Re: Technique: Use MAP to identify navigation mechanisms

I'd like to open this as an action item to look carefully at the HTML spec
and see. It seems like a sensible, device-independent use of a structure to
me, although it may be that the authors created an appropriate structure and
then wrote about it in a way which made assumptions about the media devices
with which it might be used.

Charles McCN

On Mon, 12 Jul 1999, Wendy A Chisholm wrote:

  The GL group decided, after much discussion, not to use MAP as a way to
  group text links because it is a non-standard use of the MAP element.
  Please refer to the closed issue "grouping and bypassing links" at
  http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/wai-gl-tech-issues.html#group-bypass.  MAP is
  defined in the HTML4 spec to create client-side image maps - refer to
  http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/struct/objects.html#edef-MAP.  
  
  If the group would like to reopen this for discussion based on the UA
  action item, then we will.  However, we need to think very clearly about
  the implications.  it seems like a kludge to me.
  
  --wendy
  
  At 12:04 PM 7/9/99 , you wrote:
  >Hello,
  >
  >In the User Agent Working Group, we're talking what user agents can
  >do to help users navigate, including making navigation mechanisms 
  >readily available. I am charged with an action to propose a technique
  >for the Web Content Techniques: use MAP to create navigation bars/group
  >related links.
  >
  >In the 5 May Techniques document, section 4.6.1 ("Grouping and
  >bypassing links") [1], an example shows <P class="nav">. Should
  >use the following markup instead?
  >
  ><MAP name="map1">
  >   <P>Navigate the site:
  >      <A href=".." shape="rect"   coords="..">Access Guide</a> |
  >      <A href=".." shape="rect"   coords="..">Go</A>           |
  >      <A href=".." shape="circle" coords="..">Search</A>       |
  >      <A href=".." shape="poly"   coords="..">Top Ten</A>
  ></MAP>
  >
  >User agents may assume that the MAP element is used to create
  >navigation mechanisms (whether image maps or more accessible
  >ones with rich content).
  >
  > - Ian
  >
  >[1] http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT-TECHS/#group-bypass
  >
  >
  >-- 
  >Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
  >Tel/Fax:                     +1 212 684-1814
  > 
  

--Charles McCathieNevile            mailto:charles@w3.org
phone: +1 617 258 0992   http://www.w3.org/People/Charles
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative    http://www.w3.org/WAI
MIT/LCS  -  545 Technology sq., Cambridge MA, 02139,  USA

Received on Monday, 12 July 1999 17:54:31 UTC