Warning and errors

Usually when you browse through your documents, they will display properly. But there may come times when a small waarning icon shows up in the bottom left corner of the window. Don't get afraid, this simply means that your document does not fill the standard XML specification.
This icon is always followed by a message (in the status bar) that gives you a hint about the error's origine. Below is a list of known standard warnings :

  • XML Parse Error : no element found.
    This means that an oppening mark as not been closed. For example, <Error> needs a </Error> somewhere. Also, in html files, the <br> mark doesn't have a matching </br>. You can then write <br/>

  • XML Parse Error : unclosed token.
    This means that an oppening token < always need a closing token >. <Error is incorrect while <OK > is not.

  • XML Parse Error : junk after document.
    A XML file must have a single root. For Html files, the root is always <HTML>. This warning means that after the root item is closed (</HTML> for example), the document contains an oppening tag.

  • XML Parse Error : mismatched tag.
    This means that a closing tag has been found, without the matching openning tag. <Error> </Test> </Error> would raise such an error.

  • XML Parse Error : not well formed (invalid token).
    This means that a token has a wrong syntax. For instance, <Error attr=value /> should have been written <Error attr="value" />.

  • XML Parse Error : undefined entity.
    An undefined character (usually & in html file) has been encountered in an attribute. <link rel="next" href="link.html" title=" Title">


Sometimes though, the error will not come directly from the document itself. In such cases, an error icon will show up with the message "Unknown error". It just mean that the parser can't display your document as a structure, but will open it in the text editor.
One of the causes of this error is when your document uses a DTD that is not found.

Unknown Errors

If you encounter troubles not listed in here, please send an e-mail, with the file(s) in question to xmlviewer@free.fr.