A Validation test of PSD to XHTML providers

A Quick Validation Test of PSD to XHTML services

I'm starting up a service in which I convert PSD to XHTML and decided to check out a competitor. So I was looking at one, and I checked if their code validated, it didn't. Then I decided to test other sites, here's what I found. I placed them in order of Invalid to valid. I did all that were posted on http://sentences.org 19 quality xhtml/css/cms providers post. Only a couple came out invalid. The rest passed with flying colors. I pan to analize each of their layouts and post my findings at a much later date.

xHTMLType.com
HTML Valid: No
CSS Valid: No

XHTMLd.com
HTML Valid: No
CSS Valid: Yes

PSDtoCode.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

Xhtmlized.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

PSD2HTML.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

WeUseScissors.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

CMSthemer.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

XHTMLGenius.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: No

XHTMLSlicer.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

InstandCoding.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

XHTMLIT.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

w3-markup.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

choprr.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

slicendiceit.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

SliceRus.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

wellcodeit.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

xhtmlmaster.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

psdslicing.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

psdgator.com
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

mydesigntohtml.co.uk
HTML Valid: Yes
CSS Valid: Yes

You know that valid code is not even half the battle right? Being accessible and semantic is much more important.

How do you plan to 'analyze' the code, and what makes you qualified to provide a thorough and correct assessment? Looking at your portfiolo you have a fair amount to learn about front end coding...
For serious?


(yay for devils advocate )

Valid code doesn't mean anything. I wouldn't bother if everyone knew how little it actually means, but since I always get people bugging me asking if my coding will be valid, I tend to do it anyway. Like Chris said, validity isn't as important as semantic and well-written code.

But I'm glad to see that I was valid.

Originally Posted by Andrew R Valid code doesn't mean anything. I wouldn't bother if everyone knew how little it actually means, but since I always get people bugging me asking if my coding will be valid, I tend to do it anyway. Like Chris said, validity isn't as important as semantic and well-written code. But I'm glad to see that I was valid.

I personally believe that valid code is extremely important since it helps further both standards and well written websites. It's not really hard to make a website valid either so there's no good reason for not making it 100% valid. That being said, I also believe that semantics are just as important (i.e extremely) and that you can have both with ease.

Interesting: I like valid code but I also like well presented code. I'm not surprised most coding services have valid websites!

to be fair XhtmlType.com's errors are all javascript..

But they should have put their JS in an external file. Thats how you should do it.

Originally Posted by Mike Roq But they should have put their JS in an external file. Thats how you should do it.

So basically your saying to use external JS to hide any errors? Thats a rather shady behavior...

Anyway, they are correct when saying validation is not as important. Search engines to do look to make sure a site is perfectly coded and the users certainly do not in most situations.

When I code I make sure to code cleanly with standard formatting, I make sure to use proper tags for search engines and other applications such as those used by the blind, and lastly I check for validity as it is simply a part of others expectations and trying to set a standard.

I wouldn't say valid code doesn't mean anything. It's just the less important thing to concern about when coding a layout, although most of the times it's the only requirement.

Originally Posted by Phaaze So basically your saying to use external JS to hide any errors? Thats a rather shady behavior...

No, putting your javascript in an external file keeps it separate from your HTML. Thats not hiding errors, thats how your supposed to do it. You should separate your behavior from your presentation.

http://thinkingandmaking.com/entries/63

Plus, they should have a backup to javascript. Some computer user could have disabled javascript by accident, or by choice. That bars them from using the calender element. I'm not going to be too harsh on the xhtmltype for this since its a premade script.

What about things like this in the code?