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Web Site Validation and Auditing Tools
Tools for | authors | assessing popularity | administrators | miscellaneous |
Using The Service
The CS Web site has been configured so that a range of remote Web site validation and auditing tools can be accessed by appending ,tool-name to the URL of a web page on the CS Web site. For example, to HTML-validate this web page, use
http://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/dept_info/documentation/publish/tools.html,validate
To see the list of tools available, append ,tools to a URL.
For example
http://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/people/staff/mlb/,tools
Please note:
- The tool name always starts with a comma (e.g.,
,validate) - This service can be used with web pages which are visible from off-campus (usually denoted by URLs ending in .html). However, it does not work with web pages which are only visible locally (those URLs ending in .local or containing LOCAL-ONLY ) because the remote tool which is being invoked cannot access a local web page.
- This this is an experimental service. We reserve the rights to change the names or withdraw any or all of the options.
A list of valid tool-name options is given below.
Tools for authors
| Tool Name | Description | Comments | Test |
|---|---|---|---|
| ,bobby | Checks the page with compliance with Bobby AA accessibility guidelines. (Also available: bobby-a, bobby-aa, bobby-aaa) | Uses Watchfire's Bobby service | ,bobby |
| ,checklink | Checks links on the page (broken, redirected, ... ) | Uses W3C's link checking service | ,checklink |
| ,cssvalidate | Validates the CSS of the page. | Uses W3C's CSS validation service | ,cssvalidate |
| ,html-tidy | Displays an option to view the html of the web page in a tidy format. | Uses W3C's HTML-tidy | ,html-tidy |
| ,link-extractor | Extracts HREF links from the page. | Uses the Webmaster's Toolkit's LinkExtractor | ,link-extractor |
| ,lynx | See how the lynx browser views your page. Useful for detecting accessibility problems. | Uses delorie software. Has other useful services. | ,lynx |
| ,spell | Spell checks the page. | Uses W3C's spell service | ,spell |
| ,tablin | Linearising the page | Uses W3C's table linearising service | ,tablin |
| ,text | Displays a text version of the page. | Uses W3C's text service | ,text |
| ,tools | Displays the Web Site Validation Tools page (this page). | Uses CSWeb server redirection | ,tools |
| ,validate | HTML validation of the page | Uses W3C's HTML validation service | ,validate |
| ,wave | Check the accessibility of the page. | Uses WAVE service | ,wave |
Tools for assessing popularity
| Tool Name | Description | Comments | Test |
|---|---|---|---|
| ,backlinks | Displays links to the page. | Uses AltaVista | ,backlinks (research page) |
| ,backlinks-h | Displays links to the host. Does not inlude links from CSWeb pages. | Uses AltaVista | ,backlinks-h (research page) |
| ,cachability | Displays the cachability of the page. | Uses the mnot's Cacheability Engine | ,cachability |
| ,dejanews | Displays references to the site in Usenet News postings. | Uses Google's Groups service | ,dejanews |
| ,dejanews-p | Displays references to the page in Usenet News postings. | Uses Google's Groups service | ,dejanews-p |
| ,linkpopularity | Displays links to the page. | Uses Google | ,linkpopularity (CSWeb homepage) |
| ,linktool | Displays links to the page. | Uses Linkstoyou | ,linktool(CSWeb homepage) |
| ,related | Displays relationships with other Web sites. | Uses Google's Similar pages service | ,related |
Tools for administrators
| Tool Name | Description | Comments | Test |
|---|---|---|---|
| ,ping | Pings the CS server to see if the server is available | Uses Network Tools's ping service | ,ping |
| ,traceroute | Gives a traceroute to the UKOLN server to see if the server is available | Uses Network Tools's traceroute service | ,traceroute |
| ,robots-check | Reports on the validity of the robots.txt file. | Uses Edinburgh's robots checking service | ,robots-check |
| ,server | Reports on the Web server software and uptime. | Uses Netcraft's What's that server running? service | ,server |
Miscellaneous Tools
| Tool Name | Description | Comments | Test |
|---|---|---|---|
| ,archive | Displays versions of the page stored by the Internet Archive. | Uses the Internet Archive's WayBack Machine | ,archive |
| ,headers | Displays the HTTP headers for the page | Uses W3C's HTTP analysis service | ,headers |
About The Service
This approach is based on that used by the W3C. Appending , or ,tools to any resource on the W3C Web site will display a list of tools which can be used - why not Try it.
This approach provides simple access to a range of validation, testing and auditing tools. Normally you would have to access the service's Web site and then enter the URL of your page.
The approach makes use of several externally-hosted Web services. This approach has several potential dangers: (a) the service may be withdrawn; (b) the service may change its licencing conditions; (c) it is reliant on the availability of the remote site and the network connection to it.
However as the functions provided by this approach are not mission-critical they can be replaced if necessary. In addition if a service is felt to be useful in a number of cases it would be possible to install the software locally. The W3C, in particular, tend to make their software tools available under open source licensing conditions.
Please notify cs-webmaster if you notice that any of these tools are inaccessible or if you have suggestions for new ones.
This service is based on the W3C tools service and this web page has been adapted from material hosted at UKOLN authored by Brian Kelly.