Validating XML in InDesign
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...
Why validate?
Validation is the process of assuring that the XML you create conforms to the rules of your structure, whether governed by a DTD, schema, or database structure. While "a foolish consistency" in philosophy may not be praiseworthy, a wise consistency in content creation may save you a lot of later effort.
When you validate your XML content, the assumption is that any other system using the same structural rules can use the XML you create. For solo content creators who are only making XML and storing it for their own uses, validation may not be necessary. But for anyone who is working with XML with the intent of passing along the content they create to other applications or processes, making sure that the XML is valid will be imperative.
How to Validate XML in InDesign
Adobe has given you the ability to make mistakes when creating XML content, then go back and fix them by checking the content's validity against a DTD. If you need really robust validation while authoring XML content, InDesign may not be the right choice for your publishing needs. Adobe FrameMaker and other XML publishing applications that offer a guided content creation process (preventing you from inserting invalid structure in your document) will serve you better.
Consider InDesign as a tool for which validation should be done before importing XML (if possible), or frequently while creating XML structure ...
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