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doctype - why is it important - what happens if you use the wrong doctype

HTML doctype - Require answers for all questions please:

why is it important?

what happens if you use the wrong doctype?

If I have a page with frames in it, and I use this: <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">

instead of this: <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Frameset//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/frameset.dtd">

what is going to happen? (please elaborate)

thanks!

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bruno

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vanauden

ASKER

Hi Brunobear

I read both articles and now have a better understanding of doctype, but I still do not have a specific undertanding of what would happen if

I have a page with frames in it, and I use this: <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">

instead of this: <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Frameset//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/frameset.dtd">

Will the browser go into quirks mode?

bruno

I have not tested this - but I would assume it would confuse the browser because the doctype specifies what the browser should expect in the document. The normal HTML 4 doctype tells teh browser that it should expect certain things - body tags, etc. your frameset won't have them. i would have to test to see if it goes into quirks mode.....

vanauden

ASKER

does anyone else have an idea of what would happen? Would it ultimately matter?

The reason I need an answer, is that I have a huge site I am modifying, and I would like to avoid a global replace if possible.

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COBOLdinosaur

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vanauden

ASKER

thank you both

I appreciate your help!

COBOLdinosaur

Glad we could help. Thanks for the A. :^)

Cd&