What Is An "&" Command?
What in the world is an "&" command?
Ampersand commands ("&"
is pronounced "ampersand") are quite useful, especially to
me. I didn’t know about them until I started to create these
HTML lessons. I needed to create the characters not found
on the keyboard or to make command characters show up on the
page.
What I Mean
Let's say you want a copyright
insignia. Well, there isn't any copyright on the keyboard.
That means you'll need to either create it as a graphic or
use an "&" command to place it. Have you also noticed
that all over the lesson pages I show HTML commands like <HTML>?
Don't you find that strange seeing as if I enclose HTML in
< > brackets that it shouldn't show up on the page?
What I am doing is using an
"&" command to create the greater-than and less-than sign.
Here's How It Works
Your browser reads commands
inside of greater-than and less-than brackets. But
did you know it also reads commands inside of an "&" and
";" (semicolon) insignia? Well, it does.
Those who create the HTML
code have created a slew of these commands that sit inside
of an "&" and a ";". All you need to know is the little
three- or four-letter code that goes between the "&" and
the ";" and you'll be placing little insignias all over your
page.
Here They Are
Below is a chart showing as
many "&" commands as I could find. Remember: You
do not place these codes inside of < and > commands.
These just sit as they appear in the chart below. They always
begin with an "&" and end with a ";".
Each chart cell is set up
with the "&" command, as it should appear on your page,
and then what the command created below. Like so:
