- From: Ian Hickson via cvs-syncmail <cvsmail@w3.org>
- Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:49:32 +0000
- To: public-html-commits@w3.org
Update of /sources/public/html5/spec
In directory hutz:/tmp/cvs-serv31528
Modified Files:
Overview.html
Log Message:
Make it clear that layout tables are wrong. Suggest that tools use heuristics to detect them anyway. Allows browsers to use the summary='' attribute. (whatwg r2866)
Index: Overview.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /sources/public/html5/spec/Overview.html,v
retrieving revision 1.2036
retrieving revision 1.2037
diff -u -d -r1.2036 -r1.2037
--- Overview.html 24 Feb 2009 02:29:48 -0000 1.2036
+++ Overview.html 24 Feb 2009 02:49:30 -0000 1.2037
@@ -18602,9 +18602,21 @@
};</pre>
</dd>
</dl><p>The <code><a href=#the-table-element>table</a></code> element <a href=#represents>represents</a> data with
- more than one dimension, in the form of a <a href=#concept-table title=concept-table>table</a>.<p class=XXX>we need some editorial text on how layout
- tables are bad practice and non-conforming<p>The <code><a href=#the-table-element>table</a></code> element takes part in the <a href=#table-model>table
- model</a>.<p>The <dfn id=dom-table-caption title=dom-table-caption><code>caption</code></dfn> DOM
+ more than one dimension, in the form of a <a href=#concept-table title=concept-table>table</a>.<p>The <code><a href=#the-table-element>table</a></code> element takes part in the <a href=#table-model>table
+ model</a>.<p>Tables must not be used as layout aids. Historically, some Web
+ authors have misused tables in HTML as a way to control their page
+ layout. This usage is non-conforming, because tools attempting to
+ extract tabular data from such documents would obtain very confusing
+ results. In particular, users of accessibility tools like screen
+ readers are likely to find it very difficult to navigate pages with
+ tables used for layout.<p class=note>There are a variety of alternatives to using HTML
+ tables for layout, primarily using CSS positioning and CSS
+ tables.<p>User agents that do table analysis on arbitrary content are
+ encouraged to find heuristics to determine which tables actually
+ contain data and which are merely being used for layout. This
+ specification does not define a precise heuristic.<p>If a <code><a href=#the-table-element>table</a></code> element has a <code title=attr-table-summary>summary</code> attribute, the user agent
+ may report the contents of that attribute to the user.<p class=note>Authors are encouraged to use the
+ <code><a href=#the-caption-element>caption</a></code> element instead of the <code title=attr-table-summary>summary</code> attribute.<p>The <dfn id=dom-table-caption title=dom-table-caption><code>caption</code></dfn> DOM
attribute must return, on getting, the first <code><a href=#the-caption-element>caption</a></code>
element child of the <code><a href=#the-table-element>table</a></code> element, if any, or null
otherwise. On setting, if the new value is a <code><a href=#the-caption-element>caption</a></code>
Received on Tuesday, 24 February 2009 02:49:42 UTC