SI Tip of the Day - Using Validate Section and saving frequently reduces errors

If you are new to SpecsIntact, or even just experienced enough to know how to get into trouble, this tip may save you a lot of time.

You probably are already aware there is a hierarchy of information contained in a SpecsIntact section, and that if certain rules are violated in the formatting of the XML tags, the system will report errors when you save a section. You do NOT want to find numerous errors when this happens.

A good way to keep the errors from growing to large proportions is to check validity frequently, and save often. I like to use hot keys Alt T V because it is quicker than reaching for the mouse. There is also a toolbar button, or menu access (Tools, Validate). You effectively gain a second level of undo capability by saving each time you get a "Valid file" message. If you know you got into trouble only a few keystrokes ago, regular undo with Ctrl+Z or the left curly arrow button is fine. But if you don't know when it went to h*** in a handbasket, you now have the power to go back to a sort of "last known good" state by simply closing the section without saving. That is only a good idea if you save frequently.

By doing this every time you muddle very much with deleting or adding subparts, and similar edits, you find out quickly when you have one or two errors, and you can then easily fix them.

<SPT>Here is a sub-tip of the day, maybe even better than the main tip of the day: When you get error(s), double-click the error in the VALIDATE.LOG file, and it will magically take you to the very spot in the spec that is causing the error. Then Alt-T-V again to recheck.</SPT>

Using this process creates a feedback process in your work habits, so you end up with fewer and fewer errors and you won't have a huge mess to fix later.

Hope you benefit from this post, our first edition of the "Tip of the Day". By the way, don't be misled by the title into hoping there will be a new tip absolutely every day. But "Tip of the Day or Every Couple of Days or Sometimes Tip of the Week" would be too long and clumsy.