Tables - Rows with different numbers of td tags

[jgcordes]

I quite often convert word processor files with long tables of data into clean HTML. I like to check my results with Validator (v9.03). One problem which frequently comes up is that I might have a table with hundreds of rows, and Validator will tell me, quite rightly, that my table has rows with different lengths. Then it will list the lengths (no. of columns) in each row, for example I might see: 8,7,7,7,7,5,8,7, ... and so on for a couple hundred or more entries. When I go to fix the problem it gets very difficult to find which rows are "wrong".

It would be extremely helpful if there was a way to find out the line number in the file, or the row number of the table, corresponding to each number in this list. Say if I could click on the 5, say, and have it display the source line.

Is there any possibility of something like this?

Thanks,
John Cordes

[Albert Wiersch]

Hi John,

There's no easy way to be taken to the line where a certain table row begins, but it may be possible to improve this message to include the line number of where the row starts in a future update so you could press Ctrl+G and easily go to that line. Would this be helpful?

[jgcordes]

Hi Albert,


It is not really important to be taken 'automagically' to a particular line. But anything which would tell me the line number of a particular row would do the trick just fine. I am unclear if that is what you mean here:
"...include the line number of where the row starts ..."

It is no use to have the line number of where the table starts, but if you mean I could find the line number where a particular row, say one with 5 columns, begins, than that would be wonderful. I just need a good clue to get me close!

Thanks,
John

[Albert Wiersch]

It is not really important to be taken 'automagically' to a particular line. But anything which would tell me the line number of a particular row would do the trick just fine.

Great. I will look into this for a future update. It may be easily possible to change the message to include the line number where each row starts, and if so, then I will try to get it into an upcoming v10 update.

[jgcordes]

It is not really important to be taken 'automagically' to a particular line. But anything which would tell me the line number of a particular row would do the trick just fine.

Great. I will look into this for a future update. It may be easily possible to change the message to include the line number where each row starts, and if so, then I will try to get it into an upcoming v10 update.

Sounds like just what I need. Is there some way to be informed, on this Forum, when there is a reply to a post?

John

[Albert Wiersch]

Is there some way to be informed, on this Forum, when there is a reply to a post?

Hi John,

Sure, make sure you are subscribed to the topic. There should be a "Subscribe topic" link that you can click on to subscribe to a topic.

[jgcordes]

Is there some way to be informed, on this Forum, when there is a reply to a post?

Hi John,

Sure, make sure you are subscribed to the topic. There should be a "Subscribe topic" link that you can click on to subscribe to a topic.

Thanks Albert. I found the box at the bottom for Subscribe Topic and see that it was already checked. I must have done that previously, probably when I first posted. However, I have never received a notification -- yes, I do attempt to monitor my spam folders more or less regularly. Can you tell me how the sender would show in such a notice?

John

[Albert Wiersch]

Thanks Albert. I found the box at the bottom for Subscribe Topic and see that it was already checked. I must have done that previously, probably when I first posted. However, I have never received a notification -- yes, I do attempt to monitor my spam folders more or less regularly. Can you tell me how the sender would show in such a notice?

John

Hi John, I think you should be auto-subscribed for topics you start or reply to, but I'm not sure.

You should get a message like this:
Subject: Topic reply notification - "Tables - Rows with different numbers of td tags"
From: support@htmlvalidator.com

Strange, I don't see emails going out for you when I posted this reply. I wonder if you changed something in your User Control Panel? Or maybe something else is going on. I'm not sure what, though. I would have to research further.

[jgcordes]

Thanks Albert. I found the box at the bottom for Subscribe Topic and see that it was already checked. I must have done that previously, probably when I first posted. However, I have never received a notification -- yes, I do attempt to monitor my spam folders more or less regularly. Can you tell me how the sender would show in such a notice?

John

Hi John, I think you should be auto-subscribed for topics you start or reply to, but I'm not sure.

You should get a message like this:
Subject: Topic reply notification - "Tables - Rows with different numbers of td tags"
From: support@htmlvalidator.com

Strange, I don't see emails going out for you when I posted this reply. I wonder if you changed something in your User Control Panel? Or maybe something else is going on. I'm not sure what, though. I would have to research further.

Albert, You're right, my User Control Panel -> Manage Subscriptions shows that I am not subscribed to any forums and also not subscribed to any topics. I have no idea why that may be. I presume that overrides the "subscribe topic" setting mentioned earlier? I don't see what I can do about this in the User Control Panel.

John

[Lou]

This forum is not overly active so you could try the RSS feel and catch all threads.

[Albert Wiersch]

Albert, You're right, my User Control Panel -> Manage Subscriptions shows that I am not subscribed to any forums and also not subscribed to any topics. I have no idea why that may be. I presume that overrides the "subscribe topic" setting mentioned earlier? I don't see what I can do about this in the User Control Panel.

John

Hi John,

Does the link at the bottom say "Subscribe topic" or "Unsubscribe topic"? It should say "Unsubscribe topic" if you are subscribed. It may be confusing if you don't understand how it works. It's a link to CHANGE to that setting... so if you are subscribed, then it should show "Unsubscribe topic".

If it says "Unsubscribe topic", then you should be subscribed to the topic and it should show in your "Manage subscriptions" User Control Panel page (in the Overview tab). Is it not doing that when it should?

Lou, thanks for mentioning the RSS feed option.

[jgcordes]

Albert, You're right, my User Control Panel -> Manage Subscriptions shows that I am not subscribed to any forums and also not subscribed to any topics. I have no idea why that may be. I presume that overrides the "subscribe topic" setting mentioned earlier? I don't see what I can do about this in the User Control Panel.

John

Hi John,

Does the link at the bottom say "Subscribe topic" or "Unsubscribe topic"? It should say "Unsubscribe topic" if you are subscribed. It may be confusing if you don't understand how it works. It's a link to CHANGE to that setting... so if you are subscribed, then it should show "Unsubscribe topic".

If it says "Unsubscribe topic", then you should be subscribed to the topic and it should show in your "Manage subscriptions" User Control Panel page (in the Overview tab). Is it not doing that when it should?

Lou, thanks for mentioning the RSS feed option.

Ah, I see! It said Subscribe topic, and had a check mark beside it. I took that to mean that I had clicked the box and so was already subscribed. Now I have actually clicked on the link, which should solve the problem.

Yes Lou thanks for the RSS feed idea. Periodically I use feeds but then often get tired of that way of getting stuff. I much prefer to get an email for my own topic.

Thanks,
John

[Albert Wiersch]

Ah, I see! It said Subscribe topic, and had a check mark beside it. I took that to mean that I had clicked the box and so was already subscribed. Now I have actually clicked on the link, which should solve the problem.

Great! Did it work now?

[jgcordes]

Ah, I see! It said Subscribe topic, and had a check mark beside it. I took that to mean that I had clicked the box and so was already subscribed. Now I have actually clicked on the link, which should solve the problem.

Great! Did it work now?

It did!

Thanks,
John

[Gamecock]

I've had trouble fixing tables to avoid these CSE warnings myself.

Any extra clues in the message on how to fix those issues will be much appreciated!