”

Bringing WYSIWYG Editing to a Broad Base of Applications

Any 32-bit Windows-based application using or outputting HTML documents can provide rich formatting and visual editing features now to help meet application end-user needs. For example, authoring applications can allow end users to drag and drop page elements without having to write positioning code. Corporate developers can use the editing component to generate HTML forms for their Visual Basic® development system or Web-based applications.

Besides using the basic features available through the editing component, developers can create custom application features by accessing the powerful Document Object Model (DOM) in Internet Explorer through the editing component.

“The next generation of Web development tools will be distinguished by vastly more powerful content editing features,”
said Jesse Boudreau, president and CEO of Pictorius Inc.
“Pictorius iNET Developer already provides industry-leading support for Dynamic HTML. In addition to browser-based content management features, the next release of iNET Developer will provide round-trip HTML editing capabilities using the Dynamic HTML editing component.”

Easiest Way to Add Editing Features to Applications

Using editing component features is easy for both authors and application developers, who can use any language including Visual Basic Scripting Edition, JScript
™
development software, Visual Basic, C, C++ or Java to access the following services:

  • Standard, basic formatting includes basic text and table formatting as well as unlimited undo and redo.

  • Precise WYSIWYG positioning moves any absolutely positioned element anywhere on the page, brings elements forward or backward and resizes selected elements.

  • Flexible, familiar selection enables drag and drop as well as keyboard and mouse selection features and enables the transition of elements between selected, unselected and active states.

  • Seamless interaction with existing HTML documents retains formatting of white space and the ordering of HTML tags in existing source code.

These services are made available through Microsoft’s Component Object Model (COM), bringing developers the benefits of components – easier application development, testing and maintenance.

Availability

The preview release of the Dynamic HTML editing component and documentation is scheduled to be available March 31 at http://www.microsoft.com/workshop/author/dhtml/edit . Developers can license this component at no charge.

The Dynamic HTML editing component requires Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01, an integrated part of the Windows operating system. Internet Explorer 4.01 provides the underlying rendering technology for Dynamic HTML. To distribute Internet Explorer 4.01, third parties can license the Internet Explorer Administration Kit 4.01 at (http://ieak.microsoft.com/) .

The editing component is incorporated in Microsoft Outlook
™
Express as well as the Microsoft Visual InterDev
™
Web development system version 6.0 Pre-Release and the Microsoft Visual J++
™
development system for Java version 6.0 Technology Preview 1. Both are available now for free download (connect-time charges may apply) – the Visual InterDev 6.0 Pre-Release at http://www.microsoft.com/vinterdev/ and the Visual J++ 6.0 Technology Preview 1 at http://www.microsoft.com/visualj/ .

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft, Windows, Visual Basic, JScript, Outlook, Visual InterDev and Visual J++ are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.

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