CSE 3310 HTML Validator Help Table of Contents
CSE 3310 HTML Validator

Table of Contents

About CSE 3310 HTML Validator

Command Line Arguments

Drag and Drop Default Tool Select Dialog Box

HTML Categories Dialog Box

HTML Validator Configuration Dialog Box

Program Limitations

Program Options Dialog Box

Setting Up Right-Click Pop Up Menus

Tag Attribute Values Dialog Box

Uninstalling HTML Validator

Using the Tools

Warranty

Ordering Information

Documentation Version 6/22/96


Program Options Dialog Box

This is where you set up program settings that are not related to actual HTML tags.

Edit Boxes

Default HTML configuration file

Each time you launch (run) HTML Validator, it attempts to automatically load a configuration file that contains information about what HTML tags are valid, along with each tags attribute and attribute value information. The file that contains this information should be specified here with a full pathname such as c:\htmlval\htmlval.cfg. The file should end in a .cfg extension and is created by choosing Save Config or Save Config As in the HTML Validator Configuration Dialog Box. If this is your first time running HTML Validator you should set this to the configuration file included in the archive to take advantage of the pre-done configuration that includes HTML 2.0 and Netscape Extension tags.

Output file

When you validate an HTML document, all error messages and program output are directed to the file specified here (unless the check box Dont use output file, create .val files is checked). This file can then be viewed with a text file editor such as Notepad, which can automatically be called by HTML Validator after validating an HTML document. It is recommended that you use a filename such as c:\htmlval\htmloutput.txt, assuming that you have installed HTML Validator in c:\htmlval. A full pathname is not necessary but is recommended. NOTE: Validating multiple files at the same time could result in Notepad opening with the wrong output file (i.e. an output file for the wrong HTML document). If this is a problem, validate one file at a time or check the Dont use output file, create .val files check box.

Check Boxes

Dont use output file, create .val files

Check this box if you want HTML Validator to send its output to a file in the same directory as the document being validated. The output file will have the same name as the document being validated but with a .val extension instead of the original extension of the document. Note that these files are not automatically deleted by HTML Validator and will remain in the directory until manually removed. If you revalidate the same document with this option, the .val file is overwritten with the newer output.

Never open Notepad with .val files

Check this box if you want HTML Validator to never ask you if you want to open Notepad and to never automatically open Notepad if the output file ends with a .val extension. This is so that you can validate an entire directory of HTML files by using Explorer to select all the documents to be validated and then using a right-click of the mouse to select the user-defined action validate from the pop up menu- which you can set up (see Setting Up Right-Click Pop Up Menus). HTML Validator will then silently create many .val files for later viewing, without opening Notepad for each file.

Always open Notepad after check

Check this box if you want HTML Validator to immediately open Notepad with the contents of the output file after validating a document. Otherwise, you will be asked whether you want to open Notepad or not each time a document is validated.

Open Notepad maximized

Check this option if you want HTML Validator to open Notepad in a maximized state. Otherwise Notepad, when opened by HTML Validator, will open in a normal window state.

Autosave program options

Check this box if you always want to save any changes to the options in the Program Options Dialog Box without HTML Validator asking you if you want to do so. Otherwise you are asked to save the program options if they have changed and you attempt to exit the program.

Tools create .bak files

Check this option if you want HTML Validator to leave .bak files on your disk when you use a tool. A .bak file is the original file renamed with a .bak extension. If this option is unchecked, .bak files are automatically deleted.

Check HTML tag nesting

Check this box if you want HTML Validator to report potential nesting problems from such input as <H1>HTML Validator <I>Released!</H1></I>. Here, the heading is closed before the italics tag is closed.

Include HTML document in output

Check this box if you want HTML Validator to reproduce the HTML document that is being validated in the output file (with added line numbers for each line). Otherwise HTML Validator will not reproduce the original HTML document in the output.

<!-- ... --> Strict comments

Check this box if you want HTML Validator to generate error messages for comments not in the <!-- ... --> format. A comment such as <! Document modified 5/21/96 > will generate errors if this option is checked.

Allow spaces around =

Check this option if you want HTML Validator to not generate error messages for attributes that have spaces before or after the equal sign. For example, if this option is not checked, ALIGN = CENTER and ALIGN= CENTER will generate error messages due to the spaces around the equal sign. If this option is checked, spaces around the equal sign does not generate validation errors.

Allow multi-line quotes

Check this option if you want to be able to have parts of the same quoted string on more than one line.

Show validator comments

Check this option if you want HTML Validator to add comments to the output file when a validation is completed. Depending on what happens during the validation, you may get no comments at all, or several. These comments may provide you with new, useful information.

Radio Buttons

Convert Text File Format Tool Converts To

Use these radio buttons to select which text file format you with the Convert Text File Format Tool to convert to. You do not have to specify the source file format. Each <CR>, <LF>, or <CR><LF> combination in the source will be regarded as a new line.


HTML Categories Dialog Box

This is where you can add and delete tag categories. Each tag name, tag attribute, and tag attribute value may be assigned different tag categories. The tag category is used so that you can check HTML documents that conform to different standards of HTML tags. HTML Validator includes a configuration that allows you to validate an HTML document based on HTML 2.0 tags and/or Netscape Extensions, and more.

List Boxes

Categories

Contains a list of categories that can currently be assigned to tag names, attributes, and attribute values. The built-in categories are enclosed in parenthesis and cannot be deleted. See below for the buttons used to add and delete tag names to and from this list box.

There are currently six categories for the included configuration file. When selecting what HTML category or categories you wish to be valid, you must remember that the HTML 2.0 category is used as a basis for the others. That is, you should always have HTML 2.0 active regardless of any other categories you may or may not have active.

If you wish to use frames, add the category Frames.

If you wish to use tables, add the category HTML 3.2. This category may be currently incomplete so it may not include all HTML 3.2 proposed tags and attributes. It is mainly included to take advantage of tables which are currently available in many browsers. You should also be aware of the fact that just because the table tags and attributes you are using are in this category, it does not mean they will all work in a table capable browser.

For creating documents in Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer, choose the respective extensions category and make it active along with HTML 2.0, and any other categories you wish. For instance, you may want to have all categories active except for Microsoft IE Extensions when developing documents for Netscape Navigator.

Active categories

Contains a list of categories that are assigned to tag names, attributes, and attribute values that are considered valid when HTML Validator validates a document. Tag names, attributes, and attribute values not assigned to categories in this list box are not considered active (or valid) when a document is validated. To remove a category from the Active Categories List Box, select the category to remove and click the delete button (<-) or double click the categoy to remove. To add a category to the list box, select a category to add from the Categories List Box and click the add button (->) or double click the category to add.

Push Buttons

New Category

Press this button to add a new category to the Category List Box. The category that is added is the string contained in the edit box above the New Category Button.

Delete Category

Press this button to delete the category selected in the Categories List Box. Built-in categories cannot be deleted. Also note that if you delete a category, all tag names, attributes, and attribute values that are assigned to that category are reassigned to the built-in category (undefined).

->

Press this button to add the selected category in the Categories List Box to the Active Categories List Box. Note that you may also double click a category in the Categories List Box instead of pressing this button.

<-

Press this button to delete the selected category in the Active Categories List Box. Note that you may also double click a category in the Active Categories List Box instead of pressing this button.


Warranty

This software is provided on an "AS IS" basis, without warranty of any kind, including without limitation the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the Software is borne by you.  Should the Software prove defective, you alone assume the entire cost of any service and repair. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW EXCLUSIONS OF AN IMPLIED WARRANTY, SO THIS DISCLAIMER MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU AND YOU MAY HAVE OTHER LEGAL RIGHTS THAT VARY FROM STATE TO STATE OR BY JURISDICTION.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES AND UNDER NO LEGAL THEORY, TORT, CONTRACT, OR OTHERWISE, SHALL THE PRODUCER OF THIS SOFTWARE OR ITS SUPPLIERS OR RESELLERS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY CHARACTER INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF GOODWILL, WORK STOPPAGE, COMPUTER FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION, OR ANY AND ALL OTHER COMMERCIAL DAMAGES OR LOSSES. IN NO EVENT WILL THE PRODUCER OF THIS SOFTWARE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES IN EXCESS OF THE LIST PRICE FOR A LICENSE TO USE CSE 3310 HTML VALIDATOR, EVEN IF THE PRODUCER SHALL HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY. THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY SHALL NOT APPLY TO LIABILITY FOR DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY TO THE EXTENT APPLICABLE LAW PROHIBITS SUCH LIMITATION. FURTHERMORE, SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THIS LIMITATION AND EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.


About CSE 3310 HTML Validator

CSE 3310 HTML Validator (referred to here also as HTML Validator) is part of an HTML development environment. Before publishing HTML documents, especially ones created manually or with a dumb HTML editor, you should have the documents checked for syntactical errors. HTML Validator functions as that checker, helping make sure that your documents are written in correct syntax to help ensure that they are viewed as intended in a variety of HTML browsers. NOTE: CSE 3310 HTML Validator cannot check for a completely syntactically correct document, although it can find many syntactic errors.

Checking your document for syntax cannot be done in a standard HTML browser because the browser is designed to only let you view HTML documents. If syntactic errors exist in the document being viewed, the browser attempts to display the document in a less predictable manner (it guesses as to how it thinks the document should be displayed), thus resulting in syntactic errors causing your document to be displayed in a variety of fashions that are likely to vary depending on the browser. But why worry about it when you can easily check your documents with HTML Validator? Simple have HTML Validator Validate your documents prior to them being published.

The name CSE 3310 HTML Validator comes from the college course it was originally designed for, which is Computer Science Engineering 3310, a software engineering course at the University of Texas at Arlington. To get the names of the students in the development team, as well as contact information, choose About in the Help pull down menu. The information in the About box is as current as possible.

HTML Validator is free for a period of 30 days so you can evaluate it. After that, the program will still continue to function, but you are required to register the software if you plan to continue using it. Please see the Ordering Information. You may distribute HTML Validator to anyone provided no fee is charged.

The authors welcome any comments, suggestions, and especially any bug reports you may have about HTML Validator. Let us know so we can fix any problems that we have not yet been made aware of.


Command Line Arguments

HTML Validator can be run from a DOS command prompt and will accept arguments passed to it from the command line. NOTE: Since processing more than one file at a time using command line arguments is inefficient, it is recommended that you use the drag and drop capability to process multiple files. That is, drop the files to process onto the window of a running instance of HTML Validator. Use Explorer to select the files to drop, and make sure HTML Validator is set up to process the dropped files the way that you want.

Examples of acceptable command lines include:

htmlval.exe -l [filename]

This causes HTML Validator to use the Lowercase Tool on the file specified by filename. Note that -l includes the letter L and not the number one.

htmlval.exe -u [filename]

This causes HTML Validator to use the Uppercase Tool on the file specified by filename.

htmlval.exe -s [filename]

This causes HTML Validator to use the Strip HTML Tool on the file specified by filename.

htmlval.exe -t [filename]

This causes HTML Validator to use the Template Tool on the file specified by filename.

htmlval.exe -c [filename]

This causes HTML Validator to use the Convert Text File Format Tool on the file specified by filename. The format converted to is specified by the last saved program options.

htmlval.exe [filename]

This causes HTML Validator to validate the file specified by filename. HTML Validator will ask you if you want to open Notepad with the results or will automatically open Notepad, depending on the program options. NOTE: The program options and configuration used to validate the document are those that are last saved and not necessarily those that are currently active if an instance of HTML Validator is active.

Special Notes

1. You must include the path to htmlval.exe if the directory that contains htmlval.exe is not in the search path, otherwise the system will not be able to find HTML Validator.

2. When HTML Validator is run with command line arguments, HTML Validator performs the operation specified by the command line arguments and then immediately exits.

3. Be sure to include the full path to filename if it is not in the current directory.

4. Letters following - may be uppercase or lowercase such as -l or -L.


HTML Validator Configuration Dialog Box

This is the main dialog box for HTML Validator. Here you can add new tags and configure existing ones, as well as load and save the program configuration.

List Boxes

Tag names

Contains a list of tag names. Examples of tag names: P, A, TITLE, BODY, HTML, B, I, etc. See below for the buttons used to add and delete tag names to and from this list box.

(everywhere): 	Any tag name with this assigned to its range will be valid anywhere in the document, regardless of any other ranges assigned.

(first tag): 	Any tag name with this assigned to its range will be valid if it is the first tag name in the document, in addition to the other ranges assigned.

Tag range

Contains a list of tag names that specify where in the HTML document the tag name being configured may or may not appear. The tag name being configured may validly or invalidly appear as a tag between the opening tag of any tag listed in the Tag Range List Box and its closing tag. Priority is first given to built-in tag names (such as (everywhere) and (first tag)) then given to the most recently opened tag in the HTML document when calculating if a the range of a tag is valid. To remove a tag name from this list box, select the tag name to remove and click the delete button (<-) or double click the tag name to remove. To add a tag name, select the tag name from the Tag Names List Box and click the add button (->) or double click the tag name to add. Use the Range View Radio Buttons to select whether the valid or invalid range is being viewed and/or edited. Note that if the valid and invalid ranges conflict, the range of the tag is unpredictable.

Attributes

Contains a list of all possible attributes that can be assigned to tag names. See below for the buttons used to add and delete attributes to and from this list box.

(ignore all): 	Any tag name with this assigned to its tag attributes will cause HTML Validator to ignore all attributes and attribute values of that tag name, regardless of any other attributes assigned. If the tag name is considered valid, all of its attributes and attribute values are considered valid.

Tag attributes

Contains a list of tag attributes that are valid for the selected tag name being configured. . To remove an attribute from the Tag Attributes List Box, select the attribute to remove and click the delete button (<-) or double click the attribute to remove. To add an attribute to the Tag Attributes List Box, select the attribute to add from the Attributes List Box and click the add button (->) or double click the attribute to add.

Combo Boxes

Tag name being configured

Use this combo box to select a tag name to configure. The tag selected here is the tag whose configuration is being displayed and edited.

Tag name category

Use this combo box to select which tag category the tag name being configured belongs to.

Attribute category

Use this combo box to select which tag category the selected attribute in the Attribute List Box belongs to. The attribute will only be valid when the selected category is an active category.

Push Buttons

New Tag

Press this button to add a new tag name to the Tag Names List Box. The tag name that is added is the string contained in the edit box above the New Tag Button. Note that the tag may not contain spaces and will be changed to all uppercase characters. This does not mean the tag name must appear in uppercase to be valid when an HTML document is check.

Delete Tag

Press this button to delete the tag name selected in the Tag Names List Box. Built-in tag names cannot be deleted. Also note that if you delete a tag name, all other tag names that contain the deleted tag name in its range will no longer contain it.

New Attribute

Press this button to add a new attribute to the Attributes List Box. The attribute that is added is the string contained in the edit box above the New Attribute Button. Note that the attribute may not contain spaces and will be changed to all uppercase characters. This does not mean the attribute must appear in uppercase to be valid when an HTML document is check.

Delete Attribute

Press this button to delete the attribute selected in the Attributes List Box. Built-in tag attributes cannot be deleted. Also note that if you delete an attribute, all tag names that are assigned the deleted attribute will no longer be assigned the attribute.

Edit Categories

Press this button to add, edit, and/or view the available tag categories.

Load Config

Press this button to load a new HTML configuration file. HTML Validator will query you for the name of the configuration file to load. The program options are not changed.

Save Config

Press this button to save the configuration in a file that has the filename of the last loaded configuration file.

Save Config As

Press this button to save the configuration to a filename of your choice.

Radio Buttons

Closing tags

Use these buttons (No closing tag, Optional, Required) to set the tag name being configured to require no closing tag, have an optional closing tag, or require a closing tag.

Range view

Use these three buttons to toggle the view in the Tag Range List Box. In order to change a range (add or delete a tag name from the Tag Range List Box), the correct view must be selected that corresponds to whether the valid range or invalid range is being edited.

Check Boxes

Required attribute

Check this box if the selected attribute in the Attributes List Box must appear within the tag names attribute section, if the tag name is assigned the selected attribute.

Ignore to closing tag

Check this box if you want HTML Validator to ignore all text (comments and tags) between the tag being configured and its closing tag. You should set this only when the tag being configured requires a closing tag. Note that though ignored, the text is still read and parsed, therefore, mismatched quotation marks may prevent the closing tag from being found, as well as if the closing tag is in a comment.


Program Limitations

1. HTML Validator does not currently perform any validation checks on character entities. This feature may be implemented in future releases.

2. HTML Validator does not and cannot completely check a document for 100% correct syntax. One of the reasons is that there are some attribute values that cannot currently be properly expressed in HTML Validator. In this case, HTML Validator will generate an error message or more likely, it will ignore what it cannot understand and assume it is correct (depending mainly on the configuration). It should, however, indicate a majority of syntactical errors including common errors such as missing double quotation marks, missing closing tags, mismatching < and > characters, and using tags in incorrect locations.

3. Tag categories, attributes, and attribute values are limited to 24 characters each.

4. Each tag name may be assigned up to 10 tag names for its valid range and 10 tag names for its invalid range.

5. Each tag name may be assigned up to 20 tag attributes.

6. Each attribute may be assigned up to 40 attribute values.

7. The number of tag names, number of attributes, and number of attribute values is limited to 250 each.

8. The number of tag categories is limited to 20.

9. Each line in a document accessed for reading must be less than 512 characters.

10. This may or may not be considered a limitation: HTML 3.2 does not require <HEAD> and <BODY> tags but due to the current design of HTML Validator, these tags are required for proper validation (and its always better to have them than to not). In addition, some tags may need to be closed for proper validation (such as </TD>) even though in HTML 3.2 they do not have to be.

Special Notes

1. You can overcome some of these limits by creating two or more tag names with the same name. This will allow you to assign 20 tag attributes per tag name entry. The same can be done for attributes.

2. If these limitations become a problem, please let the author know.


Setting Up Right-Click Pop Up Menus

You can utilize the ability of HTML Validator to accept command line arguments by specifying new actions in Explorer for .htm and .html documents. Then when you right click an HTML document in Explorer, you can select validate from the pop up menu and immediately validate the document without manually launching HTML Validator. You can also do the same for the lowercase tool, uppercase tool, and other tools.

1. Open Windows Explorer

2. Select Options from the View pull down menu.

3. Select the File Types tab.

4. Search the Registered file types for any entries that are for .htm extensions. If you find one, select it, press the Edit button, click New…, and skip to step 7, otherwise press the New Type button and go to the next step.

5. Enter HTML Document in the Description of type edit box and enter .htm in the Associated extension edit box.

6. Press the New… button.

7. Enter validate in the Action edit box and then press the Browse button. Locate htmlval.exe, select it, and click Open.

8. Click OK. Click Close.

9. Repeat the procedure for .html, if desired.

Special Notes

You may follow a similar procedure for adding menu options that allows you to immediately process an HTML document with the lowercase tool, uppercase tool, or any other tool available through a command line switch. For instance, for the lowercase or uppercase tool, simply add a -l or -u to the HTML Validator command line when specifying the application used to perform the action, and enter lowercase tool or uppercase tool for the action name.


Tag Attribute Values Dialog Box

This is where you can add, edit, and delete attribute values. An attribute value is the value that appears following an attribute and an equal sign. For instance, in ALIGN=LEFT, ALIGN is the attribute and LEFT is the attribute value.

List Boxes

Attribute values

Contains a list of all available tag attribute values, including several predefined values. See below for the buttons used to add and delete attributes values to and from this list box.

(alphanum string):	Any attribute with this value assigned to it may equal an alphanumeric string. A period and dash or negative sign is also valid.

(ignore value):	Any attribute with this value assigned to it may equal any value, including a zero length string of characters (but it must be quoted if zero length). The value ends at a space character or is a string enclosed in double-quotes.

(integer offset):	Any attribute with this value assigned to it may equal an integer offset such as +1, -9, +2, etc., where the sign of the number is mandatory and where +0 and -0  are not valid values.

(neg integer):	Any attribute with this value assigned to it may equal a negative integer such as -1, -4, -89, etc. 0 is not a negative integer.

(no value):	Any attribute with this value assigned to it is considered valid if it has no value. That is, there is no =VALUE attached to the attribute.

(null string):	 Any attribute with this value assigned to it is considered valid if it is equal to a NULL string. That is, an equal sign followed by two double quote marks with nothing between them.

(percent):	Any attribute with this value assigned to it may equal a percent such as 50%, 0%, 23%, etc., in the range 0% to 100% inclusive.

(pos integer):	Any attribute with this value assigned to it may equal a positive integer, but not a negative integer. Examples are 56, 23, and 782. 0 not a positive integer.

(six digit hex):	Any attribute with this value assigned to it may equal a number in the form #xxxxxx where each x is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, a, b, c, d, e, or f (case insensitive).

(string):	Any attribute with this value assigned to it may equal a non-zero length string of characters. If the string is not enclosed in double-quotes, the string ends at a space character, otherwise the string is all the characters between two double-quotes. Note that assigning this value accepts a very large number values, especially if the string does not have to be double quoted.

(string 2):	Same as (string). With two strings, you can require that one require double quotes and another have optional quotes.

(zero):	Any attribute with this value assigned to it may equal the integer value 0. 00, 000, 0000, etc., are also valid values.

Tag attrib. values

Contains a list of attribute values that are assigned to the currently selected attribute in the HTML Validator Configuration Dialog Box. These are the attribute values that are considered valid for the selected attribute on the previous dialog box when a document is validated. To remove an attribute value from the Tag Attributes List Box, select the attribute value to remove and click the delete button (<-) or double click the attribute value to remove. To add an attribute value to the Tag Attribute Values List Box, select an attribute value from the Attribute Values List Box and click the add button (->) or double click the attribute value to add.

Push Buttons

New Value

Press this button to add a new attribute value to the Attribute Values List Box. The attribute value that is added is the string contained in the edit box above the New Value Button.

Delete Value

Press this button to delete the attribute value selected in the Attribute Values List Box. Built-in attribute values cannot be deleted. Note that if you delete an attribute value, all attributes that have the deleted attribute value assigned will no longer have the attribute value assigned.

->

Press this button to add the selected attribute value in the Attribute Values List Box to the Tag Attribute Values List Box. Note that you may also double click an attribute value in the Attribute Values List Box instead of pressing this button.

<-

Press this button to delete the selected attribute value in the Tag Attribute Values List Box. Note that you may also double click a tag attribute value in the Tag Attribute Values List Box instead of pressing this button.

Radio Buttons

Double Quote Buttons

These buttons affect the currently selected attribute value in the Attribute Values List Box. If the selected attribute value requires that it be enclosed in double quotation marks (i.e. ATTRIBUTE=ATTRIBUTEVALUE), select Must be double-quoted. Otherwise, select Cannot be double-quoted or May be double-quoted, depending on the attribute value.

Case sensitive

Check this box if the currently selected attribute value in the Attribute Values List Box is case sensitive. That is, each characters case of the selected attribute value must match the each characters case of the attribute value in the HTML document in order for it to be valid.


Using the Tools

To use one of these tools, simply select the tool you wish to use from the pull down menu named Tools. HTML Validator will prompt you for the document that you wish to process with the selected tool. Enter the filename of the document to process and press the Open button in the dialog box. HTML Validator will then rename the selected file with a .bak extension and replace the original filename with the processed file. The .bak file will be automatically deleted if the program options is not set so that tools create .bak files. NOTE: All tools, except the template tool, should work on UNiX and Macintosh files as well as MS-DOS text files. The template tool must only be used on MS-DOS text files. In addition, the line length of any line in any file used in any tool (except the Convert Text File Format Tool) must not exceed 512.

Lowercase Tool

Processing a file with this tool will change all alphabetic characters between the characters < and > to lowercase. Exceptions are characters in tags that are enclosed in double quotation marks and characters between <! and > (comments). Be careful! If you have a comment with a > character inside it, such as <!-- text >text< text -->, or if you have certain improper syntax in the document, it may not work properly.

Uppercase Tool

This performs the same operation as the Lowercase Tool except that lowercase alphabetic characters are converted to uppercase.

Strip HTML Tags Tool

This tool attempts to strip all HTML tags and their attributes from an HTML document and leave only text information with no HTML.

Convert Text File Format Tool

This tool replaces <CR>, <LF>, or <CR><LF> characters with new end of line characters that depend on the text file format selected in the Program Options Dialog Box. If you are working with UNiX text files (i.e. HTML documents) for instance, you can convert them to an MS-DOS text file format by specifying MS-DOS format in the program options and then using this tool to convert the file. You can then edit these files with Notepad or another text editor on your PC.

Template Tool

This tool allows you to create HTML documents based on a certain template. If you then need to later change the template it was based on, simply change the template file and then reprocess all of the HTML documents with this tool. The following example details how to use this tool:

The following may appear in an HTML document that may be processed by this tool…

<!-- TEMPLATESTART

 TEMPLATE=c:\htmlval\htmltemplates\template1.txt

 GRAPHIC=/images/logo.gif

 AUTHOR=Albert Wiersch

 EMAIL=wiersch@flash.net

-->

<!-- TEMPLATEEND -->

By running the Template Tool on a document containing the above, HTML Validator uses the file specified by TEMPLATE to insert text from that file into the space between the two comments (after the line --> and before the line <!-- TEMPLATEEND -->). The template file may include symbols (examples of symbols: TEMPLATE, GRAPHIC, etc.) so that portions of the template file are replaced with the symbol values (examples of symbol values: /images/logo.gif, Albert Wiersch, etc.) when the template is inserted into the HTML document. To indicate that a symbol should be replaced with its value when inserting into the document from a template, specify the symbol in the following format (quotes not shown) in the template: $SYMBOL. NOTE: the symbol must appear within double quotes (exclude the dollar sign in the double quotes) and must follow immediately after the dollar sign! Examples from the above (quotes not shown) include $GRAPHIC, $AUTHOR, etc. To actually include one dollar sign, include $$ (two dollar signs) in the template file.

Special Notes

1. <!-- TEMPLATESTART must appear by itself on a single line with no leading space and in all uppercase characters. Similarly, <!-- TEMPLATEEND --> must do the same. You may have multiple template files specified in a document, one for each <!-- TEMPLATESTART and  <!-- TEMPLATEEND -->, but attempting to call a template file from another template file will be ignored (not be processed) unless the actual template file is the file being processed by the tool.

2. The symbol names are case sensitive and limited to 24 characters each. They may consist of alphabetic characters (uppercase or lowercase) or numerical digits and must appear one per line with their values. You may define up to 50 symbols, including the mandatory TEMPLATE symbol which must be all uppercase and must specify the location of the template file.

3. The symbol values begin immediately after the equal sign and end at the end of the line. There is a line limit of 512 characters for lines containing symbol definitions.

4. When a file is processed, all text between --> and <!-- TEMPLATEEND --> is thrown away and replaced with text from the template file.

5. Each line in the template file is limited to 512 characters.

6. The original file is renamed with a .bak extension. If this tool fails, the original file is completely unaltered from the failed processing, and an error message should appear indicating the error.

7. By using the command line option for this tool (-t), you can process many documents quickly. For instance, if you make the tool accessibly from a pull down menu when you right-click on an HTML document, you can select many HTML documents in Explorer and process all of them at one time.


Ordering Information

CSE 3310 Validator is Shareware

CSE 3310 HTML Validator is free for a period of 30 days for evaluation purposes. After that, the program will still continue to function, but you are required to register the software and obtain a license to use it if you continue to use HTML Validator 30 days after your first use of ANY version of this software.

To register HTML Validator, send a check or money order for US $10.00 (price guaranteed through September 1996-- please check the home page for the price after September) to:

Albert Wiersch

3817 Labadie Dr.

Richland Hills,  TX  76118

Include your full legal name, full address, telephone number with area code, and Internet email address. The information supplied will be added to the database of registered and licensed users. You will not physically receive anything back in return. However, a confirmation of your registration and your registration key will be sent to you by email. If you would like the latest version sent to you on disk, and you live in the United States, you may include an additional US $5.00 to receive the latest version on a 3.5 inch HD floppy disk. Otherwise, you can download the latest version of HTML Validator from its home page which is currently located at http://www.flash.net/~wiersch/htmlvalidator.html.

Each registration of US $10.00 allows you to use one copy of HTML Validator on a single computer. You will also be allowed to use any future versions of CSE 3310 HTML Validator at no additional charge.

Because of the low price of this software, we cannot guarantee any availability of support for this product, although we will do our best to provide support as long as it can reasonably be maintained. Please visit the home page of CSE 3310 HTML Validator for the latest information and available support.

The price of US $10.00 is guaranteed through the last day of September, 1996, and may increase after September.


Uninstalling HTML Validator

Follow these steps to uninstall CSE 3310 Validator.

1. Delete all manually created shortcuts (if any) to HTML Validator.

2. Use the Add/Remove Programs Application in the Control Panel to select CSE 3310 HTML Validator and uninstall the application.

3. If the uninstall program does not completely remove the HTML Validator directory, you may manually delete it.


Drag and Drop Default Tool Select Dialog Box

This dialog box selects the default tool used when files are dragged and dropped onto HTML Validator. This dialog box has no effect if Use Default Tool on Dropped Files is not checked.

Radio Buttons

Use the radio buttons to select the tool used when files are dropped onto HTML Validator.

Check Boxes

Dont show this dialog when files are dropped

If this box is not checked and Use Default Tool on Dropped Files is checked, every time a file(s) is(are) dropped onto HTML Validator, the Drag and Drop Default Tool Select Dialog Box will appear to remind you that you will be using a tool on the dropped files, as well as to confirm that you want to perform tool processing with the selected tool. If you do not want this reminder and confirmation to appear, you can disable the dialog box from appearing when you drop files by checking this option. To enable the dialog box after disabling it, just select Set Default Drag and Drop Tool from the Drag and Drop pull down menu and uncheck this option.