RE: Using htlm editors to produce clean code?

I've had serious problems passing my code through the bobby validator with 
FrontPage 98.  A significant amount of code had to be hand written.  It is 
impossible to make a client side image map with bobby passable alt tags.  I 
had to hand code it and then enter it through their special insert HTML box 
to keep the editor from changing the code back to the way FrontPage wanted 
it.  It also has problems nesting the tags correctly.  Further, in multiple 
word hyperlinks with a misspelling the spell checker will unlink any word 
corrected through the spelling verifier.  In short, FrontPage 98 works but 
it is not the perfect tool required for someone with no knowledge of HTML. 
 I haven't used communicator or HotMetal extensively enough to be able to 
comment.  Hope this helps.

-Jamie Fox
Systems Development Specialist


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From:  Bruce Bailey[SMTP:bbailey@clark.net]
Sent:  Wednesday, May 13, 1998 1:50 PM
To:  'Web Accessibility Initiative'
Subject:  Using htlm editors to produce clean code?

Has anybody had success using Microsoft FrontPage or Navigator Gold to 
generate html code that parses through Bobby or the W3C Validator without 
errors?

I am confortable with html and text editors, but I need to find tools that 
our secretaries can use without learning html.

Front Page generates way too much extraneous code and actually makes it 
difficult to put in good alt text.  It's really overkill for what I am 
looking for, since it is site-oriented instead of page oriented.  I 
envision giving responsibility for one-page-per-person for our site 
(eventually -- smile).  Communicator's editor is not too bad from this 
point.  You really can browse a site live, edit, publish -- all without 
knowing many details.  I hate that Communicator favors appearance tags vice 
logical ones (<B> and <I> instead of <STRONG> and <EM>), but only fails me 
on two points:
	1)  It won't include the <!DOCTYPE... statement
	2)  It puts nbsp; after graphics in table cells which causes a Bobby error 
since my tables now mix graphics and text.

Does anyone know how to defeat either of the above two behaviors?

I understand HoT MetaL pro has a built-in validator, but I have not gotten 
a hold of it yet.  Any praise for this product?

Thanks very much for your time.
Bruce Bailey
www.dors.state.md.us

Received on Thursday, 14 May 1998 09:44:25 UTC