Text Editor That Highlights XML Errors
Extensible Markup Language editors can help you learn XML if you don't know it -- and teach you how to write it more productively if you do. XML, a markup language used widely on the Web, consists of tags similar to those found in HTML. If you're learning the language, you might find it helpful to use text editors that highlight errors automatically. Some programming Integrated Development Environments, such as Visual Studio, have built-in editors that flag mistakes. You can download stand-alone XML editors that work just as well.
Other People Are Reading
-
XML Overview
-
Computers and the people who use them have the ability to read and write XML documents. If you're a developer, you can use a language such as C# to generate XML. Non-programmers simply open text editors such as Notepad and type XML statements such as those shown below:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<car>
<make>Ford</make>
<model>Mustang</model>
</car>These XML tags store the make and model of a car. You could send this document to another computer, and it could extract that information and process it automatically if the document contained no errors. Editors that highlight errors prevent that from happening.
Liquid XML Studio
-
Liguid XML Studio comes with features such as auto-complete, code outlining and syntax highlighting that points out errors in your XML. If you type an invalid element, for example, the program points it out. You can then correct the problem. Liquid XML Studio's Grid Editor also gives you the option to view XML in in a convenient table format that resembles a spreadsheet. This editor uses XML schemas to validate XML. A schema defines a XML document's structure and lists the valid elements that it can contain.
-
Intellij IDEA
-
The Intellij IDEA editor by JetBrains helps you edit XML and other languages such as HTML, Java and JavaScript. Like Liquid XML Editor, this program also highlights errors in XML documents when items do not conform to schema definitions. If your original XML document is a unformatted, you can press a key to format it instantly. IntelliJ IDEA can also help you find information in an XML document using Xpath queries. If the program discovers an XPath error, it highlights that as well.
XML Marker
-
The XML Marker editor watches as you enter XML into a document and highlights errors if you type them. A helpful pop-up tool-tip describes the error's cause making it easier for you to correct it. Minor errors, such as unmatched XML tags, appear as warnings displayed in the Error Details table. This program also provides traditional keyword coloring that helps you identify elements, attributes and values easily. XML Marker displays line numbers if you need them and wraps lines that contain more than 2,000 characters.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jason Reed/Photodisc/Getty Images
