Title: RSS:  xml invalid
Last modified: August 19, 2016

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# RSS: xml invalid

 *  Resolved [leren](https://wordpress.org/support/users/leren/)
 * (@leren)
 * [17 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/rss-xml-invalid/)
 * How can I get the RSS Feed button in my blog header to not give the error page“
   Internet Explorer cannot display this feed — More Information: Invalid xml declaration.
   Line: 2 Character: 3 <?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>”.
 * Here’s what I’m getting when I type my feed into [http://validator.w3.org/feed/](http://validator.w3.org/feed/):
 * 1) “This feed does not validate. line 1, column 1: Blank line before XML declaration.”
   [!
   I’ve looked at the header.php file and removed all blank lines — what file should
   I look at instead?] [! Also, Feedburner tells me: “line 2 … processing instruction
   target matching “[xX][mM][lL]” is not allowed”. Validator.w3.org shows the 2nd
   line as “<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>” — what options do I have? what
   file is this coming from?] [! Note – I’ve installed the Feedburner plug-in but
   don’t know what URLs to type into it because I only get errors from Feedburner—
   is this chicken-and-egg issue, or is there something I don’t get?]
 * 2. “Interoperability with the widest range of feed readers could be improved 
   by implementing the following recommendations. line 12, column 103: Self reference
   doesn’t match document location … rel=”self” type=”application/rss+xml” />
    [!
   is there a better way to write this line of code?]
 * 3. FYI, here’s the code I’m using:
    HEADER.PHP – HEAD: <rss version=”2.0″ xmlns:
   atom=”[http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom”&gt](http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom”&gt); <link
   rel=”alternate” type=”application/rss+xml” title=”<?php bloginfo(‘name’); ?> 
   RSS Feed” href=”<?php bloginfo(‘rss2_url’); ?>” /> <link rel=”alternate” type
   =”application/atom+xml” title=”<?php bloginfo(‘name’); ?> Atom Feed” href=”<?
   php bloginfo(‘atom_url’); ?>” />
 * HEADER.PHP – NAVIGATION:
    ” id=”feed” title=”Subscribe”><img src=”<?php bloginfo(‘
   stylesheet_directory’); ?>/images/feed.gif” alt=”RSS Feed” />
   
    <atom:link href
   =”[http://clearaction.biz/blog/rss.xml&#8221](http://clearaction.biz/blog/rss.xml&#8221);
   rel=”self” type=”application/rss+xml” />
 * Any help with the above is most appreciated!!

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

 *  [merlin981](https://wordpress.org/support/users/merlin981/)
 * (@merlin981)
 * [17 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/rss-xml-invalid/#post-893493)
 * I am having this same issue. Clean install of WordPress 2.6.5 on Windows Server
   2003 (w/ IIS). I’m thinking maybe it’s a problem with running on IIS
 *  Thread Starter [leren](https://wordpress.org/support/users/leren/)
 * (@leren)
 * [17 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/rss-xml-invalid/#post-893498)
 * I finally found my answer after HOURS of tinkering, searching, noodling. By clicking
   on the ‘help’ link within the error message I got at [http://validator.w3.org/feed/](http://validator.w3.org/feed/),
   I was directed to remove all blank lines between the **<? and ?> **brackets in
   4 files: **wp-rss2.php, wp-atom.php, wp-config.php, functions.php**. Just thought
   I’d close the loop on this in case there are other folks with the same challenge.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The topic ‘RSS: xml invalid’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 2 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [leren](https://wordpress.org/support/users/leren/)
 * Last activity: [17 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/rss-xml-invalid/#post-893498)
 * Status: resolved

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