Hey Tia
The same will happen if you try to validate a page with an empty
<body> element, or an empty <form> element. When using a strict
doctype, these three elements require a block level element of some
type inside them. See these three examples...
Empty Form example (HTML 4.01 Strict)
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http://maxdesign.com.au/jobs/validation-test1.htm
Empty Blockquote example (HTML 4.01 Strict)
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http://maxdesign.com.au/jobs/validation-test2.htm
Empty Body example (HTML 4.01 Strict)
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http://maxdesign.com.au/jobs/validation-test3.htm
The validator results page explains this here:
"Another possibility is that you used an element which requires a
child element that you did not include. Hence the parent element is
"not finished", not complete. For instance, in HTML the <head> element
must contain a <title> child element, lists require appropriate list
items (<ul> and <ol> require <li>; <dl> requires <dt> and <dd>), and
so on."
Now, three examples with a block level element inside them...
Form example with block level element inside (HTML 4.01 Strict)
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http://maxdesign.com.au/jobs/validation-test1a.htm
Blockquote with block level element inside (HTML 4.01 Strict)
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http://maxdesign.com.au/jobs/validation-test2a.htm
Body with block level element inside (HTML 4.01 Strict)
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http://maxdesign.com.au/jobs/validation-test3a.htm
If you use a Transitional doctype, the page will validate WITHOUT the
need for block level elements inside. See example below...
Empty Form example (HTML 4.01 Transitional)
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http://maxdesign.com.au/jobs/validation-test1b.htm
Be aware that this is not a recommended practice. These fail
validation for a reason :)
HTH
Russ
--------------------------------------------------
Russ Weakley
Email: r...@maxdesign.com.au
Website: http://www.maxdesign.com.au/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/russmaxdesign
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/russweakley
Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/maxdesign/
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On 04/04/2010, at 12:39 PM, T. R. Valentine wrote:
Apparently, <blockquote></blockquote> cannot be used alone. It
produces 'character data is not allowed here'. What does it need?
Also, can the <blockquote> tag have a class assigned to it?
TIA
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