xml validation

[carel]

I would like to use an xml editor for studying and editing Flashpanoramas xml, but every xml editor seems to choke on Flashpanoramas xml. It usually happens somewhere in a line with <spot.

I guess most people here just use a regular text editor, but I find the highly structured setup of a dedicated xml editor, such as xml notepad 2007 much easier to use.

Any suggestions...?

Carel Struycken

[fritsjan]

I noticed that too, also when you try to view an fpp xml in IEbrowser, it hangs. My guess is that it has to do with the '.' in a <spot declaration.

for example the dot in 3.00:

<spot id="hidemapTab" url="tour-map/hidemap.png" static="1" salign="LT" align="LT"
staticX="3.00" staticY="20.00" depth="10" visible="0" alpha="0"
onClick="mapback.Close;"
/>

I am just guessing, am I right?

[Aifos]

i use Dreamweaver
it separates your parameters in colours.
<spot id="1" url="files/1" static="1" depth="115"
onclick="action()"/>

if you have a missing " the parameter turn red so you know when you have anerror and it is easyer to fing it.

[cheathamlane]

I would imagine that it would choke on the semicolon rather than a period.

I've found that when I use an FPP-supplied example XML file as a base for my own, that I get the error(s). When I start from scratch, no errors.

It may be an issue with the encoding of the file -- Starting from scratch, I always work in a page encoded utf-8, so can handle most any character w/o issue.

<?xml version='1.0' encoding="utf-8"?>

Editor of choice: BBEdit!

The latest rev allows you to show/hide blocks of code on the fly, which is something I've been wanting for a while.

[zleifr]

I second Patrick on BBEdit. It is super chingon. Also, one reason that various XML editors may not be super happy with FPP XML is that I don't believe multi-line attributes are legal, ie:
onclick="
spot.property=value;
spot.property=value;
"

[cheathamlane]

Originally Posted by zleifr

Also, one reason that various XML editors may not be super happy with FPP XML is that I don't believe multi-line attributes are legal, ie:
onclick="
spot.property=value;
spot.property=value;
"

Good point Z! I had missed that.

[carel]

Here is another reason why Flashpanoramas xml will not validate:
(?panoName=images/pano2&pan=100)" />

It is because in xml "&[word]" is used for an "entity refference".
"&" and "<" are reserved characters in xml and xml expects a closing character of ";". So when it encounters "=" instead, it invalidates the file as xml.

Here is a quote on the subject from www.w3schools.com

//quote
There are 5 predefined entity references in XML:
&lt; < less than
&gt; > greater than
&amp; & ampersand
&apos; ' apostrophe
&quot; " quotation mark

Note: Only the characters "<" and "&" are strictly illegal in XML. The greater than character is legal, but it is a good habit to replace it.
//endquote

What a bummer! XML editors make it sooo much easier for semi-dyslexics like me.

Carel