Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

IMPORTANT: If you receive an "Illegal System DLL Relocation" error mentioning user32.dll and Hhctrl.ocx, then please see Microsoft KB Article #935448.

If you have searched the support pages and cannot find a solution to your issue or problem, then please post it on our web-based support forums or contact us describing the issue or problem.

Check your computer for viruses! The most likely cause of this is a virus infecting the EXE that you have downloaded. When you run the CSE HTML Validator setup program, it detects the corruption and lets you know about it. If you don't find any viruses on your computer, try downloading the file again.

I installed HTML Validator and every time I start my computer, the license agreement shows up, the program starts, and other things start automatically.

Check to make sure that you did not install HTML Validator into your Startup folder. If you did, then Windows will automatically run all of HTML Validator's shortcuts when you start Windows. The easiest way to correct this is to uninstall HTML Validator and then reinstall it into the default folder or another folder other than the Startup folder.

How do I do a silent install?

With versions up to and including CSE Pro v4.5 and CSE Lite v2.5, you can use the "/silent" command line parameter when executing the installation program. With later versions (CSE Std/Pro v5.0+ and CSE Lite v3.0+) you can use the following:

"/sp-" to disable the This will install... Do you wish to continue? question
"/silent" to disable the wizard and the background window (the installation progress window is still shown)
"/verysilent" to disable the wizard, background, and installation progress window

I'm upgrading to a new computer. How do I move HTML Validator over to it?

You should download the latest version of HTML Validator and install it using the setup program. Simply copying the files over will not perform a correct installation. After installing it, you can register it with your registration information.

I uninstalled a previous version of HTML Validator and am having problems using the new version.

If you have two versions of HTML Validator installed, then uninstalling one of them may interfere with the other. You should reinstall (into the same folder) the version that you want to keep using after uninstalling another version of HTML Validator that was also on your system.

How do I remove the HTML Validator option settings from the registry?

WARNING! This removes your HTML Validator option settings from the registry! You should reinstall HTML Validator after doing this if you want to continue using HTML Validator. You may have to do this procedure for every user that you want the option settings removed for. You should also execute/open the *.reg file at least once as administrator because there is a certain key that should be removed that requires administrator access to remove.

CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v4.0x - v8.0x and above: removecfg4.reg
CSE HTML Validator Lite v6.5x - v8.0x and above: removecfglite.reg

How do I replicate the configuration and options for multiple installs?

You'll need to use the same configuration file. This file is named something like htmlval60.cfg or htmlval65.cfg. Make sure that the same configuration file exists on all computers and that the Default configuration file option in the Validator Engine Options, General tab points to it.
If you want to replicate the validator engine options, then you'll need to copy registry data. You can use the Registry Editor to export and import registry data. To replicate just the validator engine options and not the editor options, export the "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4\Validator DLL" key on the source machine and then import it on the target machine. To replicate all registry settings (including the editor settings), use the "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4" key instead.
If you are importing registry data, be sure that the installation folder on the target machine is the same as the installation folder on the source machine.
CSE HTML Validator should be installed with the installation program on all target machines before the registry data are imported.
In CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v7.0x and above, there is an import/export option in the Validator Engine Options that you can use to export the validator engine options to a file and them import them into another installation.

I'm having trouble with an upgrade installation. How do I do a clean install?

Close all instances of CSE HTML Validator that are running on your computer.
Uninstall all versions of CSE HTML Validator from your computer. You can use Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel. If at uninstall you are asked to do a "full uninstall", then answer 'Yes'. If this question is asked and you say yes, then you do not need to follow the link in the next step to remove the old option settings from the registry.
Remove old option settings from the registry (this will cause your options and registration information to be forgotten).
(optional) For an even cleaner install, you can manually delete the HTML Validator folders where you originally installed CSE HTML Validator. These are usually folders beginning with "HTMLValidator" in your "C:\Program Files" folder. Normally this step is not necessary.
Install the version of CSE HTML Validator that you want to use.
Run and then register CSE HTML Validator using your registration information.

How do I install the latest standard/professional edition without uninstalling an older version?

To avoid potential conflicts, we recommend uninstalling a previous version before installing a new major version (this includes upgrades from v5.0x to v5.5x, v5.0x to v6.0x, v5.5x to v6.0x, etc. but does not include minor updates such as from v5.50 to v5.51 or v6.00 to v6.01). However, with v6.0x and above, you can install it with a previous version on your system. If you do this, please note the following:

These steps are not for the lite edition. The lite edition acts independently of whatever standard or professional edition(s) you may have installed. These steps are only for installing multiple major versions of the standard and/or professional editions.
Third party applications that use CSE HTML Validator will use the version that was last installed. This is because the installation program installs the validator engine into the Windows system folder, overwriting any preexisting engine from a previous installation.
CSE HTML Validator's integrated editor v5.5x and below will also use the validator engine of the last version installed. CSE HTML Validator v6.0x's integrated editor will not be affected by the last version installed as it will use the v6.0x validation engine regardless of the last version installed. Therefore, if you want to have v5.5x and v6.0x both installed and using their respective validator engines, then install both versions, installing v5.5x last. If you already have v5.5x installed, then install v6.0x and then reinstall v5.5x into its existing folder. Note that because you installed v5.5x last, third party applications will use the v5.5x validation engine and not the v6.0x engine.
If you have more than one version of CSE HTML Validator installed and you want to uninstall one of the versions, then you should uninstall the version that you want to remove and then reinstall the version that you want to keep into the same folder that it is already installed in.

Starting Issues (after Installation)

HTML Validator displays "Error reading DCMemo->UseGlobalOptions" when starting.

Download and execute/open regfix.reg. This will make changes to your registry that will fix the problem. If you save this file instead of opening it, then you will have to double-click it after downloading it in order for the registry changes to be made.

HTML Validator displays the error "HTML Validator: Error Opening HTML Configuration."

In CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v4.0+, go to Options | Validator Engine Options and then to the General tab. Make sure that the default configuration file contains a FULL and correct path to the configuration file. For example, it should be something like "C:\Program Files\HTMLValidator4\htmlval40.cfg" for v4.0x, "C:\Program Files\HTMLValidator45\htmlval45.cfg" for v4.5x, or "C:\Program Files\HTMLValidator50\htmlval50.cfg" for v5.0x and not just "\htmlval40.cfg".

In CSE HTML Validator Lite v2.0+, you will have to edit the Windows registry using the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) which you can run from the Start Menu by choosing Run and typing in "regedit". Make sure that the value for "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator Lite v2\Validator DLL\General\DefaultConfigurationFileNameV20" points to the configuration file. It should be something like "C:\Program Files\HTMLValidatorLite2\htmlvallite20.cfg" that contains a FULL and correct path and refers to the folder where you installed HTML Validator.

HTML Validator displays an "Insert disk" or "No Disk" message like "Please insert a disk into drive A:."

This is usually caused when the default selected folder in the Shell or Shell 2 tab of the Resource Window is on a removable drive and a disk is not in the drive. To solve this problem, either keep a disk in the default selected folder(s) or make the default selected folder a drive that does not use removable disks. You can do this by selecting the Shell tab in the Resource Window and selecting a different drive or folder (if the Resource Window is not visible, press Alt+F9). Do the same for the Shell 2 tab if using CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v5.5x or later.

HTML Validator cannot load the Tag Inserter Configuration.

Using regedit.exe, delete "TagInserterConfigFilename" in the key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4\Editor\Options". This will cause HTML Validator to reset this value to the default value which will likely fix the problem. If this doesn't work, and you have manually changed the Tag Inserter Configuration, then make sure that it is in the correct format or HTML Validator will not be able to load it.

HTML Validator freezes when trying to start.

This may happen if you have disconnected network drives. Check to make sure that you have no disconnected network drives and then try to restart HTML Validator. If this doesn't work, try using regedit.exe to delete "SelectedFolder" and "SelectedFolder2" (if it exists) in the key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4\Editor\Interface" and then restart HTML Validator.

Registration Issues

I lost my key and/or need to download the program again. How can I do this?

You can have all your registration information emailed to you again, including information on how to download a registerable version. Send Registration Information

I'm not getting the email with my registration information.

First, make sure that your registration information has been emailed to you. If you do not receive it with 24 hours (normally it comes much faster), then the most likely cause is a spam filter that is incorrectly filtering or blocking the email. You may need to address this with your spam filtering software to make sure that the email is not being discarded or incorrectly sent to the wrong folder. If this doesn't resolve the problem or you do not use spam filtering software or spam filtering rules on your computer, then your ISP may be filtering or blocking the email. If you do not receive your registration information email within 24 hours after it is sent then we recommend that you contact your ISP and ask them why you are not receiving email from htmlvalidator.com.

How can I automatically register CSE by entering information directly into the registry?

For CSE Pro v4.0x, you can install these string value names: "RegistrationKey40", "RegistrationName40", and "RegistrationPIN40" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4".

For CSE Pro v4.5x, you can install these string value names: "RegistrationKeyV45", "RegistrationNameV45", and "RegistrationPINV45" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4".

For CSE Std/Pro v5.0x, you can install these string value names: "RegistrationKeyV50", "RegistrationNameV50", and "RegistrationPINV50" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4".

For CSE Std/Pro v5.5x, you can install these string value names: "RegistrationKeyV55", "RegistrationNameV55", and "RegistrationPINV55" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4".

For CSE Std/Pro v6.0x, you can install these string value names: "RegistrationKeyV60", "RegistrationNameV60", and "RegistrationPINV60" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4".

For CSE Std/Pro v6.5x, you can install these string value names: "RegistrationKeyV65", "RegistrationNameV65", and "RegistrationPINV65" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4".

For CSE Std/Pro v7.0x, you can install these string value names: "RegistrationKeyV70", "RegistrationNameV70", and "RegistrationPINV70" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4".

For CSE Std/Pro v8.0x, you can install these string value names: "RegistrationKeyV80", "RegistrationNameV80", and "RegistrationPINV80" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4".

For CSE Std/Pro v9.0x, you can install these string value names: "RegistrationKeyV90", "RegistrationNameV90", and "RegistrationPINV90" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4".

Also see how to stop HTML Validator from requiring registration for different logins.

How can I stop HTML Validator from requiring registration for different logins?

HTML Validator stores registration information in the registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER. Therefore, it needs to be registered for each user who will use it under a different login name. In CSE HTML Validator Professional v4.51 and v4.52, this requirement can be overridden by creating the value names "RegistrationNameV45", "RegistrationPINV45", and "RegistrationKeyV45" under "HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4". Set these three value names to the appropriate string values based on your registration information.

In CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v5.0x, this requirement can be overridden by creating the value names "RegistrationNameV50", "RegistrationPINV50", and "RegistrationKeyV50" under "HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4" (yes, v4 instead of v5). The same is true for later versions, but replace "VXX" in the value names with the correct version, such as "V60" for v6.0x. Store the value names and values in "HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4".

When trying to register, I get the message "An error occurred recording the registration information. Cannot register."

This problem affects mainly v3.0. Registry entries may be missing from the registry. Reinstall the program using the csesetup.exe program to automatically correct these registry entries. For best results, uninstall CSE HTML Validator with Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel before reinstalling. Note that you may lose all CSE HTML Validator option settings (they will be set back to default).

My registered version of HTML Validator is acting like it is the trial version.

First, make sure that you have downloaded a registrable version of HTML Validator using your registration number and PIN number. Then install it and enter your registration information into the program (Help->Register Program) according to the instructions provided when you purchased the license. Make sure that you enter the correct registration information into HTML Validator and that you use the correct key for the version of HTML Validator that you are using. A common problem is using an old key that was for a previous version of HTML Validator. You can also have your registration information (with the latest keys) sent to you again.

If the above doesn't work, then another possible cause of this problem is when there is an old or trial version of csevalidator.dll still on your hard drive after you install the registered version. Search your computer for csevalidator.dll and delete all copies of it except the copy in the Windows system folder. This file should only be in the Windows system folder. If this doesn't work, make sure that HTML Validator is not running and use the setup program to reinstall HTML Validator into the same folder as the original installation.

Interface Issues

HTML Validator is unstable, crashes, or exhibits unusual GUI behavior.

First, make sure that you are using the latest version of CSE HTML Validator by doing an update check (in v4.0x and above, choose Help->Check for New Program Version). You can also see what version you are using by choosing Help->About and comparing it to the latest version available for download. If this doesn't fix the problem, and you are using CSE HTML Validator v4.0 or later, then make sure that you have version 4.72 or later of COMCTL32.DLL. If you have IE 4.0 or later installed, you probably already have this. If not, try downloading and installing the update from Microsoft. If you think you've found a bug, are using the latest version, and can consistently reproduce the bug, then please contact us.

Other possible causes of this are bad hardware (such as defective memory), running too many programs in the background, and running software that interferes with the normal operation of your computer. Furthermore, Windows 95, 98, and Me are not as stable as Windows NT, 2000, or XP so problems are more common on those platforms. You may also want to try updating your video drivers, as bugs in video drivers have been known to cause system and application crashes.

How do I change the Office XP style menus?

You can do this in CSE Std/Pro v5.50 and above and in CSE Lite v3.50 and above. In CSE Std/Pro v5.50 use the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) to change "MenuSkin" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4\Editor\Interface" to one of the following: 0 (disabled), 1 (Office XP (default)), 2 (Native Windows XP), or 3 (Windows XP). In CSE Std/Pro v5.51+ and CSE Lite v3.50+ check or uncheck the Use Office XP style menus and toolbars option in the General 1 tab of the Editor Options.

Runtime Issues

I do not hear sound when validating documents (for versions prior to v6.0).

CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v3.0 and above will normally play sound after validating a document. Current lite editions also support sound (but older versions do not). For sound to be played, several conditions must be met:

The sound is played using a tag name program, so tag name programs must be enabled (they are by default).
The tag name program flag that causes the sound to be played must also be enabled (it is by default). This flag is flag 11 in the configuration that is provided by default.
You must be using a configuration that supports sound. If you are using your own configuration, it will not play sound unless you write a tag name program to do so. The configuration included with v3.0 and above already supports sound.
The actual sound files (WAV files) that are used must be installed. They are not included with HTML Validator. To install the sound files, install the Windows sound schemes. Use the Windows Setup (or Windows NT Setup) tab in Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel to do this. The sound schemes are in the Multimedia category. The specific sound files used by default are "Utopia Error.wav" and "Utopia Asterisk.wav". These sound files should be in the Windows "Media" folder. Note that these particular sound files may not be included with Windows XP.
Your sound drivers and sound system must be working and set up properly. If you can hear sound in other applications, then it is probably working correctly.

Note that in some configuration files that you can select your own WAV files to be played by using the Programs tab of the Configuration Editor to edit the end validation program. Scroll down to the end of the program to change the playSound() function to play the WAV file that you want. In CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v5.02, you should change registry entries to change the sound that is played (see how do I change the sound that is played at the end of a validation?).

How do I change the sound that is played at the end of a validation?

In CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v5.02-v5.5x, you can change the sound that is played by changing the "ErrorsOrWarningsSound" and "NoErrorsOrWarningSound" registry entries. These entries are in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4\Validator DLL\Validator. Note that if you do not want sound to be played, then you should disable (uncheck) flag 11.

In CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v6.0 and above, you can specify what sounds you want to play in the Validator Engine Options->General tab.

By default, standard windows sound files will be used and you must have those on your system in order for sound to work. Windows XP sound is different than previous versions of Windows because Windows XP includes different sounds. If you are using Windows XP and want to hear the same sound that is played in previous versions of Windows, then you may want to obtain the files "Utopia Error.wav" and "Utopia Asterisk.wav" from a previous version of Windows and then change the registry entries so that they point to the correct sound files.

How to I change the default folder when opening a file?

For the standard or professional edition: HTML Validator normally uses the folder selected in the Resource Window, Shell tab as the default folder when opening files. To change the selected folder, view the Resource Window, select the Shell tab, and then select the folder that you want to be the default in the top half of the Resource Window.

For the lite edition (v7.0+): The "Start in" folder can be changed (by editing the properties of the shortcut used to launch CSE HTML Validator Lite) to the folder that you'd like to be the default folder when first opening a file with File->Open. CSE HTML Validator Lite will also remember the directory of the last opened file until the program is closed.

Viewing with the external viewer does not work.

When choosing to view a document with an external viewer, CSE HTML Validator tells the operating system to open the document using its default program. Therefore, make sure that the operating system knows the correct program to open your documents with. For example, if you are having trouble viewing HTML files in Windows XP (you want your browser to open with the HTML document when you choose to view an HTML document with the external viewer in CSE HTML Validator), then open Windows Explorer, choose an HTML file, bring up the pop-up context menu for it (usually by right-clicking the mouse), choose Open With->Choose Program, select the browser you want (such as Internet Explorer), check the box Always use the selected program to open this kind of file, then click OK. Finally, try viewing an HTML document with the external viewer in CSE HTML Validator (it should now work). In Windows XP, you can also open Windows Explorer and go to Tools->Folder Options, File Types tab and change the behavior based on file type there.

Validation Issues

Why is HTML Validator generating errors for entities like , , and ?

You are likely using non-standard, Microsoft specific entities. The use of these entities is not recommended. They may not work on other platforms. There are no displayable characters 128 to 159 in ISO-8859-1 or in Unicode. See this chart for alternate entities to use. If the alternate entities are not accepted by HTML Validator, then you may need to check the Numeric entities include Unicode option in the Validator 1 tab of the Validator Engine Options. If you still want to use the non-standard entities (not recommended), then you can tell HTML Validator (professional edition only) that these entities are OK by adding them to the configuration.

The validator is telling me that not all of my tags are closed. How do I find out which tags are not closed?

It is normal for some tags not to be closed. For example, the IMG and META tags should not be closed. If a tag that should be closed is not, the validator will point it out with an error message. If it is acceptable for a tag not to be closed, the validator will not generate any error or warning messages and will not tell you specifically which tags are not closed.

Why is the validator telling me that some of my tags are not closed (have no end tag) when the end tags are there?

The most likely cause of this is that there is a mismatched quotation mark in a tag, either an extra one or a missing one. This is confusing the parser and the validator is not able to see the end tags that are there. To find the problem, look for the first message that starts with "Reached the end of the line before a closing quote..." or "This line contains part of a quoted string that spans more than one line...". The mismatched quotation mark is probably on or near that line. Also see What do the messages "Reached the end of the line...", "This line contains part of a quoted string that spans more than one line...", and "Reached the end of the document before..." mean?

Important: If you don't receive any "Reached the end of the line before a closing quote..." or "This line contains part of a quoted string that spans more than one line..." messages, then you may have the Allow multi-line quotes option checked. You may want to go to the Validator Engine Options and uncheck this option so that "Reached the end of the line before a closing quote..." and "This line contains part of a quoted string that spans more than one line..." messages can be generated, thus making it easier to find certain problems caused by improper quotations. AI Internet Solutions recommends that you keep this option unchecked.

What do the messages "Reached the end of the line...", "This line contains part of a quoted string that spans more than one line...", and "Reached the end of the document before..." mean?

The "Reached the end of the line before a closing quote..." or "This line contains part of a quoted string that spans more than one line..." message could indicate two things: 1) You have a quoted string on multiple lines or 2) there is a missing or extra quotation mark. If #1, then we recommend that you put the whole quotation on one line and do not wrap it onto multiple lines. If #2, then you should look for an extra or missing quotation mark in the line that causes the first "Reached the end of the line before a closing quote..." or "This line contains part of a quoted string that spans more than one line..." message to appear.

The "Reached the end of the document before..." message is sometimes displayed when there is a mismatched quotation mark somewhere in the document. The mismatched quotation mark may make HTML Validator think that your HTML tags are in a quoted string, so it ignores them. This can cause HTML Validator to generate erroneous messages. To find where the problem is likely to be, look at the first line that causes the "Reached the end of the line before a closing quote..." or "This line contains part of a quoted string that spans more than one line..." message to appear. Look at this line to make sure that you have not misused any quotation mark characters by forgetting to include one or by using an extra quotation character.

Why is my <A> tag out of range?

It is likely that a previous <A> tag has not been closed. <A> tags cannot be nested, even if it is just a <A NAME="name"> tag. You must close all <A> tags with a </A>.

How do I print or email a validation report?

If your version and edition support the Batch Wizard, then you can use it to generate a validation report in HTML for single or multiple documents. The report can then be printed from your web browser. In CSE HTML Validator Professional v4.05 and greater, you can simply use the Validate with Batch Wizard function (Shift+F6) from the integrated editor. Otherwise you will have to go into the Batch Wizard and create a target list with the documents that you want to validate.

In current versions, you can also choose Copy Messages to Clipboard from the context menu (right-click menu) of the Results Window. You can then paste the messages somewhere where they can be printed, such as a blank document in HTML Validator, or you can paste the messages into an email. Similarly you can choose Links->Export Links to Text in the context menu to generate a list of links that can be printed or emailed. To print the structure, choose Print from the context menu of the memo where the structure is being displayed.

Another method is to use the Drag and Drop Window. Using this window, you can drag and drop a document onto the Drag and Drop Window and the results will appear in Notepad (by default). You can then print the document from Notepad. To do this, make sure that the Drag and Drop Window is visible and that Use Validator on Dropped Files is checked. Then simply drag and drop the document that you want to validate onto the window.

Why does HTML Validator require closing tags for "dt" and "dd"?

In CSE HTML Validator Professional v4.51, AI Internet Solutions decided to require closing tags for the "dt" and "dd" elements. This is to help developers generate better HTML that is more compatible with XHTML and that is more trouble free. Furthermore, there has been a report that closing these tags may fix some display problems in the Opera browser. If, however, you want to change this back to optional closing tags, then you can do so using the Configuration Editor. Go to the Configuration Editor, Tag Names tab. Select dd (023) in the Tag Name Being Configured drop down list. Select the Optional closing tag radio button. Do the same for dt (022) and save the configuration.

Why does HTML Validator's results differ from W3C's validator results?

W3C's validation engine is a DTD based "real" validator while CSE HTML Validator's engine is a custom designed HTML, XHTML, and CSS syntax checking engine. Because of the two different types of engines, the results of HTML Validator's engine and W3C's engine may (and probably will) be significantly different.

CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro's own validator engine is designed to be extremely powerful and to catch many issues that other DTD based "real" validators and other syntax checkers cannot find. This is because DTD based validators are limited in the problems they can find due to technical constraints on what can be checked. Additionally, to save you time, CSE HTML Validator ignores many issues that are unlikely to cause problems so that you can concentrate on the more important problems.

However, if you still want results that are more similar to the W3C validator, then you can use the included DTD based validator in CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v8.0 and above.

Read more about this issue in the answer to Does HTML Validator have a DTD ("real") validator?. You can also read why CSE is better.

How do I check dynamic sites like PHP and ASP sites?

CSE HTML Validator is not designed to check raw/unprocessed ASP and PHP files (though it may still be useful in some cases, depending upon the structure of the document). We recommend that instead of checking the raw documents, that the output of the dynamic pages be checked instead. CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro is great for checking the HTML/XHTML output of dynamic scripts! Simply use the integrated web browser to browse your site's dynamic pages while at the same time displaying and checking the HTML output. If any problems are found, then you can correct the script and then reload the page. HTML Validator can then automatically recheck the HTML/XHTML output. There's also a Firefox extension that lets you check HTML source from within Firefox.

How do I check frames?

Validate the document containing the "frameset" tag and then go to the Links tab in the Results Window. Right-click to bring up the context menu on the link containing the HTML source of the frame you want to check and choose Open Link in Editor (or you may want to choose Open Link in Browser).

Configuring the Validator

How do I validate to only HTML 3.2 or HTML 4.01?

If you want stricter syntax checking that does not allow for Internet Explorer extensions or Netscape extensions, then you should disable the categories for Internet Explorer and Netscape extensions. You can do this by removing these categories from the active categories using the Configuration Editor. Also, if you want to check against HTML 3.2, you should also remove the HTML 4.0 category from the active categories but make sure to leave the HTML 2.0 and HTML 3.2 categories active. To check against HTML 4.0/4.01 (recommended over HTML 3.2), leave the HTML 4.0 and HTML 4.01 categories active. Note that the standard and lite editions do not include the Configuration Editor so you cannot change the active categories or edit the configuration.

How do I configure HTML Validator to validate a new tag?

Please see the CSE HTML Validator Configuration Page.

How do I configure HTML Validator to accept only certain strings for attribute values?

CSE HTML Validator Professional v4.0 and above can do this (but not the standard or lite editions because they lack the Configuration Editor). In this example, the "class" attribute will be checked for certain values, and a warning will be displayed if the value is not in the list. To do this, add the following code to the beginning of the attribute program for "class (124)" using the Programs tab of the Configuration Editor. Make sure that you select the Attribute program radio button and check Enable attribute program in the Programs tab.

#index=getAttIndex("class");
if ( matchCase(getAttValue($index), "classname1", "classname2", "classname3")==0 ) {
Message(1, $MSG_WARNING, 'The "' + getAttName($index) + '" attribute has a questionable value.', getAttValueLocation($index));
}

A warning message will be displayed if the value for the attribute "class" is not "classname1", "classname2", or "classname3".
You can add more strings by separating them with commas.
matchCase() performs a case sensitive match. Use matchNoCase() instead of matchCase() for a case insensitive match.

Can I make HTML Validator more strict/picky?

Try to check/uncheck these validator engine options for a stricter/pickier validation:

 Strict comment format - check
Check HTML tag nesting - check
Ignore all quotation requirements - uncheck
Require optional closing tags - check
Require quoted attribute values - check

You can also deactivate tag categories that you may not want to use, such as Internet Explorer and Netscape extensions. You can do this using the Categories tab of the Configuration Editor.

How do I change a message type (like changing a warning message to an error message)?

Because HTML Validator is very configurable, you may be able to change some messages from one type of message (like a warning) to another type of message (like an error). To do this, the Configuration Editor must generally be used. For example, to generate an error message instead of a normal message when the "img" element is used without the "height", "width", or "alt" attributes, go to Options->Configuration and the Programs tab. Select img (040) for the Tag Name Being Configured. Select Open tag name for the Edit Program Type. In the Program Editor, find the message that you want to change and then change the parameter that determines the message type. In this example, after finding the message that you want to change, change the $MSG_MESSAGE value to $MSG_ERROR. Other message types can be specified with $MSG_WARNING and $MSG_COMMENT. NOTE: Changes to the configuration file are usually overwritten when you upgrade HTML Validator so your changes may be lost. To save the changes permanently, you will have to save the configuration using a different filename than the default.

In CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v5.50+, you can easily change the type of a message by bringing up the context menu (usually done by right-clicking the mouse on the message). Then select Options for this Message->Change Message Type to and then select the message type. Note that these options are not available for all messages.

How do I export all the tag name programs to a text file?

In the professional edition, there are some advanced development features that can be enabled by changing a value in the registry. One of these features is the ability to export and import the tag name programs of a configuration file to an XML type file. The options are Options->Configuration Editor->Export programs to c:\programexport.xml and Options->Configuration Editor->Import programs from c:\programexport.xml. If these options are not already enabled, they can be enabled by following the below steps (do not do this more than once):

Exit all instances of CSE HTML Validator.
Use the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) to add the hexadecimal value 0x4000 (16384) to the current value of "Flags2V45" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4\Editor\Interface". NOTE: Only add this value once if it has not already been added.
Load CSE HTML Validator Professional and the new options should appear.

NOTE: This function is not robust because it is not designed for regular use. Be careful when using it. Be sure to make backups of the configuration file at different stages. Be sure that the '<' character in tag name programs is represented as <.

How do I switch between different sets of validation options?

In versions 6.5 and lower, choosing between different sets of validation options requires editing the registry. The validator engine options are stored in the registry under the key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4\Validator DLL". In order to switch between sets of validation options, place the new set of options under the "Validator DLL" key. For example, to create a new set of validator options, exit HTML Validator, rename "Validator DLL" to "OptionSet1" (or whatever you want), then reload HTML Validator. Upon reloading, HTML Validator will recreate the "Validator DLL" key with the default options. You can then set up the validator engine options as you want. When you want to switch back to "OptionSet1", then exit HTML Validator, rename "Validator DLL" to "OptionSet2", rename "OptionSet1" back to "Validator DLL", and then reload HTML Validator. Note that if you use the message ID feature to disable messages or change their type, then, by default, the same message ID settings will be used for all the validator option sets unless you change the registry entry "DefaultMsgIDConfigurationFileNameV65" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AI Internet Solutions\CSE HTML Validator v4\Validator DLL\General" to point to another filename where the message ID settings will be stored. The export feature of the Registry Editor can also be used to export a set of validator options to a file and import them into another computer.

For version 7.0 and above, you can use the import/export options in the Validator Engine Options to load and save different sets of validator options. This also makes it easier to share the validator options/settings with other users.

Batch Processing/Validating

Can I generate a single report for multiple documents?

Using the Batch Validation Wizard in CSE v3.0 or the new Batch Wizard in CSE v4.02 and greater, you can specify multiple documents to validate. The wizard will then create a single validation report for all of the documents. The report created by the wizard is written in HTML and can be viewed with a browser such as Internet Explorer or a Netscape browser.

Is there a way to batch process files?

You can drag and drop multiple files onto the Drag and Drop Window which is viewable by choosing Drag and Drop->View Drag and Drop Window. It is easy to do this by using Windows Explorer or the Find Files command to display the files, sorting the files by file type, and then dragging and dropping them onto the Drag and Drop Window.

Another way to batch process is to run cmdlineprocessor.exe on the command line with the name of the file to validate. You can run cmdlineprocessor.exe one time for each file, so you can make a batch program (*.bat) this way. The "-f" command can also be used for more efficient operation (see the documentation about Command Line Arguments for more information about the "-f" command).

Yet another way to batch process files is to use the Batch Wizard that is included with v4.02 and later (professional editions only). This is considered to be the best and easiest way to batch process files. For more information, see the documentation about the Batch Wizard. Note that the standard and lite editions do not include the Batch Wizard.

How do I validate my website by giving HTML Validator one URL, file, or folder? (v4.50+)

Open the Batch Wizard by running CSE HTML Validator Professional and then choosing Tools->Batch Wizard or pressing F2.
Press Ctrl+N to create a new target list.
Add a target that specifies the root page of your website. This can be a local file or a URL. To add a local file target, press Ctrl+F. To add a URL, press Ctrl+U. For example, if your site is at "http://www.mydomain.com/mysite/" then press Ctrl+U to add the URL "http://www.mydomain.com/mysite/" to the target list. You can also specify a folder where your website files are located by adding a folder target (Ctrl+D).
Select the target that you just added and press F5 to view the target properties.
Go to the Follow Links tab and check the follow links checkbox. Click OK.
Press F4 to go to the Batch Wizard Options and select the "Validator" tool. Click OK.
Press the Process List button (or press F6) to start the validation and process the target list.

How do I exclude certain folders from being processed?

Entire folders can be excluded by entering the folder names in the "Do not process targets beginning with these strings" option in the Target List Options tab of the Batch Wizard. For example, add something like http://www.domain.com/donotgohere/ or C:\webfiles\donotgohere\. Separate multiple folders with semicolons.

Link Checking

How do I check the links on my website using the link check tool? (v4.50+)

Load HTML Validator and press F2 to go to the Batch Wizard.
Press Ctrl+N to create a new target list.
Add a target that specifies the root page of your website. This can be a local file or a URL. To add a local file target, press Ctrl+F. To add a URL, press Ctrl+U. For example, if your site is at "http://www.mydomain.com/mysite/" then press Ctrl+U to add the URL "http://www.mydomain.com/mysite/" to the target list.
Select the target that you just added and press F5 to view the properties.
Go to the Follow Links tab and check the follow links checkbox. Click OK.
Press F4 to go to the Batch Wizard Options and select the "Link check" tool. Click OK.
Press F6 to start the link check.

Using the Tools

Where can I get more information on the template tool?

Please see the Using the Tools and the Template Tool Example documentation pages.

Features

Does HTML Validator support XHTML?

CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v4.0 and above can help you write XHTML. Check these options in the Validator 2 tab in the Validator Engine Options: XML Compatibility, Require quick close (<br/>), Require optional closing tags, Require lowercase tags and attributes, and Require quoted attribute values. Note that if you are using a configuration file with version greater than or equal to 200003301, then these options are set automatically if HTML Validator detects an XHTML document. You should also make sure that the XHTML categories are active. You can do this in the Categories tab of the Configuration Editor.

CSE HTML Validator Lite v6.5x and above also supports XHTML.

Does HTML Validator have a DTD ("real") validator?

CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v8.0 and above include a DTD validator which can be used if turned on (it is turned off by default). However, CSE HTML Validator's own engine does not use a "real" SGML and DTD based validator as defined in the strict technical meaning of "HTML validator". We do not believe that concentrating on DTD based validation is important because:

Most or all real world browsers do not use real SGML parsers to parse HTML files. Currently, we know of no user agent that actually uses an SGML parser to parse HTML documents.
The main purpose of writing HTML documents is so other people can obtain information using real-world browsers. They are not written for the main purpose of being 100% compliant with the official HTML standard nor for only passing validation by an SGML parser.
A DTD validator allows "bad style" when it allows the omission of certain close tags. CSE HTML Validator helps you write better styled documents that are easier for real world browsers to understand.
The custom validator in HTML Validator is a powerful syntax checking engine that is capable of detecting many real HTML problems that a DTD validator is not capable of detecting. Read more about this in why CSE is better.
The industry is beginning to move toward XHTML and other XML technologies. XHTML is more in tune with what is considered to be "better style" for HTML documents.

However, keep in mind that if you want to use DTD validation, then the option is there in CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v8.0 and above. The DTD based validator messages can be generated alone or can be combined with CSE HTML Validator's own messages if desired.

Does HTML Validator fix my HTML?

Yes! The standard and professional editions (v7.0 and above) include the HTML Tidy Tool which uses HTML Tidy to automatically format ("pretty print") and fix HTML. This tool can automatically fix some, but not all problems. Sometimes it is best to leave corrections up to the author to decide if to fix it, what to fix, when to fix it, and how to fix it. Programs that do "auto-fix" HTML may cause other problems or "fix" things in ways that the author doesn't want. However, depending on the specific document, the HTML Tidy Tool may be very helpful in fixing HTML problems. The lite edition does not include the HTML Tidy Tool and therefore cannot automatically format and fix HTML.

Windows Vista Related

Does CSE HTML Validator run on Vista?

There are no known significant issues with CSE HTML Validator Lite/Std/Pro v8.03 and Windows Vista. Older versions have not been tested but are expected to work without any significant issues, though minor issues may occur, such as minor sound and cosmetic issues.

How do I add file associations in Vista?

Windows Vista with User Account Control (UAC) enabled may generate an error when you try to add file associations. In order to successfully add the file associations, CSE HTML Validator may need to be run with administrator privileges. To do this, right-click on the CSE HTML Validator shortcut and choose "Run as administrator". Alternatively, to run the program as administrator each time it is launched from the shortcut, you can right-click on the shortcut, choose Properties, go to the Compatibility tab and check "Run this program as an administrator".

Miscellaneous Issues

I have a question about the Allaire version of HTML Validator vs. the non-Allaire version.

Please visit the CSE HTML Validator for Allaire FAQ and Information page.

How do I change the program associated with editing an HTML document? I don't want CSE HTML Validator associated with this anymore.

Go to Windows Explorer (start it if needed), choose View|Folder Options, and click the File Types tab. Note: The path to this dialog box may be different on your system; the above describes how to get to the needed dialog box on an NT 4.0 system with IE 4.0 installed, so your system may be different. When you are at the dialog box used to edit registered file types, 1) select "HTML Document" from the Registered file types list, 2) press the Edit button, 3) click on Edit in the Actions list and then 4) press the Remove or Edit button, depending on what you want to do. If you press the Edit button, you will need to assign the action to another program of your choosing.

How will the Year 2000 Problem affect HTML Validator?

This is AI Internet Solution's official statement regarding CSE HTML Validator (all versions) and year 2000 compliance: All versions of CSE HTML Validator were designed from the ground up to be year 2000 compliant. There are no known year 2000 problems with any version of CSE HTML Validator.

Will HTML Validator run on Windows 3.x, a Mac, or Unix/Linux?

CSE HTML Validator v8.0 and above require Windows 2000, XP, Vista or above. Windows 9x is no longer supported due to OS limitations.

CSE HTML Validator v7.0 and below are designed to run on the 32-bit power of Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP, Vista and above. It may work with Windows 95, NT 3.51, and NT 4.0, but is not tested on these older platforms. Due to resource and technical requirement issues, we are not currently working to support any other platform. So no, it will not work with Windows 3.x, a Mac, or with Unix/Linux unless you have an emulator or virtual PC program and can run Windows 32-bit applications. Information about running CSE HTML Validator on a Mac.

How can I see the license agreement?

The license agreement is included with all versions of CSE HTML Validator. It's also included in the documentation for recent versions of CSE HTML Validator, for example, see the v8.0x license agreement in the online version of the documentation.

How do I stop HTML Validator from validating the source document when I choose View->Source in Internet Explorer?

CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v5.00 and above has the option to do this. If you don't want HTML Validator to do this, load HTML Validator and choose (from HTML Validator's menu) Options->Registry->Restore Source Viewer in Internet Explorer. If you have to do this manually for some reason, delete the key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\View Source Editor\Editor Name".

Do I need to be an HTML expert to use CSE HTML Validator?

No, you do not need to be an HTML expert. You only need to have a basic understanding of HTML, or be wanting to learn it. If you're a student, then CSE HTML Validator is an excellent program to use for learning HTML. CSE HTML Validator would not be for you if you don't have any knowledge of HTML *AND* you do not want to learn. If you do not have a basic knowledge of HTML, but you want to learn, then we recommending combining an online HTML tutorial or book with CSE HTML Validator. If at first you find yourself overwhelmed with all the messages that HTML Validator generates, then don't worry, you'll quickly catch on after a few days of use.

How do I use CSE HTML Validator's Editor when choosing View->Source in Internet Explorer?

Some people may find this "view source" method more useful. Using it, you can view the source document in CSE's editor and validate it there. To do this, simply set a registry value so that the document source is opened in the editor when View Source is selected in Internet Explorer. For example, for CSE HTML Validator Std/Pro v7.0 installed into the default directory, set the default value data to "C:\Program Files\HTMLValidator70\cse70.exe" for the registry key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\View Source Editor\Editor Name".

In Windows Vista 64 bit, this key is buried in "HKEY_USERS\(somenum)\Software\Classes\VirtualStore\MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\View Source Editor\Editor Name". This can be found by searching for "View Source Editor" using the Registry Editor (regedit.exe).

Also the path for the exe in any 64 bit version of Windows will be something like "C:\Program Files (x86)\HTMLValidatorLite80\cselite80.exe".

How do I add words to the dictionary?

The easiest way to add words to the spell checker is to check a document in the editor using Tools->Spell Check and add any misspelled words to the dictionary when prompted. You can also add words by going to Options->Spelling Options, clicking on the Dictionaries button, and adding words to one of the listed dictionaries by selecting the dictionary to edit and then pressing the Edit button.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Top FAQs (most popular)

Install/Uninstall Issues

Starting Issues (after Installation)

Registration Issues

Interface (GUI) Issues

Runtime Issues

Validation Issues

Configuring the Validator

Batch Processing/Validating

Link Checking

Using the Tools

Features

Windows Vista Related

Miscellaneous Issues

Install/Uninstall Issues

Starting Issues (after Installation)

Registration Issues

Interface Issues

Runtime Issues

Validation Issues

Configuring the Validator

Batch Processing/Validating

Link Checking

Using the Tools

Features

Windows Vista Related

Miscellaneous Issues