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Element content does not follow the DTD

An element's children don't match its content model: order, count or which ones.

The message, as the validator reports it
Element note content does not follow the DTD, expecting (to , body), got (body to )

Why it happens

  • Children in the wrong order. A comma in the content model means "in this order".
  • A required child missing, or one appearing more often than ?, * or + allow.

How to fix it

The message gives the model the DTD expects and the children it got. Rearrange the children to match.

Example

Validated against note.dtd, below.

Reports the error
<note id="n1">
  <body>Hi</body>
  <to>Ana</to>
</note>
Fixed
<note id="n1">
  <to>Ana</to>
  <body>Hi</body>
</note>
note.dtd 
<!ELEMENT note (to, body)>
<!ELEMENT to (#PCDATA)>
<!ELEMENT body (#PCDATA)>
<!ATTLIST note id ID #REQUIRED>