What is the correct "document type" for my web page?

They have: 19 posts

Joined: Aug 2000

Found a site that checks pages, in one of my SEO newsletters. Using it, I found that I did not have a document type. The problem is every type of document I ID my site as, the checker says is wrong. Would someone let me know what is the correct document type? Thanks for any help you can offer, Bill.
The site is: http://www.uswindshieldrepair.com

Busy's picture

He has: 6,151 posts

Joined: May 2001

your using html so something like:

They have: 19 posts

Joined: Aug 2000

Busy- are you saying that you don't normally use HTML when using css? Is that the problem I'm having? If that's the case, where can I get a crash course in properly building pages using css? Thanks, Bill.
p.s. I just used the validation service using the suggested doc type and it says not valid with 54 errors?

He has: 1,380 posts

Joined: Feb 2002

w3.org/style/css

Pick which Spec you want (only use 1, 2, or 2.1...3 is not standard yet)

Busy's picture

He has: 6,151 posts

Joined: May 2001

when I said you were using HTML, I meant you were using HTML, not XHTML

Depending on your need, CSS isn't always the best way to go, still a lot of browser bugs (old browsers) and CSS that isn't 100% supported yet. learning XHTML would be the way to go with CSS.
Tables will never die, they can't be replaced for some things.

54 errors is about normal, could mean you have as little as 5 errors, validate your code, fix the top five errors only, then revalidate and fix any other errors 5 or so at a time.

what happens is one error can cause the editor to think you have heaps more, example, say you missed a double quote on a value ie: border="0 cellspacing=" .... the editor will try pair up the quotes within the tag or even the next few tags giving you a lot more errors, just putting a double quote in that examples could fix 40 or so errors to the validator.

They have: 19 posts

Joined: Aug 2000

Busy- Thanks you very much for the info and the help! In looking at the web site in total, I realize I'm not truly using css, but only the index page as a template. I really need to learn how to use it properly with my authoring software (Dreamweaver). I'll implement your suggestions in the mean time and continue the learning. Again thanks, Bill

Busy's picture

He has: 6,151 posts

Joined: May 2001

I really need to proof read before I post.

Reading my last post sounds like I was saying stay away from CSS, that wasn't the intention. CSS is good to use and is very powerful for layouts etc. by all means learn and use CSS for your sites but just don't rely on CSS for the actual layout as it's not 100% supported yet. use it for basic layouts, text decoration, alignment etc ...

If you learn the basics of it outside of dreamweaver you'll have a greater understanding using it in dreamweaver if anything doesn't go right or whatever.

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