Some HTML breaks spell checking in DW 20.2?

[Peter Wiley]

I am having issues with getting spell check to work for certian HTML documents. DW 20.2 build 15263 

I have certain documents that, in Design view, present a blank white window. They look fine in Live mode.

When I try to spell check the documents that produce the blank white window (mindful that spell check works only in Design view) I get a dialouge box that says "Spelling check complete." The trouble is that no spelling check has taken place because none of the mispelled words in the document are flagged.

I have created a simple HTML document as a test. That document does appear appropriately in Design view and spell check will flag mis-spelled words in it as it should. 

So I guess that

1) Some aspect of the code in the files that present a blank white window in Design view is breaking Design view.

2) Spell check is not working when/because Design view is broken.

I'll note that one the troublesome files makes use of Google fonts and when I select Design view I get a note that says "Web Fonts are not rendered in Design view. Please switch to Live view to preview Web Fonts", however I can create a test file that uses Google fonts that does not generate that note and for which spell check works.

I very much need spell check to work and this circumstance is rather frustrating and suprising behaviour in a application as mature as Dreamweaver. When DM says a spell check have been completed I need to be able to believe that.

Can anyone explain what might be going on and steps to remedy? What HTML code might break Design view? Any help greatfully received.

[Ben M]

If there is missing content in Design View it could very well need a server to process the data to show, thus the information is not actually on your page, but maybe available via an include.  In that case you would need to run a spellcheck on your included page and not the page doing the include.

Could you post a link to a sample page and we would be able to confirm this and show you were you should be spellchecking?

[Nancy OShea]

Spell check works for me.  Are you working with a valid document?

When Design view goes blank, it's usually because of critical code errors above the fold.

1. Go to Window > Results > Validation.
2. Click the white triangle to check document. 
3. Or if document contains server-side code like PHP, use Check Live Document.
4. Also ensure that server-side includes are visible.  See screenshot.
   

[Peter Wiley]

Nancy,

Thanks so much for the information. Your information helped me troubleshoot the issue and now spell check works.

The problem was <!--- instead of <!-- 

Sorry for the long delay I am the web person . . . and the photographer . . . and the social media person . . . and the videographer . . . and the pr writer for the small theatre company I work for.