Skip to main content

The HTML Mode Syntax Checker Was Out Of Control

Most of us who compose pages and posts in HTML mode are accustomed to the annoyance of the (Page / Post) Editor HTML syntax checker.

Proper HTML syntax depends upon correctly paired HTML tags. You enter an opening tag, without a closing tag - and within seconds, the syntax checker pops up and alerts you to your mistake. You then enter a closing tag, and all is well. This might be a normal event, when formatting the page / post title.

Until this week, the syntax checker gave us a brief one or two line advice, at the top of the page. Now, we see a full screen page of random text - and in some cases, no way to continue. The error message fills the screen, and we can't see the editor window - so we can't finish what we were doing.

If the HTML mode syntax checker prevents you from continuing with your editing, and if you don't panic (and good eyesight will help, too), you can recover from this problem fairly easily.

Here, I am in the process of formatting a list. I have to copy and paste the opening tags, then the closing tags, to surround a text list. If you use a magnifying glass, you can see my problem.


Until this week, we would see a brief and relevant advice. Short and sweet (sort of sweet).


Now, a syntax checker error is rather rude. I paste the opening tags - and the syntax checker immediately pops up, and fills the screen. This gives me no way to paste the closing tags.


OMG, what do I do now?



Don't panic! Just zoom out until you can see the post editor window!!



Here is where good eyesight is a big help. Find the spot where you have text to paste, paste it, and wait, patiently.


If you paste the required closing tags, in the right spot, the syntax checker will clear the error, and you can continue.

If the problem is caused by a dropped "</div>" tag, caused by over active editing, then you use the mode toggling technique, to reset the error. You can do that without changing zoom level.

In either case, you have to remain cool. If you panic, you end up having to close the post editor, without saving - and you cannot ever update the post, as you are trying to do.

Now, it's in the hands of the Blogger Engineers. As noted below, the source of the problem has been found - and the fix for the problem is being rolled out. Rollout for everybody may take over 24 hours.

Also as noted below, if you are repeatedly oppressed by this error, you may use the "Dismiss" link at the lower right of the error message, to prevent it from repeating - while you have this post editor session open. Examine the screen prints, above, to see what "Dismiss" looks like.
(Update 11/21 8:00): After a very prompt response by Blogger Engineering, this problem has been resolved.

Comments

Thanks.

I've been creating the complete tag in Notepad then pasting it into the editor.
Marc G. said…
Thanks for the report. We're investigating.
Marc G. said…
Also at the bottom of that message, there's a "Dismiss" link.
Once you've clicked it once, the HTML warning messages won't reappear for the rest of your editing session.
It will help until we fix this bug.
Marc G. said…
I found the bug, we're working on pushing a fix to production.
Nitecruzr said…
Thanks, Marc!

I am guessing that the push has started - but it may be up to 48 hours before 100% complete?
Marc G. said…
https://draft.blogger.com is fixed, https://www.blogger.com should take around another 6h for the push to complete.

Popular posts from this blog

Adding A Link To Your Blog Post

Occasionally, you see a very odd, cryptic complaint I just added a link in my blog, but the link vanished! No, it wasn't your imagination.

Embedded Comments And Main Page View

The option to display comments, embedded below the post, was made a blog option relatively recently. This was a long requested feature - and many bloggers added it to their blogs, as soon as the option was presented to us. Some blog owners like this feature so much, that they request it to be visible when the blog is opened, in main page view. I would like all comments, and the comment form, to be shown underneath the relevant post, automatically, for everyone to read without clicking on the number of comments link. And this is not how embedded comments work.

What's The URL Of My Blog?

We see the plea for help, periodically I need the URL of my blog, so I can give it to my friends. Help! Who's buried in Grant's Tomb, after all? No Chuck, be polite. OK, OK. The title of this blog is "The Real Blogger Status", and the title of this post is "What's The URL Of My Blog?".