Hexadecimal Color Notation on the Web

When designing elements for your webpage, you will often be called upon to specify a color. For example, the code for a span shown below specifies that the color of the text within the span will be yellow.

Text

Colors can be specified according to their names, for example "yellow", "green", or "blue". In many cases, these simple color names will work. But what if you want to specify a more sophisticated color like "cornflowerblue"? A particular browser may not recognize a particular color name. It's more reliable to specify colors with an "RGB triplet".

An RGB triplet specifies a color based upon the amounts of red, green, and blue, on a scale from 0 to 255, required to create the color. For example, to create the color cornflowerblue you need red=100, green=149, and blue=237. We could then specify the color of the text within a span using the rgb function as shown below.

Text

This will work fine with style notation, but what if you want to use straight html. Html doesn't recognize the rgb function. In that case, you can specify color using "hexadecimal" notation. Whereas the decimal numbering system uses the characters 0 through 9 to get 10 values, the hexadecimal numbering system uses the characters 0 through f to get 16 values. (After 9 the characters a, b, c, d, e and f are used, as shown below.)

Decimal Hexidecimal Equivilants

dec hex

0 = 0

1 = 1

2 = 2

3 = 3

4 = 4

5 = 5

6 = 6

7 = 7

8 = 8

9 = 9

10 = A

11 = B

12 = C

13 = D

14 = E

15 = F

On first appearance, this looks pretty simple but you need two hexadecimal characters to represent all decimal values from 0 to 255. When you increment decimal 9 by 1, you change the 9 to 0 and put 1 in the ten's place. When you increment hexidecimal F by one, you change the F to 0 and put 1 in the "sixteens" place. Sometimes it's not easy to convert between decimal and hexadecimal in your head.

RGB Triplet for Cornflowerblue

color dec hex

red 100 64

green 149 95

blue 237 ED

We could then specify the color of text within a span using the hexadecimal notation as shown below.

Text

Note that when we indicate the use of hexadecimal notation by placing a pound (#) sign in front of the number, and we don't use commas to separate the color components.

If it's not easy to convert between decimal and hexadecimal in your head, then how do you do it? You can use a calculator that has a decimal to hexadecimal coversion function, or you can learn to think in hexadecimal. For example, what's the next number after CE? That would be CF. what's the next number after CF? That would be D0. Which hexadecimal number is higher 99 or B2? B2 would be higher than 99. It gets easier with experience.

Here's Java Script code for a simple decimal to hexidecimal color converter

function convert(decvalue)

{

var num = parseInt(decvalue);

if(num >= 0 && num < 256)

{

var hexnum = num.toString(16);

alert("#" + hexnum);

}

else {alert("Error!");}

}

It's important to use hexadecimal notation to specify colors when you use DHTML with visual effects, because to create a dynamic color change you have to increment or add a value to a color. The vast amount of color specification on webpages is in hexadecimal notation, so it would be wise to become familiar with it.

Copyright(C) Bucaro TecHelp.

Permission is granted for the below article to forward, reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and the resource box below is included.

About The Author

To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com. To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visit http://bucarotechelp.com/search/000800.asp

---

Building An Effective Furniture Sales Web Site

Web sites that feature products ? especially furniture or other... Read More

Does Your Website Induce Seizures?

QUESTION: We promote our web site in all our... Read More

Website promotion Ideas: 10 Web Site Add-Ons To Increase Your Traffic

If you're not getting a lot of traffic to your... Read More

Selling Multiple Products? Avoid These Top Blunders

When your web site sells more than a dozen items,... Read More

Make Your Site Quick To Load!

The time it takes to load your site can make... Read More

Content is Crucial!

Content is undoubtedly the most important element of a website.... Read More

Converting Print Advertising For Use On The Web - A How-To

Contrary to the beliefs of some, advertising for web and... Read More

Creating Your First Website

Building your first website can be very frustrating. It looks... Read More

Can a Webpage Created Without HTML?

The HTML editor is usually a webpage design software that... Read More

Using Graphic Design on Your Website

Almost everything is available on the web? products, services, e-books,... Read More

A Web Site That Sells Is All One Needs To Have A Successful Online Business!

There are more than billions of Web Sites, running Online... Read More

TEN Answers That Turn Your Visitors Into Your Customers

You know... Before purchasing your product a person comes to... Read More

Ten Tips For Your Web Site Home Page

1. Loading time:try to be below 20kbless number of imagesspecify... Read More

KIS - Keep It Simple

There are many ways to add fancy bells and whistles... Read More

Concentrate On Web Content Instead Of Search Engine Optimization

For many webmasters the title of my article may seem... Read More

11 Steps to Sticky Web Site!

An attractive and user-friendly Web site is crucial to attracting... Read More

How to Create an Enjoyable Web Page Design

Novice and professional designers alike ? you may probably be... Read More

Web Templates: Replacing Designers?

I've seen articles (and websites) that suggest you can buy... Read More

Browser Compatibility

Internet Explorer, created by microsoft has been the most popular... Read More

Great E-Cover Creation in 5 Steps

There are several graphic software packages available to help you... Read More

10 Web Site Design And Writing No-Nos

1. Don't load your web site with a lot of... Read More

A Great Banner Only Needs Simple Things

To create your own great banner, you only need five... Read More

Hiring a Graphic Designer

You've come up with a great product. You've got the... Read More

When Good Computers Go Bad

Remember the day that you got your new computer (or... Read More

Re-Use The Links You Have When Revising Your Site!

Many times I've seen a web site undergo a revision... Read More

Size Does Matter!

In this article we will be looking at why you... Read More

Top Ten Fonts for Website Design

The top ten fonts for website design might change in... Read More

Using Your Personal Website To Clinch That Job!

With an increasing number of employment portals emerging, it is... Read More

Web Site Design Mistakes

Some wise human once said "Learn from the mistakes of... Read More

Low Cost Web Design In Birmingham

There are many companies who build websites, all of which... Read More

The Contrast And Similarities Between A Web Designer And Web Programmer

The concept of web designing based on the nature and... Read More

Excellently Constructed Websites

Want to see an excellently constructed website? As a writer... Read More

Appropriate Key Words Choice

What do the key words represent?Key words - these are... Read More