Null characters in HTML documents and TextPad Options

[Christian J]

When I try to view source on http://www.naturalbeautysoaps.net/testfile...te3NAVtest.html in TextPad I get strange characters instead of HTML. When I try to copy the first of them (that look like squares) TextPad says I can't copy null characters, so I suppose there's something like that in the beginning of the file. This has happened on some other sites too. Who inserts the null characters, and how (besides using Notepad) can you avoid this issue in TextPad?

[pandy]

So you are treating yourself to a nice little soap, are you? Mango MInt maybe?

Sorry, I have no idea about how TextPad works. Just wanted to be generally supportive.

[Christian J]

So you are treating yourself to a nice little soap, are you? Mango MInt maybe?

No, me I never bath except at Christmas. I found it here on htmlhelp.com.

Sorry, I have no idea about how TextPad works. Just wanted to be generally supportive.

Can you view it in Notetab (or whatever you used)? I tried and got a null character error there too.

[pandy]

Glycerin soaps are nice, actually. Maybe we can make that person send us some.

Can you view it in Notetab (or whatever you used)? I tried and got a null character error there too.

I don't use NoteTab as vierwer sourcer but I'd assume it could. Are you sure you got an error, not just a promt warning/informing you about binary characters? It depens a little on how you have it set up (Filter Binary Characters) but NTP uses to load the doecument and display the bad characters as blankl boxes ot the character of your choice.

[pandy]

Just for you I changed to NTP. No warnings about nothing. Tried a few others too. No problem anywhere.

[Christian J]

NTL alerted me that I should filter binary codes to view it (alas TextPad doesn't seem to have a similar option). When I enabled the filter NTL opened the document with an alert that it may be a binary file, and only displays junk like

CODE

‹······í]wwÛ8¶ÿÛþåeä¬-É’{‘³Ž

Glycerin soaps are nice, actually. Maybe we can make that person send us some.

Worth a try!

[pandy]

I get a normal document. Is this with IE? Are you sure you used View Source and not Edit?

[Christian J]

I get a normal document. Is this with IE? Are you sure you used View Source and not Edit?

Yes I used "Edit > with TextPad" in IE (is Edit different from "View source", except that you can select editor? ), then I saved the junk code as a text document so I could try to open it locally with NTL.

Anyway, now I tried "Edit > with TextPad" from the web page again and suddenly it works. The file I saved yesterday still contains junk characters. Maybe it was corrupted during transfer (yet I reloaded the web page yesterday)?

[pandy]

Yes, it's different. I don't know exactly in what way it is and why though. I have Notetab as editor and once in a while I get the mess you describe. Formatting is often screwed up too. Didn't happen at the site you have problems with though.

except that you can select editor?

Cool people can do that without hacking the registry each time for View Source too.
Actually, Notetab has an option on the Help menu, Replace MS Notetab. It's reversible. Only I think there is problems with this with XP. You need to do something more that I have forgotten since I don't use XP.

[Christian J]

once in a while I get the mess you describe. Formatting is often screwed up too.

Wonder if it's the FTP programs that scre.w up the formatting? Can't see why anyone would want to add a null character though, but ISTR this was discussed long time ago.

except that you can select editor?

Cool people can do that without hacking the registry each time for View Source too.
Actually, Notetab has an option on the Help menu, Replace MS Notetab. It's reversible. Only I think there is problems with this with XP. You need to do something more that I have forgotten since I don't use XP.

When I click Edit I can instantly choose between Notepad and TextPad, ehich is convenient (I think some people get the choice between Notepad and FrontPage). IIRC TextPad added itself there during installation.

[pandy]

I know that, but View Source and Edit is not the same, I say.

You won't get the binary crap with View Source.

[Christian J]

I know that, but View Source and Edit is not the same, I say.

Yes, but I was asking about other differences besides the obvious.

You won't get the binary crap with View Source.

Are you sure? Why not? Note that I never get the binary(?) crap in Notepad, only in TextPad (because Notepad ignores the null characters?).

[pandy]

Yes, I'm sure. I don't know why.