- From: John M Slatin <john_slatin@austin.utexas.edu>
- Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2004 13:05:10 -0500
- To: "Chris Ridpath" <chris.ridpath@utoronto.ca>, <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Chris Ridpath wrote: <blockquote> The concensus reached was that TH elements would be used to determine table type. Data tables must use TH elements. Layout tables cannot use TH elements. </blockquote> I was aware tof the consensus that <th> should be used in data tables and must not be used in layout tables. I was not aware that consensus about using this markup to determine table type had been reached. Wouldn't that be problematic? Wouldn't it mean that any table that included a row of <th> elements would then *by definition* be a "data table" even if it shouldn't be? "Good design is accessible design." John Slatin, Ph.D. Director, Accessibility Institute University of Texas at Austin FAC 248C 1 University Station G9600 Austin, TX 78712 ph 512-495-4288, f 512-495-4524 email jslatin@mail.utexas.edu web http://www.utexas.edu/research/accessibility/ -----Original Message----- From: w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org] On Behalf Of Chris Ridpath Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2004 9:07 am To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org Subject: HTML Table Markup There's been a lot of discussion lately on the IG list regarding HTML table markup. Phil Jenkins started a thread on using a null summary to indicate the difference between layout and data tables[1]. Bruce Bailey started a thread on using the TH element in data tables[2]. Both of these issues, among others, have been discussed at length on the WCAG list and in phone conferences and have led to a series of techniques and tests for the accessible markup of tables. The concensus reached was that TH elements would be used to determine table type. Data tables must use TH elements. Layout tables cannot use TH elements. The use of summary on layout tables is still under discussion[3] but the current view is that summary is optional on both layout and data tables. Caption is optional on data tables and is not permitted on layout tables. Several other elements, such as tbody, thead and tfoot, are not permitted in layout tables[4]. Other techniques for proper table markup can be found in the techniques document. There are tests for checking proper table markup that can be found in the HTML test suite[5] although these are lagging a bit behind the techniques document. The techniques and test suite hope to clarify what the WCAG means to HTML authors and these documents illustrate current WAI thinking. Please take a look and speak up if you'd like change. Cheers, Chris [1] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ig/2004JulSep/0464.html [2] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ig/2004JulSep/0568.html [3] http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/WD-WCAG20-HTML-TECHS/#datatables_summary [4] http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/WD-WCAG20-HTML-TECHS/#layouttables_td [5] http://tile-cridpath.atrc.utoronto.ca/acheck/servlet/ShowGuide?name=wcag -2- 0-aaa.xml&lang=eng&wcag=true&sort=3
Received on Thursday, 9 September 2004 18:05:12 UTC