Re: Validating my HTML code: background= problems

You wrote:
> However, I am finding inconsistent error flagging behavior regarding the
> use of BACKGROUND="***.jpg".  It validates fine in a <BODY> command, flags
> as an error in <TABLE>, and *sometimes* is flagged as an error in <TD>.  I
> have swapped around similar <TR><TD BACKGROUND="***.jpg">***</TD><TR> table
> sections, and the first occurance is flagged and the second and subsequent
> are not.

What are you expecting to occur?  It should be an error for anything except
<body> as per http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/index/attributes.html

> My Netscape 4.73 seems to handle all 3 situations as I would hope/expect,
> using the picture as wallpaper behind any text I specify.

This is beside the point of validation -- the validator doesn't check for
abberant browser behavior.

> Can anyone give me a clue what I am doing wrong?  Or is there perhaps a bug
> in the checker?  The checker is only expecting one <BODY> tag...

I think your expectations are wrong.  And yes, it's expecting only one
<body> tag -- it's supposed to do that.

> I chose straight HTML 4 without style sheets to try to accomodate a wide
> variety of viewers.  I like to write my code with a plain editor.

You should choose straight HTML 4 with style sheets, as style sheets are
the only way to get the effects you want, and they are more accomodating
to a wide variety of browsers than non-standard HTML is.

> I would like some help knowing what is considered correct in HTML 4. 

You should probably read the HTML 4 standard. :) The correct way to get
a background image for a table row in HTML 4 is:

  <tr style="background-image: url('bgimg.jpg')">

...or the equivalent.

> Thanks,
> Kate Nicholes

Hope this helps! If you need a recommendation for a good CSS book let
me know. ;)

--Kynn

Received on Tuesday, 6 August 2002 19:19:36 UTC