Validating an XML File against a DTD Document Type

XML Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples

∟DTD (Document Type Definition) Introduction

∟Validating an XML File against a DTD Document Type

This section describes different ways to validate XML files against DTD document types: using standalone XML validation tools, using on-line XML validators, and writing your own XML validation programs.

So far we learned how to use DTD statements to define a document type for an XML file. We also learned how to specify a document type defined by DTD statements to an XML file.

Now let's see how we can validate an XML file against the specified document type. In general, Web browsers like IE and Firefox can be used to browse XML files. But they can not be used to validate XML files. So we have to look for other ways to perform XML DTD validation:

1. Using XML DTD validation tools:

XML Spy is an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for XML documents produced by Altova. XML Spy can be used to validate XML files against DTD document types. But it is not free to use.
XMLStarlet is an open source command line tool to manipulate XML files. XMLStarlet can be used to validate XML files against DTD document types. And it is free to use. See http://xmlstar.sourceforge.net/ for more information.

2. Using XML DTD on-line validators:

W3C Markup Validation Service is designed to validate Web documents. But it can also be used to validate XML documents against DTD document types. Go to http://validator.w3.org/#validate_by_input to try it out.
Validome is a non-commercial XML validation software. They offer an on-line XML validator that supports DTD document types. Go to http://www.validome.org/xml/ to try it out.