Why is a less-than-sign being displayed in this HTML Code?

Discussion in 'HTML & Website Design' started by Ayush Agarwal, May 6, 2014.

  1. #1
    A less-than-sign is displayed at the top left corner of the screen when I write this code. The HTML Code I'm talking about is this:

    <html>
    <body>
    <table cellspacing='0'>
    
    <tr><th>Circulars</th><th>Dated</th></tr>
       
    <tr><td><a href="CIRC060514004.pdf">Issue/Renewal of Library Books during Summer Vacation</a></td><td>06-05-2014</td></tr>
    
    <tr class='even'><td><a href="CIRC060514003.pdf">New Timings of Central Library</a></td><td>06-05-2014</td></tr>
    
    <tr><td><a href="CIRC060514002.pdf">Timely Payment of Academic and Hostel Fee for the session 2014-15 (B.Tech.)</a></td><td>06-05-2014</td><</tr>
    
    <tr class='even'><td><a href="CIRC060514001.pdf">Timely Payment of Academic and Hostel Fee for the session 2014-15 (MBA and MCA)</a></td><td>06-05-2014</td></tr>
       
    <tr><td><a href="CIRC070414001.pdf">Submission of Hostel Fee for the session 2014-15</a></td><td>07-04-2014</td></tr>
    
    <tr class='even'><td><a href="CIRC250314001.pdf">Corrigendum 1 to Academic Calendar</a></td><td>26-03-2014</td></tr>
    
    <tr><td><a href="CIRC190314002.pdf">Submission of Carry Over Forms for even semester subjects</a></td><td>19-03-2014</td></tr>
    
    <tr class='even'><td><a href="CIRC310114001.pdf">Change of abbreviation from “EEE” to “EN”</a></td><td>31-01-2014</td></tr>
    
    </table>
    </body>
    </html>
    HTML:

     
    Solved! View solution.
    Ayush Agarwal, May 6, 2014 IP
  2. #2
    See line 11 above:
    
    <tr><td><a href="CIRC060514002.pdf">Timely Payment of Academic and Hostel Fee for the session 2014-15 (B.Tech.)</a></td><td>06-05-2014</td><</tr>
    Code (markup):
    There is a fatal error, a double <<.
    This is a good example of why you should always validate your markup before trying to debug.

    Here is the same block again with a best practice formatting. The error pops out when formatted as shown here.
    
    <tr>
      <td><a href="CIRC060514002.pdf">Timely Payment of Academic and Hostel Fee
      for the session 2014-15 (B.Tech.)</a></td>
    
      <td>06-05-2014</td>
    <</tr>
    Code (markup):
    cheers,

    gary
     
    kk5st, May 6, 2014 IP
  3. Ayush Agarwal

    Ayush Agarwal Greenhorn

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    #3
    Stupid of me to not notice that. Thanks for the reply.
     
    Ayush Agarwal, May 6, 2014 IP
  4. kk5st

    kk5st Prominent Member

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    #4
    Not stupid. Syntax errors can be difficult to spot. That's why a good formatting scheme is important. It makes it easier to see by eye any oddities in the markup. Likewise, syntax validation will weed out invalid markup that you might otherwise miss.

    cheers,

    gary
     
    kk5st, May 7, 2014 IP