We all are here to learn how to put IN html codes in our content, not just use css codes in the CSS section.  But sometimes we want to remove html codes from something or start over when we don't get something quite right. 

This free utility for cleaning up your e-mail works absolutely great for stripping html codes.  Because it strips html code from anything you paste to it with ONE click.  So why just save it for your email!

You know the drill. You get an e-mail from someone and it's full of carets (>>>), badly formatted, and basically a mess.  You would like to post it but it's too much trouble to clean it up!  Or you copy something from a webpage, paste it into a blog and get a javascript error or some weird code included!!

Well, copy and paste that badly formatted text into this utility, click the smily face, and it will remove all those carets, hidden code and attempt to rebuild the paragraphs (it really does an amazing job).

We love those jokes, don't we!  Well it also strips out other html codes like font size, colors, formatting, etc.  Here are two uses that I use this for almost daily.  I don't have to "edit html" in a blog entry and do it manually.  Half the time we don't know what all that stuff is anyway!  And then we get a javascript error?  What javascript?  We didn't put that there.  (We thought)

1. For copy/paste from email - Strip the code, and then YOU choose font size, color, etc in your blog.  (Sometimes after copy/pasting to a blog  it just won't let you change things like font size once it's here and you just don't want that YELLOW font it came with on your page)

Now post that joke!! 

2. You may have other hidden code in something and you can't find it!  (Word and other text programs other than notepad can put these in and you can't see them) Or you try to use a code you get elsewhere or you copy/paste in a blog from another site and it gives you that JAVASCRIPT error.  This will strip the hidden javascript!  (Pasting from another site, will give you that a lot!)

Just copy what you want stripped, paste it into the window of this program, and hit the SUNSHINE face.  That's it!  Then paste back to what you are working on.  Look at the options but it's ready without tweaking a thing.

Again, this is 100% free and seems to work under all versions of Windows.

It's about a half meg in size, so it will download  FAST.  You can download this program at this site by clicking HERE.  (Safe download)  But WAIT.

No room to install ANOTHER PROGRAM on your computer?  I have attached the portable version for you to this blog!  Right click, save as.  Then create a shortcut on your desktop!  No install necessary.  It's ready to go. 

The first attachment is a .exe file. (spyware/virus free) But if you prefer, download the second attachment which is a zip file.  Extract and it's ready to use.  Scan them both first if you prefer.

TIP:  Create a shortcut from your desktop to any program you use if it doesn't install one for you or you are using a portable version.  NEVER INSTALL a program to your desktop.  It will usually default to your program file anyway, but make sure you check the path during install)  Installed programs usually will give you the option to create a shortcut.  Never store a program on your desktop.  Never keep a portable program on your desktop either.  (If any program crashes you don't want your desktop crashing with it)

Give it a test run.  Even though notepad will sometimes do this for you, this program does even more!  Once you use it for pasting email content, you will wonder how you ever lived without it.  NO more FORMATING ( >>>>) MARKS!!

JavaScript (the have the script tag in the code) and iframe codes aren't allowed in Multiply for security reasons. Any other code that is simple HTML or Flash, like the ones that use the EMBED or OBJECT command, should work fine. Usually the site give you options for the code: look for the one in simple HTML (no script tags) or one that uses Flash.

Tip: many widgets that use JavaScript code also have a non-JavaScript code attached for compatibility reasons, like the counter from sitemeter.com. To use it on Multiply simply copy the code between the noscript tags. For example, if they give you this code:

<!-- Site Meter -->
<script type="text/javascript" src=">http://s24.sitemeter.com/js/counter.js?site=YourUsername">
</script>
<noscript>
<a href="http://s24.sitemeter.com/stats.asp?site=YourUsername" target="_top">
<img src="http://s24.sitemeter.com/meter.asp?site=YourUsername" alt="Site Meter" border="0"/></a>
</noscript>
<!-- Copyright (c)2006 Site Meter -->


Copy this part and use it in your site:

<a href="http://s24.sitemeter.com/stats.asp?site=YourUsername" target="_top">
<img src="http://s24.sitemeter.com/meter.asp?site=YourUsername" alt="Site Meter" border="0"/></a>


PS: JavaScript isn't the same as Java. Java widgets should work too, as they usually use the EMBED/OBJECT tag.


As a side note, sometimes when you try to copy and paste excerpts from other web pages to yours, usually blog entries, you may get the message that 'JavaScrit/CSS isn't allowed', and you can save your post. It happens because some of the page code was also copied and also pasted with the text. To avoid this, first paste the excerpt in a plain-text editor, like Notepad on Win or Smultron on a Mac, and then copy it again and paste on your page. You will get only the text and should be able to save your entry.

You can use HTML commands anywhere on Multiply: replies, posts, etc. You just have to write or paste the code and it will be converted when you publish the post (the only exception is on blogs, when you have to click on 'Edit HTML' before you can use or paste the codes). You can also use this to put in your page those Flash widgets that some sites like esnips.com, boomp3.com, slide.com and others offer. Just copy the EMBED code (sometimes you have to click on a share link to see the code) and use it on your page.


However, JavaScript (it has the script tag in the code) and iframe codes aren't allowed in Multiply for security reasons. Any other code that is simple HTML or Flash, like the ones that use the EMBED or OBJECT command, should work fine. Usually the site give you options for the code: look for the one in simple HTML (no script tags) or one that uses Flash.


As a side note, sometimes when you try to copy and paste excerpts from other web pages to yours, usually blog entries, you may get the message that 'JavaScrit/CSS isn't allowed', and you can'tt save your post. It happens because some of the page code was also copied and also pasted with the text. To avoid this, first paste the excerpt in a plain-text editor, like Notepad on Win or Smultron on a Mac, and then copy it again and paste on your page. You will get only the text and should be able to save your entry.

For tips about dealing with some JavaScript only widgets, see the next post.

PS: JavaScript isn't the same as Java. Java widgets should work too, as they usually use the EMBED and/or OBJECT tag.


Update1:
EMBED codes that have allowscriptaccess won't work anymore (they will be disabled when added to Multiply pages) due to security reasons too. Quote from a Multiply staff member: