Compressed HTML

[Fiona]

A client has asked me to review and edit (as necessary) some HTML files and
to build a help systems from them - that's no problem, documentation is my
field. However, the files, I'm told, are "compressed" HTML, and I am
unfamiliar with the term. I am assuming for the moment that once
uncompressed they will be ordinary, common-or-garden HTML files which I can
work with as normal, is this a fair assumption? If so how do I uncompress
them, and with what? But is not, how does Compressed HTML differ from normal
HTML?

Bottom line is, can a Compressed HTML file be opened, edited, and saved in
an editor (e.g. Notepad, HomeSite, Dreamweaver, RoboHelp) like any other
HTML file or are there additional steps?


Fiona

 

[Tony Cortese]

A client has asked me to review and edit (as necessary) some HTML files and
to build a help systems from them - that's no problem, documentation is my
field. However, the files, I'm told, are "compressed" HTML, and I am
unfamiliar with the term. I am assuming for the moment that once
uncompressed they will be ordinary, common-or-garden HTML files which I can
work with as normal, is this a fair assumption? If so how do I uncompress
them, and with what? But is not, how does Compressed HTML differ from normal
HTML?

Bottom line is, can a Compressed HTML file be opened, edited, and saved in
an editor (e.g. Notepad, HomeSite, Dreamweaver, RoboHelp) like any other
HTML file or are there additional steps?

The files are probably zip compressed. You can use any utility that unzip
the files. Compressed files are not pure text anymore and you can't use an
editor to open and edit them. You will see garbled text which means nothing
to you. I guess after you uncompress them, edit them you need to compress
them back using the same utility used before.

I am more familiar with on-the-fly http compression where the web server
compresses while sending a response.

 

[David Dorward]

"compressed" HTML, and I am unfamiliar with the term.

This could mean:

(1) All the white space and/or optional tags have been removed.

This makes it a pain to edit until you run it through Tidy (or similar).

(2) The files are compressed, for browsers that support gzip encoding, on
the fly with mod_gzip

This has no effect on you whatsoever

(3) The files are uncompressed, for browsers that do not support gzip
encoding, on the fly with mod_gzip

You'll need to gunzip the file before you can edit it, then gzip it again
afterwards.

(4) The files are horribly messy JavaScript

You'll need to decode the JS back to HTML. I suggest using the Mozilla DOM
Inspector for this.

(5) They are going to send you a compressed archive containing the site.

Apply unzip, unrar, bunzip2+tar, gunzip+tar or another decompression tool
before editing.

(6) Something I haven't thought of.

 

[Fiona]

This could mean:

(1) All the white space and/or optional tags have been removed.

This makes it a pain to edit until you run it through Tidy (or similar).

(2) The files are compressed, for browsers that support gzip encoding, on
the fly with mod_gzip

This has no effect on you whatsoever

(3) The files are uncompressed, for browsers that do not support gzip
encoding, on the fly with mod_gzip

You'll need to gunzip the file before you can edit it, then gzip it again
afterwards.

(4) The files are horribly messy JavaScript

You'll need to decode the JS back to HTML. I suggest using the Mozilla DOM
Inspector for this.

(5) They are going to send you a compressed archive containing the site.

Apply unzip, unrar, bunzip2+tar, gunzip+tar or another decompression tool
before editing.

(6) Something I haven't thought of.

Thanks David, very helpful. Frankly it's the JS possibility that worries me
the most.


Fiona

 

[Spartanicus]

This could mean:

(6) Something I haven't thought of.

*.chm files

 

[Nik Coughin]

*.chm files

Yeah, they are most likely compiled html as opposed to compressed html.

CHM to HTML converter (untried):
http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/abcchm.html

 

[Fiona]

*.chm files

Ah, now if they are just referring to chm files I know where we're at, but
I've never heard anyone talk about chms as "Compressed HTML", compiled sure,
but not compressed. Oh well, I'll just have to wait and see when the spec
comes through. But at least I'm not so worried now, I bet that's what
they're talking about. Thanks.


Fiona

 

[Tony Cortese]

Ah, now if they are just referring to chm files I know where we're at, but
I've never heard anyone talk about chms as "Compressed HTML", compiled sure,
but not compressed. Oh well, I'll just have to wait and see when the spec
comes through. But at least I'm not so worried now, I bet that's what
they're talking about. Thanks.

Are you using Windows or Linux? In Windows chm files are compiled html
files and are used mainly as help files. They are not served by a web
server like IIS. chm files are compressed, compiled and combined html
files. You can create a single chm file from multiple html files.

 

[Developwebsites]

The files are probably zip compressed. You can use any utility that unzip
the files. Compressed files are not pure text anymore and you can't use an
editor to open and edit them. You will see garbled text which means nothing
to you. I guess after you uncompress them, edit them you need to compress
them back using the same utility used before.

not what the OP means, but a zip file can be unzipped with any zip utility.

however, compressed HTML means removing all the white space between code, it
becomes smaller but is unreadable in notepad.

 

[Charles Angelich]

not what the OP means, but a zip file can be unzipped with any zip utility.

however, compressed HTML means removing all the white space between code, it
becomes smaller but is unreadable in notepad.

Cool! ;-)

Charles.Angelich

MP3/WMA streaming:
http://www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/samples.asp

DOS & W31:
http://www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/

Entertainment:
http://www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/faf