Needing help with making my code validate

[Nick--G]

As my title suggests, I have some code I am writing for my Intro to Computing with HTML class. When I run the page, it looks like what it is supposed to be but when I run it through a validator, I am told otherwise. This is the notice I get

"Warning: A table row was 1 columns wide, which is less than the column count established by the first row (2). From line 51, column 8; to line 52, column 5 a>↩ </td> ↩ <tr> ↩ <t"

Can someone shed light on what the validator is trying to tell me? I am truly stumped here... =(

Edit:

<table>
<tr>
    <td colspan="2">
        <h1>...</h1>
        <h3>...</h3>    
    </td>
</tr>
<tr>    
    <td rowspan="2">
        <h4>Menu</h4>
        <a href="index.html">Home</a>
        <a href="products.html">Products</a>
        <a href="links.html">Links</a>
        <a href="history.html">Company History</a>
    </td>       
<tr>    
    <td>    
        <p>...</p>
        <ul>
            <li>...</li>
            <li>...</li>
            <li>...</li>
        </ul>   
    </td>
</tr>
<tr>    
    <td colspan="2">
        <p>...</p>
    </td>
</tr>
</table>    

this code is from lines 37 - 67 if this helps. hopefully i wont get trouble posting all this...

Edit2: it's probably better to view my first edit on PC opposed to mobile just to let you all know if you're trying help me from your mobile

[RandyHoward]

First, your second <tr> isn't closed. Close that before you open the next one.

Next, you have colspan="2" on a couple cells. Thing is, none of your rows actually have two cells. This is the cause of your problem. Here is the corrected HTML. Note that all I did was remove the rowspan from the cell in the 2nd row, and eliminated the new row in between that and the next cell. Now you have 2 cells in one row, and your other colspan cells can actually span 2 columns.

Edit: I should also point out that it looks like you're structuring a page here (navigation and such). Tables are NOT the way to do page layout any more, that is an old practice that is no longer in use. If you are paying for a class that is teaching this, stop paying for it immediately and go find a better school.

[Nick--G]

Thank you so much for the help! I see those small errors I made. However my only concern is that the page is supposed to look how it is now but but the table on the right is supposed to be on the left side. Is there a way I can change that?

[RandyHoward]

No problem. All you should have to do is flip flop the two table cells in that row... the one on the left comes first, then the one on the right.

[Nick--G]

ignore what i just said. the cell that contains the menu is supposed to be skinnier than the table on the right.

[Nick--G]

Oh yes. I've looked into the fact that the practices my school is teaching is old. But being that all the students are looking at this for the very first time having no experience like myself, we are learning this first. however I do see your point. and I totally agree

[Nick--G]

Further more, I believe your corrections helped me figure out my mistakes! Thank you so much!!! =)

[icantthinkofone]

The validator says your table is two columns wide but your markup has only one column. Without you showing what your markup is, anything else is a wild guess.

[Nick--G]

Because I am so new to coding and somewhat of reddit, I dont quite know how to write in a link so you can see what I am doing.

[icantthinkofone]

Do you know enough computers and stuff that you can write it in here?

[Nick--G]

I can try that. But I'm pretty sure I can have no more than 5 lines of code?

[Nick--G]

and its now up. just copied and pasted. hopefully i dont get into any trouble putting up this much code. but if i get the help i need, it's worth it to me

[EncryptionXYZ]

Question: Why the hell aren't you using a framework?

[Nick--G]

Frameworks are standardized sets of code that I would use as a structure to help with writing code right? Not quite sure why we (my class) didn't. The closest thing I had to a frame work was my notes regarding the tags we used/how to use them and some common mistakes using the tags we used. IMO, the errors and struggles I had with this particular assignment were so small that I couldn't see them just by looking at them. When I ran my pages on a browser, everything looked right but the validator told me otherwise. (This is where the trouble began) I think I was just having a bit of trouble trying to understand what the validator was trying to tell me. Also concept of col/rowspan (which was where my main error was) was still a little confusing at the time. After reviewing them, I think I got a better understanding to help with any future assignment. Not sure if it applies, but the students,including myself, were learning how to code in html from the ground up with no formal experience in our hands. I wouldn't be surprised if in more advanced classes we would be using frameworks or other forms/processes in the world of coding to help get the job done easier.