Validation Issues

[downview]

When I attempt to validate my style sheet using the w3c validator, it
tells me that I need a correct document parse tree. The confusing
thing is my page validates as XHTML Transitional 1.0. Does anyone have
any idea what would cause this to happen? Here's the actual message
from the w3c validator:

Line: 0

Parse Error - :


Mahalo for you help!

--a down view

[Neal]

Re: Validation Issues

On 23 Aug 2004 12:34:59 -0700, downview <downview@gmail .com> wrote:
[color=blue]
> When I attempt to validate my style sheet using the w3c validator, it
> tells me that I need a correct document parse tree. The confusing
> thing is my page validates as XHTML Transitional 1.0. Does anyone have
> any idea what would cause this to happen? Here's the actual message
> from the w3c validator:
>
> Line: 0
>
> Parse Error - :
>
>
> Mahalo for you help!
>
> --a down view[/color]


Crystal ball's in the shop. How about a URL?

[David Dorward]

Re: Validation Issues

downview wrote:
[color=blue]
> When I attempt to validate my style sheet using the w3c validator, it
> tells me that I need a correct document parse tree.[/color]

And so you do - does it tell you that you don't have one?
[color=blue]
> Here's the actual message from the w3c validator:[/color]

That's a different message - but you aren't providing any clue as to what
code triggers it.

--
David Dorward <http://blog.dorward.me .uk/> <http://dorward.me.uk/>
Home is where the ~/.bashrc is

[downview]

Re: Validation Issues

David Dorward <dorward@yahoo. com> wrote in message news:<cgdj02$41 v$1$8300dec7@ne ws.demon.co.uk> ...[color=blue]
> downview wrote:
>[color=green]
> > When I attempt to validate my style sheet using the w3c validator, it
> > tells me that I need a correct document parse tree.[/color]
>
> And so you do - does it tell you that you don't have one?
>[color=green]
> > Here's the actual message from the w3c validator:[/color]
>
> That's a different message - but you aren't providing any clue as to what
> code triggers it.[/color]


Sorry to be so ambiguous, but that's exactly the message.

And I quote:

To work as intended, your CSS style sheet needs a correct document
parse tree. This means you should use valid HTML.

ERRORS

* Line: 0

Parse Error - :
_______________ _______________ ________

After this, every bit of my markup validates. Like I said, though, my
index page validates as XHTML Transitional 1.0, which is giving me the
confusion. I'm thinking perhaps there is a bug, but here's the CSS
markup to ponder as you requested:

* body {
o background-image : url(images/side_background .jpg);
o margin : 0;
o padding : 40px 20px;
o font : x-small Georgia, Serif;
o text-align : center;
o color : #333;
o font-size : small;
o font-size : small;
}
* h2 {
o font-family : Arial Bold, sans-serif;
o font-size : 1.3em;
o background : #c0c0ff;
o color : #fff;
o margin : 0 0 0 10px;
}
* ul {
o list-style-image : url(images/bullet.gif);
o list-style-position : outside;
}
* {
o font-family : Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;
o color : #728da6;
o font-size : 14px;
o text-decoration : none;
}
* a:link {
o font-family : Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;
o color : #728da6;
o font-size : 14px;
o text-decoration : none;
}
* a:visited {
o font-family : Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;
o color : #728da6;
o font-size : 14px;
o text-decoration : none;
}
* a:active , a:hover {
o font-family : Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;
o color : red;
o font-size : 14px;
o text-decoration : none;
o border-bottom : 1px dotted red;
}
* #header {
o width : 660px;
o height : 80px;
o margin : 0 auto 10px;
o background-image : url(Images/foreli.gif);
o background-position : 50% 50%;
o background-repeat : no-repeat;
}
* #content {
o width : 730px;
o margin : 0 auto;
o padding : 10px;
o text-align : left;
o background : #fff;
}
* #main {
o width : 510px;
o float : left;
o padding : 5px;
o background : #fff;
o border : 1px solid #728da6;
}
* #main a {
o font-family : Times New Roman, sans-serif;
o font-size : 14px;
o color : #728da6;
o text-decoration : none;
o border-bottom : 1px dotted #728da6;
}
* #main a:link {
o font-family : Times New Roman, sans-serif;
o font-size : 14px;
o color : #728da6;
o text-decoration : none;
o border-bottom : 1px dotted #728da6;
}
* #main a:visited {
o font-family : Times New Roman, sans-serif;
o font-size : 14px;
o color : #728da6;
o text-decoration : none;
o border-bottom : 1px dotted #728da6;
}
* #main a:active , #main a:hover {
o font-family : Times New Roman, sans-serif;
o font-size : 14px;
o color : red;
o text-decoration : none;
o border-bottom : 1px dotted red;
}
* #sidebar {
o width : 125px;
o height : 300px;
o float : right;
o padding : 5px 0 0;
o background-image : url(Images/dropshadow.gif) ;
}
* #footer {
o clear : both;
o width : 250px;
o margin : 0 0 0 300px;
o padding : 50px;
}
* .body {
o font-family : Times New Roman, sans-serif;
o font-size : 14px;
o color : black;
o text-decoration : none;
}
* .footer {
o font-family : Arial, sans-serif;
o font-size : 9px;
o color : gray;
}
* hr {
o width : 75%;
}


*** Thanks for the replies and any help *** down view

[David Dorward]

Re: Validation Issues

downview wrote:[color=blue]
> * body {
> o background-image : url(images/side_background .jpg);[/color]

Bullet marks? Are you perhaps showing us the "Pretty valid CSS" outputted by
the validator instead of your original source file which is triggering the
error?


--
David Dorward <http://blog.dorward.me .uk/> <http://dorward.me.uk/>
Home is where the ~/.bashrc is

[Jan Roland Eriksson]

Re: Validation Issues

On 23 Aug 2004 22:18:15 -0700, downview@gmail. com (downview) wrote:
[color=blue]
>Sorry to be so ambiguous, but that's exactly the message.
>
>And I quote:
> To work as intended, your CSS style sheet needs a correct document
>parse tree. This means you should use valid HTML.
>
> ERRORS
> * Line: 0
> Parse Error - :
>______________ _______________ _________[/color]
[color=blue]
>...I'm thinking perhaps there is a bug[/color]

A far fetched idea in your situation...
[color=blue]
>but here's the CSS markup to ponder as you requested:
>
> * body {
> o background-image : url(images/side_background .jpg);
> o margin : 0;
> o padding : 40px 20px;
> o font : x-small Georgia, Serif;
> o text-align : center;
> o color : #333;
> o font-size : small;
> o font-size : small;
> }[/color]

Things like this makes me wonder; what's wrong with all the CSS
tutorials out there? How on earth is it possible for someone to be so
totally mislead by already available information?

In other words; What the heck is that asterisk doing in front of 'body'
and why, fer crying out loud, do you have that 'o' character in front of
every property:value assignment?

Maybe this is just a case of a usenaut that has not read Q&A.6 in the
newly revised newsgroup FAQ?

--
Rex

[downview]

Re: Validation Issues

David Dorward <dorward@yahoo. com> wrote in message news:<cgeo6a$p2 s$1$8302bc10@ne ws.demon.co.uk> ...[color=blue]
> downview wrote:[color=green]
> > * body {
> > o background-image : url(images/side_background .jpg);[/color]
>
> Bullet marks? Are you perhaps showing us the "Pretty valid CSS" outputted by
> the validator instead of your original source file which is triggering the
> error?[/color]

I was, actually. Sorry about that. Minus the asterics and bullets,
it's the same though. Here goes again. (thanks for sticking with this
*grin*)


body
{
background-image: url(images/side_background .jpg);
margin:0;
padding:40px 20px;
font:x-small Georgia,Serif;
text-align:center;
color:#333;
font-size/* */:/**/small;
font-size: /**/small;
}

h2
{font-family: Arial Bold, sans-serif;
font-size: 1.3em;
background: #C0C0FF;
color: #fff;
margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;
}

ul
{list-style-image: url(images/bullet.gif);
list-style-position: outside;
}
a: {
font-family: Trebuchet MS,sans-serif;
color: #728da6;
font-size: 14px;
text-decoration: none;
}
a:link {
font-family: Trebuchet MS,sans-serif;
color: #728da6;
font-size: 14px;
text-decoration: none;
}
a:visited {
font-family: Trebuchet MS,sans-serif;
color: #728da6;
font-size: 14px;
text-decoration: none;
}
a:active,
a:hover {
font-family: Trebuchet MS,sans-serif;
color: red;
font-size: 14px;
text-decoration: none;
border-bottom: 1px dotted red;
}

#header {
width:660px;
height: 80px;
margin:0 auto 10px;
background-image: url(Images/foreli.gif);
background-position: center;
background-repeat: no-repeat;
}

#content {
width:730px;
margin:0 auto;
padding:10px;
text-align:left;
background: #fff; }

#main {
width:510px;
float:left;
padding: 5px;
background: #fff;
border: 1px solid #728da6;}

#main a {
font-family: Times New Roman,sans-serif;
font-size: 14px;
color: #728da6;
text-decoration: none;
border-bottom: 1px dotted #728da6;

}
#main a:link {
font-family: Times New Roman,sans-serif;
font-size: 14px;
color: #728da6;
text-decoration: none;
border-bottom: 1px dotted #728da6;

}
#main a:visited
{
font-family: Times New Roman,sans-serif;
font-size: 14px;
color: #728da6;
text-decoration: none;
border-bottom: 1px dotted #728da6;
}

#main a:active,
#main a:hover {
font-family: Times New Roman,sans-serif;
font-size: 14px;
color: red;
text-decoration: none;
border-bottom: 1px dotted red;
}

#sidebar {
width: 125px;
height: 300px;
float:right;
padding: 5px 0px 0px 0px;
background-image: url(Images/dropshadow.gif) ;
}

#footer {
clear: both;
width: 250px;
margin: 0px 0px 0px 300px;
padding: 50px;

}

..body {
font-family: Times New Roman,sans-serif;
font-size: 14px;
color: black;
text-decoration: none;
}

..footer {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 9px;
color: gray;
}
hr {
width: 75%;
}

[Andrew Thompson]

Re: Validation Issues

On 24 Aug 2004 03:25:53 -0700, downview wrote:[color=blue]
> David Dorward <dorward@yahoo. com> wrote in message news:<cgeo6a$p2 s$1$8302bc10@ne ws.demon.co.uk> ...[color=green]
>> downview wrote:[/color][/color]
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>> * body {
>>> o background-image : url(images/side_background .jpg);[/color]
>>
>> Bullet marks? Are you perhaps showing us the "Pretty valid CSS" outputted by
>> the validator instead of your original source file which is triggering the
>> error?[/color]
>
> I was, actually. Sorry about that. Minus the asterics and bullets,
> it's the same though. Here goes again.[/color]

Just curious.. is there some actual *reason*
you cannot supply an URL, as suggested by Neal?

It takes potential helpers 'straight to
the source' ..so to speak.

--
Andrew Thompson
http://www.PhySci.org/ Open-source software suite
http://www.PhySci.org/codes/ Web & IT Help
http://www.1point1C.org/ Science & Technology

[downview]

Re: Validation Issues

Jan Roland Eriksson <jrexon@newsguy .com> wrote in message news:<87nli09sf 447elf6cea5jd2g l39q1cnvfb@4ax. com>...[color=blue]
> On 23 Aug 2004 22:18:15 -0700, downview@gmail. com (downview) wrote:
>[color=green]
> >Sorry to be so ambiguous, but that's exactly the message.
> >
> >And I quote:
> > To work as intended, your CSS style sheet needs a correct document
> >parse tree. This means you should use valid HTML.
> >
> > ERRORS
> > * Line: 0
> > Parse Error - :
> >______________ _______________ _________[/color]
>[color=green]
> >...I'm thinking perhaps there is a bug[/color]
>
> A far fetched idea in your situation...
>[color=green]
> >but here's the CSS markup to ponder as you requested:
> >
> > * body {
> > o background-image : url(images/side_background .jpg);
> > o margin : 0;
> > o padding : 40px 20px;
> > o font : x-small Georgia, Serif;
> > o text-align : center;
> > o color : #333;
> > o font-size : small;
> > o font-size : small;
> > }[/color]
>
> Things like this makes me wonder; what's wrong with all the CSS
> tutorials out there? How on earth is it possible for someone to be so
> totally mislead by already available information?
>
> In other words; What the heck is that asterisk doing in front of 'body'
> and why, fer crying out loud, do you have that 'o' character in front of
> every property:value assignment?
>
> Maybe this is just a case of a usenaut that has not read Q&A.6 in the
> newly revised newsgroup FAQ?[/color]


Getting a little off topic here, but I'll give a couple answers. I'm
not supplying the URI because this site is a password-protected page
that I wrote and maintain for my wife. I'm an infantry soldier
currently on deployment in Iraq and it contains a lot of personal
stuff. While I'm appriciative to the help, I'm rather keep my personal
life personal. Also, this validation is for the CSS markup alone and
that, in its complete, natural form has been supplied. I've scoured my
..css page for an errant ' : ' which is the only hint the validator is
giving me could be the source of this parse error. As for the
mini-bash about being totally mislead, I suggest you read the entire
thread, as this topic was pointed out earlier. The asterics and
bullets were from my copy/pasting the validator results rather than
the actual code. An error I fixed once it had been nicely pointed out.
So if anyone has any idea why every element of my .css page validates
except for this single, mysterious parse error:

Line: 0
Parse Error - :

Please look through my source I've provided (the actual, not the one
with the bullets and asterics, thank you) and see if you can give me a
hand.

Once again. Thank you.

[Chris Morris]

Re: Validation Issues

downview@gmail. com (downview) writes:[color=blue]
> Getting a little off topic here, but I'll give a couple answers. I'm
> not supplying the URI because this site is a password-protected page[/color]

Can you copy the CSS file to a non-password protected area?
[color=blue]
> So if anyone has any idea why every element of my .css page validates
> except for this single, mysterious parse error:
>
> Line: 0
> Parse Error - :[/color]

Nothing obvious in the source. It may be something to do with the
actual CSS file that isn't obvious (or gets lost) in a copy-and-paste
of the text.

--
Chris

[Harlan Messinger]

Re: Validation Issues


"downview" <downview@gmail .com> wrote in message
news:224dff78.0 408240610.49d9f bd6@posting.goo gle.com...[color=blue]
> Getting a little off topic here, but I'll give a couple answers. I'm
> not supplying the URI because this site is a password-protected page
> that I wrote and maintain for my wife. I'm an infantry soldier
> currently on deployment in Iraq and it contains a lot of personal
> stuff.[/color]

That's understandable, but perhaps you could make a copy of the page that
has the personal stuff removed. Check to see if that page still causes a
validation error and, if so, make that available. Otherwise, you'll have
narrowed down the location of the error, and you can continue removing and
restoring parts of the content until you find the source of the problem.

[David Dorward]

Re: Validation Issues

downview wrote:
[color=blue]
> I was, actually. Sorry about that. Minus the asterics and bullets,
> it's the same though.[/color]

Nope :)

Source:
[color=blue]
> a: {
> font-family: Trebuchet MS,sans-serif;[/color]

Pretty:

  * {
          o font-family : Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;


You have a rogue ":" after the a, which is triggering the parse error. (The
validator is very bad about getting line numbers right).

--
David Dorward <http://blog.dorward.me .uk/> <http://dorward.me.uk/>
Home is where the ~/.bashrc is

[downview]

Re: Validation Issues

"Harlan Messinger" <h.messinger@co mcast.net> wrote in message news:<2p11n0Ffg dvdU1@uni-berlin.de>...[color=blue]
> "downview" <downview@gmail .com> wrote in message
> news:224dff78.0 408240610.49d9f bd6@posting.goo gle.com...[color=green]
> > Getting a little off topic here, but I'll give a couple answers. I'm
> > not supplying the URI because this site is a password-protected page
> > that I wrote and maintain for my wife. I'm an infantry soldier
> > currently on deployment in Iraq and it contains a lot of personal
> > stuff.[/color]
>
> That's understandable, but perhaps you could make a copy of the page that
> has the personal stuff removed. Check to see if that page still causes a
> validation error and, if so, make that available. Otherwise, you'll have
> narrowed down the location of the error, and you can continue removing and
> restoring parts of the content until you find the source of the problem.[/color]

Thank you very much, Harlan. I'm not sure if it was _exactly_ what you
ment, but you trigged a little common sense thinking and I'm happy to
report that my CSS markup now validates. If anyone else comes across
someone that has an extremely ambigious validation error, tell them do
what Harlan here suggested and what I did. Make a duplicate css page,
delete the first entry, save, upload, check for validation. Continue
this process one element after another, until it finally validates.
Then replace everything but that last element before it validated,
check it again; if it validates, you've found your problem. It took me
less than ten minutes to find the offending style and correct the
mistake using this method. To Harlan and everyone else that was kind
enough to post, a sincere thank you. It's refreshing to have found an
intelligent, (mostly) courteous, helpful newsgroup.

PS. The error was "a:" above the "a:link" Either this command is
superflous, or not supported (I had no idea) and by removing it, my
css validated and, more important, the site didn't change a pixel.
Good things.

[Harlan Messinger]

Re: Validation Issues


"downview" <downview@gmail .com> wrote in message
news:224dff78.0 408241130.4fd8a 472@posting.goo gle.com...[color=blue]
>
> PS. The error was "a:" above the "a:link" Either this command is
> superflous, or not supported (I had no idea) and by removing it, my
> css validated and, more important, the site didn't change a pixel.
> Good things.[/color]

What's not supported is the colon followed by nothing. For just a plain "a",
use "a". Use the colon only when you have "a:link" or something like that.

[Andrew Thompson]

Re: Validation Issues

On 24 Aug 2004 12:30:22 -0700, downview wrote:
[color=blue]
> Make a duplicate css page,
> delete the first entry, save, upload, check for validation.[/color]

Just an (ever so slight) tweak on that suggestion..

Let us assume the number of CSS definitions is
*ridiculously* large, for my example I choose
1,000,000.

If you were to divide the sheet in half, check
each half alternately and pursue the half with
errors, you can actually narrow the error down
to the single CSS definition that is problematic
in just 20 checks*.

* It is a crude adaptation of 'binary search' logic.

--
Andrew Thompson
http://www.PhySci.org/ Open-source software suite
http://www.PhySci.org/codes/ Web & IT Help
http://www.1point1C.org/ Science & Technology