[WEB4LIB] Moving from HTML4.01 to XML

Wed Sep 22 18:29:19 EDT 2004

At 12:10 PM -0700 9/22/04, Drew, Bill wrote:
>My next goal with the Morrisville College Library website is to move it
>to XML from HTML4.01.  Can anyone suggest the best way to approach such
>an undertaking?  Any websites with suggestions on doing this?

If your doing it, I suggest the staged approach. First go from HTML 
to XHTML transitional. It's fairly easy to accomplish. In fact you 
can run your site through something like Tidy HTML and it will point 
out all the current errors, and attempt to correct them.

The biggest differences are opening and closing pairs. XHTML requires 
closing statements. So even a <br> gets a closed pair or becomes <br 
/> opening in closing in one. Also lower case code. Often you'll see 
<HEAD></HEAD>  in XHTML it should be <head></head>.

Otherwise, mostly there's little things that could have been applied 
in HTML, but are required in XHTML to validate, like title tags for 
images and links, making table structures squeaky clean if your using 
them. Using CSS. Etc.

If you use BBEdit, start with your front page. Install BBTidy as a 
plugin from http://www.geocities.com/terry_teague/tidy.html  then run 
it. It goes through and finds unmatched pairs, character codes that 
may reduce compliant status, etc.  It can also produce a tentative 
style sheet, that you can then use as the basis for your new site.css 
file.

If your not using a Mac, I'm certain their are PC options similar. I 
just don't know their name.

 From what I see of your site it should transition easily.  Once you 
have a handle on XHTML TRansitional, then you can start the 
conversion to strict after your more familiar with all the rules and 
regulations.

Alnisa
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    Alnisa  Allgood
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