## News for the W3C Markup Validator

This page lists recent changes to the W3C Markup Validation Service. For minor changes and bug fixes that aren't listed on this page, see the CVS log.

2007-08-08 — 0.8.1 Release:

  The 0.8.1 release of the W3C Markup Validator is a bug fix release, addressing the following issues:

  - Bug Fix: changed set up of parser responsible for checking XML well-formedness, which would retrieve schemas for entities each time the validator would run.
  - Bug Fix: the validator would incorrectly complain about HTML/XML named entities (such as &copy;).
  - Bug Fix: fixing referer checking when running with Apache and mod_perl2.
  - Bug Fix: the validator would crash when called from browsers with rare language preference settings
  - … and small performance and code cleanup fixes
2007-07-25 — 0.8.0 Release:

  Releasing version 0.8.0 of the W3C Markup Validator, a major milestone in the development of the validator, including changes in its architecture, UI, new features and fewer bugs, for a better, more accurate and helpful quality process.

  This release includes all the changes and bug reports of the 0.8.0 Beta 1 and 0.8.0 Beta 2.

2007-06-01 — 0.8.0 Beta 2:

  Testing the second beta revision of the validator version 0.8.0. This new version builds upon the 0.8.0 Beta 1, and adds bug fixes, documentation updates and a polished UI with improved style and interaction. Changes include:

  - Revised main UI. Cleaner design. Improved tabbing between validation methods. Adding toggled option visibility
  - Bug Fix: Fixing transcoding issues, encoding of source display
  - Bug Fix: For XML document types, not reporting xmlns:* attributes as an error
  - New Feature: Adding error message id to the SOAP API, error context (source snippet), added error message explanation
  - Bug Fix: Fixed fatal error display in SOAP API
  - Bug Fix: Fixed line number display in case of broken encoding
  - Usability: more usable fatal error displays, removed "reset form" button, rewordings, error message explanations...
  - Bug Fix: Fixed outline for non-xml document types
  - New FEature: Added support for XHTML + RDFa
  - New Feature: For non-xhtml XML documents without document type, the validator will not try to perform validation and will only check well-formedness
  - code cleanup, other bug fixes

  Participate in this Beta Test! Read the Instructions and start testing.

2007-04-19 — 0.8.0 Beta 1:

  Testing version 0.8.0 Beta #1 of the Markup Validator; a new version including important changes in architecture, performance, reliability of validation for XML-based languages, improvements to the User Interface, and a number of new features. Changes include:

  - New architecture, faster and more reliable, scaling better to the growing usage of the validator
  - Improved interface for better usability, accessibility
  - New feature: automatic cleanup of markup (with Tidy)
  - New feature: additional XML-Well-Formedness check, for more reliable validation of XML-based languages
  - Back by popular demand: document outline feature
  - New feature: checking that the documents are sent with proper Internet Media Type (MIME type)
  - New feature: for XML documents, checking that the xmlns is present, and properly set.
  - New feature: grouped messages, an alternate view to the sequential display of errors
  - New feature: Direct Input validation can check full documents AND HTML fragments
  - Added support for SMIL 2.1, XHTML Basic 1.1
  - Bug fixes
2006-11-14 — 0.7.4 Release:

  Releasing version 0.7.4 of the W3C Markup Validator, a maintenance release including bug fixes and documentation updates.

  Changes include:

  - Bug fixes to the validator's API
  - The proprietary XML output format is (still) deprecated, and will be removed in version 0.8.0
  - The outline feature, broken in version 0.7.3, is back.
  - Local installations of the validator can be configured to enable, or disable, the API
  - "Validation icons" are now available in two colors and 4 file formats, including PNG and SVG
  - Documentation updates
2006-10-23 — 0.7.3 Release:

  Releasing version 0.7.3 of the W3C Markup Validator, a maintenance release including fixes, updates, and includes an experimental API to interface the validator with other programs and services.

  Changes include:

  - A new (experimental) Web Services API
  - The proprietary (and experimental) XML output format is deprecated
  - New Document type supported: XHTML-Print
  - New Character Encoding supported ISO-8859-11 (Thai)
  - Usability fix: better error messages for documents with no character encoding declared, and for which the encoding fallback fails
  - HTTP Fix: Be more lenient about whitespace and linefeeds in Content-Type
  - Usability Fix: Adding the possibility of Doctype Override for SVG Document Types
  - Compatibility Fix for OpenSP 1.5.2
  - documentation updates and improvements
  - Improved Feedback mechanisms
2006-02-20 — 0.7.2 Release:

  Releasing version 0.7.2 of the Markup Validator, a maintenance release including minor fixes as described below:

  - update for compatibility with new version of Config::General module
  - fixed the recognized root element for XHTML 1.1 plus MathML 2.0 (plus SVG)
  - avoid Text::Wrap error with deeply nested documents
  - documentation fixes (typos, broken link)
  - avoid trailing comma in failed validation results if number of errors is unknown
  - consistency fixes for character encoding selection
  - fixed support for iso-8859-3 and iso-8859-4 encodings, added support for iso-ir-111
2005-10-18 — 0.7.1 Release:

  Releasing version 0.7.1 of the Markup Validator, a maintenance release introducing performance enhancements and including minor fixes in the user interface and in the "Direct Input" validation results.

2005-08-08 — 0.7.0 Release:

  Stable release including all the fixes and improvements made in consecutive beta versions 0.7.0 Beta #2 and 0.7.0 Beta #1.

2005-07-28 — 0.7.0 Beta #2:

  Testing version 0.7.0 Beta #2 of the Markup Validator, the second phase of beta test of a new version, including the results of feedback during the first phase of beta testing.

  Most bugs and issues resolved were recorded in our bugzilla database. Changes from version 0.7.0 Beta#1 include:

  - Improvements in the way the results and errors number is displayed, with a bug fix in error count.
  - Bug fixes:
    - The error number count in resuts now only counts errors, not warnings or other messages
    - A missing entry in the SGML catalog was added
    - The direct input interface now handles cases where no content is set properly
  - Running the validator under mod_perl is no longer supported
  - Simplified configuration sample for an installation on the Apache Server
  - Documentation updates
2005-07-12 — 0.7.0 Beta #1:

  Testing version 0.7.0 Beta #1 of the Markup Validator; a new version including small architectural changes, improvements to the User Interface, documentation and user-friendliness, as well as a number of bug fixes.

  Most bugs and issues resolved were recorded in our bugzilla database. Changes include:

  - Templates for the XHTML output of validation results:
    - less inline markup
    - easier for multi-format output
    - getting close to the possibility of localization
  - Better feedback mechanisms
    - Integration of the feedback page with validation results for better error message feedback
    - The feedback page now allows direct search of the mailing-list and bug database
  - Additional and improved error messages explanations and documentation
  - Variants of HTML2, MathML and SVG added to the bundled SGML and XML catalogs
  - Better support for validation of non-W3C document types, including custom DTDs
  - User Interface and style changes for a user-friendlier experience, including
    - New print stylesheet, handheld stylesheets
    - Style differentiating errors, warnings and information in validation results
  - (re-)Added the possibility of validating markup by direct input
  - Simplified configuration syntax (for local installations)
  - Made easier to run on Windows platform (still needs testing and documentation)
  - Global updates to the documentation
  - Simplified, documented and checked the consistency of our usage of Access Keys
2004-07-23 — 0.6.7 Release:

  A maintenance release that fixes a few minor bugs, improves authentication proxying, and makes some slight tweaks to the website style and markup.

  This version also more completely fixes the bug mentioned at the end of the previous version's release notes. See the v0.6.6 release notes for details.

2004-05-21 — 0.6.6 Release:

  A maintenance release that fixes a few minor bugs, resurrects the whitespace-preserving source display, adds explanations for additional error messages, and makes some slight tweaks to the website style.

  This version also tentatively fixes a bug where, for Document Instances with a Document Type Name of "html", but with an incorrect Formal Public Identifier, the Validator would fall back to HTML 4.01 Transitional and, if no other errors were found, silently ignore the erroneous FPI.

2004-05-07 — 0.6.5 Release:

  Stable release including all the fixes and improvements made in consecutive beta versions 0.6.5 Beta #3, 0.6.5 Beta #2, 0.6.5 Beta #1, 0.6.2 beta #2, and 0.6.2 beta #1

2004-04-30 — 0.6.5 Beta #3:

  Testing version 0.6.5 Beta #3 of the Markup Validator; an intermediary version including further layout, style and documentation improvements over version 0.6.5 Beta #2, based on discussion and comments during the testing phase of that version. Changes include:

  - Simpler navigation system - removed the "links" navigation bar
  - More consistent layout
  - A few issues with the way some agents were dealing with our Style Sheets were fixed. Other minor style fixes were also applied.
  - Cleanup of grammar issues and typos in a large part of the documentation.
2004-04-15 — 0.6.5 Beta #2:

  Testing version 0.6.5 Beta #2 of the Markup Validator; an intermediary version addressing comments received for the version 0.6.5 Beta #1 and adding significant User Interface and Documentation improvements. Changes include:

  - More explanations for most of the validation error messages
  - New documentation on installing the Markup Validator locally
  - The "fussy" parsing mode is no longer available and will be drastically improved before it comes back - if ever
  - The W3C Link Checker has now been spun off into a standalone product and is no longer bundled with the Markup Validator
  - Stylesheets have been updated, with a more pleasant look
  - Easier navigation, more accessible documentation
  - More "Quality Tips" have been added
2003-08-26 — 0.6.5 Beta #1:

  Testing version 0.6.5 Beta #1 of the Markup Validator; an intermediary version addressing various issues and add requested features. Changes include:

  - Stylesheets updated to work around browser issues.
  - Added a pointer to contributed RPMs courtesy of Ville Skyttä.
  - Fixed broken links in Copyright statement.
  - Added current version number in page headings.
  - Detect proxies stripping the Referer header.
  - Added "Comma Tools".
  - Minor Accessibility fixes.
  - A few new Webmaster Tips for the Tip of The Day.
  - The Link Checker now sends Accept, and Accept-Language headers.
  - The Link Checker supports more HTTP Status Codes.
  - The documentation has seen much improvement.
  - The RPM spec file is now available in the download.
  - Update ISO-HTML DTD to TC1.
  - Update SVG 1.0 DTD to current Errata.
  - Added support for ISO-8859-16 Encoding.
  - Added support for the data: URL scheme.
  - The Link Checker in command-line mode now supports bundling of options.
  - The Validator RPMs now try to integrate with the system catalog.
  - Added options to make the DOCTYPE and Charset Override behave like Fallbacks. i.e. With these options enabled, the Override will only insert the relevant new value iff one was not already present.
  - No longer treat missing DOCTYPE or Charset as a fatal error.
  - Much improved error messages for several error situations.
  - Updated and expanded error explanations.
  - Use passive (PASV) FTP by default.
  - Updated experimental mod_perl support to work with Apache/mod_perl 2.
  - Added support for the Big5-HKSCS encoding.
  - The MathML2 DTDs were updated to the 20030620 errata version.
  - Add option to restrict access to private IP addresses.
  - Added custom, inline, verbose error messages.
  - Tweaked markup and style for source display.
  - Tweaked markup and style for indicating position of error.
  - Changes in output mandated by W3C Legal.
  - Verbose output is now the default from the home page.
  - Added new "fussy" parse mode (enabled by default from the home page) that should make it easier to locate SHORTTAGS-related problems (such as implied end tags).
  - Valid Badge usage guidelines are now available.
  - Various internal restructuring to make way for future (post-0.6.5) features.
  - "/referer" is now deprecated in favor of "?uri=referer"; this allows us to preserve additional options in referer links.
2002-12-01 — 0.6.1 Release:
  - Maintenance release to fix various minor issues reported against the November 26 release. Stylesheet updates, ability to turn on Verbose output, and bug fixes.
2002-11-26 — 0.6.0 Release:
  - Improved design of layout, including for Validation results.
  - Added "beefed up" Tip-of-the-Day.
  - Many accessibility fixes, both to the web site and the Result page.
  - Major internal restructuring. The code has undergone significant refactoring with many benefits. It is more readable and easier to understand, much more robust, much improved security, more modular, and performance should be significantly better. There is tentative support for running under mod_perl (leading to even greater performance enhancements) and memory consumption should be much improved.
  - Many new document types are supported and support for some existing document types has been improved. Notable changes and additions include:
    - Support for `application/xhtml+xml`.
    - Support for XHTML+MathML and XHTML+MathML+SVG.
    - Support for SVG and `image/svg+xml`.
    - XHTML 1.0 Second Edition and XHTML 1.1.
  - Output has been reworked to be easier to understand.
  - And a whole bunch of bugfixes... :-)
2001-10-06:
  - Finished redesign and use consistent style for all pages..
  - Added Tip-of-the-Day.
2001-09-24:
  - Added experimental support for SVG 1.0.
  - Added experimental support for `spec-prod` 2.0.
  - ...and several minor bug fixes.
2001-09-13:
  - Added support for XHTML 1.1 and XHTML Basic 1.0.
  - Added experimental support for MathML 2.0.
  - You can now tweak options from results page.
  - Added option to override Character Encoding.
  - Various bug fixes and minor changes.
2001-06-22:
  - Various bug fixes; notably two related to the File Upload feature.
  - Some changes to make local installations easier.
  - Support for more Character Encodings (e.g. `ISO-8859-8-I`).
  - Generally improved handling of Character Encodings.
  - Documentation donated by Scott Bigham (Thanks Scott!).
2000-10-18:

  Added support for ISO/IEC 15445:2000 (ISO-HTML). See also: User's Guide to ISO-HTML.

2000-06-30:

  The service now checks XHTML documents for validity as well as XML well-formedness.

2000-04-28:

  Added the file upload feature.

  Created the www-validator-cvs mailing list.

  Updated the home page, moved some things to another page.

2000-01-26:

  Updated the DTDs and added icons for XHTML 1.0, HTML 4.01.

1999-08-24:

  Added the DTDs for HTML 4.01.

  Updated the DTDs for XHTML 1.0.

1999-04-08:

  Added username/password proxying for validation of documents protected by HTTP Basic Authentication, thanks to patches from Renaud Bruyeron. (see the changes)

  This revision also includes patches to use the Perl5 version of libwww-perl, LWP.

1999-03-04:

  Added support for XHTML, using the DTDs from the 19990304 working draft. (see the changes)

1999-02-25:

  Added support for `ISO-2022-JP` and `Shift_JIS` character encodings. Thanks to Takuya Asada, Masayasu Ishikawa, and Martin Dürst for their patches and advice.

  Updated the SGML declaration according to the HTML 4.0 spec errata. (see the changes).

1998-08-26:

  Put a tarred and gzipped version of the SGML library files (DTDs etc.) on the Web.

1998-08-05:

  Posted some new documents on the Web:

  - information on the source code
  - the to-do list for the service
  - a page explaining how to give feedback (including information on the new www-validator mailing list)
1998-07-24:

  Made the source code available via W3C's public CVS tree.

  Upgraded the HTTP server to Apache 1.3.1.

1998-06-19:

  Added a page about the hardware/network behind this service.

1998-04-20:

  Added support for a parameter to check the referring Web page for mistakes. To use it, just link to the following URL when linking to the service <http://validator.w3.org/check/referer> (you can try the link to see how it works).

1997-12-18:

  Updated HTML 4.0 materials to match the HTML 4.0 Recommendation.