Adam:
You can host the file web-app_2_3.dtd in your local web server...the one that comes with tomcat.
Get the file from
web app DTD and save it locally under \Apache Tomcat 4.0\webapps\ROOT\dtd OR any other web app you prefer. ( for the ROOT to work
you should uncomment a line in server.xml if it's not already done).
Anyway, henceforth, refer to this DTD file thru' "http://localhost:8080/dtd/web-app_2_3.dtd"
whereever it was originally referring to "http://java.sun.com/dtd/web-app_2_3.dtd" in your web.xml
Problem solved...and u don't need an internet connection.
Point being you're validating your web.xml against the local DTD instead of the one in java.sun.com site ( assuming they both are
identical Hope this helped