Resolved [Can't select CSS3 schema in Visual Web Developer Express 2010]

I have just installed SP1 for this software which has added HTML 5 and CSS3 support.

I have also added the CSS3 schema, (CSS3 IS 2.1.1.MSI), from Microsoft but I cannot make any selection from the Cascading style sheet version for validation drop down box which remains greyed out.

Is there any way to invoke this drop down box and allow me to select the CSS version?

As it is I seem to be stuck with CSS versions 1.0 and 2.1 for validation depending upon the HTML scheme selected

 

Ah! I think I have more or less resolved this issue.


If I want to work on a 'pure' CSS file I can load it into VWD and the Cascading Style Sheet Version for Validation drop down is fully populated with CSS 1.0, CSS 2.0 and CSS 2.1, (= CSS 3).

Unfortunately, when looking at other pages, *.htm and so on, the drop down box is greyed out so that it is not possible to change schema. However, the trick seems to be to first of all open a 'proper' CSS page and choose the appropriate schema and then open the *.htm or whatever page, when the CSS schema remains selected.

Success - of a sort, even it a little convoluted.

 

Following on from the previous post I should add some further clarification.

The code for CSS 3 implementation appears to be downloaded correctly and all of the various Registry settings appear to be correct.

However, the correct version for CSS 3 is not available from the dropdown and the current CSS 2.1 is not fully CSS 3 compliant.


However, there is an easy workaround to provide full CSS 3 error checking, although I am unsure how accurate CSS 3 Intellisense is on the Express version.


To get the correct schema, visit http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/7211bcac-091b-4a32-be2d-e797be0db210
and download CSS IS 2.1.1.

This is the full CSS 3 schema and was updated recently.

The new file, css30.xml, will not immediately be available but to fix this visit C:\Program Files[x86]\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\Packages\1033\schemas\CSS
and rename the existing file css21.xml to css21old.xml.

Make a copy of css30.xml which will appear as css30 - Copy.xml

Retain this for security and then rename the existing file css30.xml to css21.xml

This means that when using VWD and checking CSS code selecting the 'CSS 2.1' option will actually invoke the CSS 3 code.

Admittedly it is something of a kludge but it has the merit of working and of avoiding unnecessary tinkering with the Registry in the hope that that would fix the issue.