1. Recall from lecture that the XHTML standard is just HTML with a few extra
rules. For example, all tags must be in lowercase, closed, and nested
properly. Additionally, the top three lines of the file tell web browsers
that the XHTML standard is being used. In HTML, the top line was
<html>. In XHTML, that line is replaced with
the three bold lines seen below:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<title></title>
</head>
<body>
</body>
</html>
2. Copy the template above and start making a web page. You will not be
submitting this web page, but you will use this page to get practice
validating XHTML pages, so try to add a lot of stuff to the page. You
should use all the tags from Lab #3 along with images and links. Save the file as
lab4.html (XHTML files are still saved with
a .html file extension).
3. To validate your page, go to http://validator.w3.org/. You have 3 options. The
first option ("by URI") works if you uploaded your file to your web space on
Dante/Homer. The second option ("by File Upload") will work if you just
want to validate a file on your computer before uploading it to your web
space. The third option ("by Direct Input") works by copying the text of
your file and pasting it in the text box provided by the validation web
site. Take your pick. I suggest trying all three at one point and seeing
which way you prefer.
Note: URI is a general term that includes URLs.
4. If your page returns no errors, then you are done validating (but
continue reading the rest of this page for information about reference
pages). Otherwise, scroll down the validation page and look at the first
error. If you don't understand what it is saying, ask a neighbor or a TA.
Once you understand what the error message is telling you, fix the error
in the original XHTML file. For example, if you are using
the "by Direct Input" method and you fix the problem in the text box, you
might get it to validate, but your original file on your computer or on
Dante/Homer will NOT be fixed! Continue revalidating until your page
passes!
The "XHTML 1.0
Strict" Reference will be useful. Remember that the body
element only allows block-level elements (see "Content" row).
Make sure you understand how to read and use the reference pages for XHTML
elements. There's a lot of information, but other than "Attributes", you
should have a general understanding of all the sections in the reference
pages of XHTML elements. If you don't, make sure to ask!