Valid HTML?

Are there any plans to fix all the invalid HTML and make it either HTML Transitional or XHTML Transitional with valid DocTypes???

Sure would help, as I am faced with going through and fixing everything on all the template pages myself. In this day and age of Web Standards, it seems that valid (and prefferably accessible) markup would be a big selling point for aMember.

Will

It causes trouble for anyone trying to use modern XHTML and CSS-based web sites (which includes me). Did you know MSN.com went to a standards-compliant, CSS-based layout last week? That is a true indicator of the imortance of this - when Microsoft gets around to complying with standards, you know it must be worthwhile!

Anyone trying to comply with Section 508 accessibility laws (and whatever the equivalent laws are in the UK) will also have a hard time.

Valid HTML or XHTML can only help separate the style from the design, thus improving the editability of the templates, the load time for the pages, and the accessibility of it all, which in the end, means more people can use the site and no one is turned away.

With nearly every browser supporting Web Standards (seen what the upcoming IE7 can do?), there is no reason to use the old stuff, especially since the new stuff makes development so much easier.

Don't get me wrong - I love aMember, and am happy with what it does.

Let me know if you need a hand converting it all when you get around to it

No problem. You listened to the concerns of your customers, which is more than most software companies would do!

I just made my own template in the Amember files and converted all without tables into clean CSS XHTML strict. You will need to hack your way around certain items because IE doesnt read CSS too well, even the new IE7 goes quirky sometimes.

I made my own header and footer templates, but its all of the templates in the /templates/ directory (login.html, member.html, etc) that I am having to rewrite to be valid and accessible.

Especially the forms: I'm having to go through all of them to add <fieldset> tags, <legend> tags, <label> tags, and quotes around the attributes, among other things...

I keep finding depricated tags such as <font>, <center>, and others that have to pulled out and remade in a stylesheet.

My goal is to be Section 508-compliant, and have valid XHTML in a CSS layout. If anyone knows a better way for me to do this, I am open to suggestions.

Will

Use CSS, validate it and you can use CSS to make it 508 compliant. All depends on how your site looks like.

Sergei

I know how to use CSS and make a Section 508 compliant site - I have been doing that a long time.

My question is, is there an easier way to get aMember's templates to comply with XHTML and Section 508 than going in and rewriting them all?

Well, from what I know there are about 20 files to edit in the smarty templating system. So I think there is no way around it unless someone already wrote a XHTML compliant theme. But then again, it shouldnt take you too much time, at most 1 hour to re-write. At least thats how long it took me. If you are smart you put most of the stuff in the header.html/tpl file. That way by just including the header you save yourself a ton of time.

My 2 cents ;-)

I am considering purchasing aMember Pro, but one of the biggest stumbling blocks for me is the apparent lack of valid (x)html/css support.

Can you please advise whether this has been integrated into the latest version, or when it may be considered?

Having an easy system of templating (creating new themes etc) that are valid would seem to be important - especially for accessibility reasons. I have already designed the site I am thinking of adding this software to, and it is valid XHTML/CSS, and also passes many accessibility guidelines.

In addition, many of the other software choices aMember Pro integrates with (via your plugins/modules) have already made the move to web standards.

Many thanks.

Have you downloaded the trial version? Suggest you do that and take a look at the templates.

David