yes I know... when you try and manipulate html, maybe adding chunks from code
behind via labels and stuff, it fills it all in for whats actually in the
designer ... regardless of what you are goind to add to it and runtime. It's
daft.
i.e. design time html may not be vaild .. but the runtime html is valid - it
wants all teh design time html to be valid.

In the bin.

Tools, Options, Text Editor, HTML/XML, Format ... apply automatic formatting -
UNCHECK both boxes.