Re: Canvas as input vs. img (was Using @aria-describedby for long described image links [Was: Using an image map for long described image links [Was: Revert Request]])

I think your #2 goes towards Charles' parentage of the canvas vs. button
as described below.

If you inverted the parentage of canvas vs. button below, so that the
canvas is a child of button, then it would simply serve as the
"appearance" of the button - which is what you want for #2a below and does
NOT NEED to imbue canvas with any input role.

2b, however, is definitely more interesting as it does imbue input
characteristics to canvas - but it's something that can't (AFAIK) be
submitted as part of a form.  But it's no different in terms of "input"
than DOM modification for SVG elements, at least once the hit testing
problem is resolved.  And perhaps that resolves the need for it then have
"input" characteristics.

Leonard


On 2/7/12 7:32 PM, "Frank.olivier@microsoft.com"
<Frank.Olivier@microsoft.com> wrote:

>IMO all canvas usage can be categorized as
>
>0 - Decorative use - no actual information is communicated
>(Example: 
>http://ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/Performance/ParticleAcceleration/ )
>
>1 - Non-interactive canvas - 'read-only' information
>(Example: Drawing a scatterplot + associated labels in canvas; this has
>always been possible via server-side generated <img>.)
>
>2 - Interactive canvas - 'user interfaces'
>2a Simple single controls - a single checkbox, button, etc (a single
><input> element in the canvas sub-tree)
>2b Sometimes more complex things like spline editors (iow multiple
><input> elements/tab stops/focusable areas in the sub-tree)
>
>So, canvas 'is' (plays the same role as) either <img> or non-text <input>
>elements.
>
>IMO the major spec work to make 1 and 2a accessible is done; we need a
>solution like http://www.w3.org/wiki/Canvas_hit_testing for 2b.
>
>Thanks
>Frank
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Charles Pritchard [mailto:chuck@jumis.com]
>Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2012 1:40 PM
>To: Leonard Rosenthol
>Cc: Maciej Stachowiak; Steve Faulkner; Benjamin Hawkes-Lewis; John
>Foliot; Matthew Turvey; Leif Halvard Silli; Silvia Pfeiffer; Laura
>Carlson; Sam Ruby; Paul Cotton; HTML WG
>Subject: Re: Canvas as input vs. img (was Using @aria-describedby for
>long described image links [Was: Using an image map for long described
>image links [Was: Revert Request]])
>
>SVG-based image editors are written in flash. ;-)
>
>It's not any different than an SVG based button. Yes, we're just trying
>to get vendors on board, supporting DOM in places they didn't.
>
>My comment relating to the way that HTML Canvas Element was traditionally
>implemented.
>It's typical for a Canvas implementations to be treated as a simple
>element, just an image with a dynamic backing.
>
>I didn't realize the Canvas sub-tree was useful when I wrote my
>implementations. Now that we've all figured that out... Once we allow
>that sub-elements can receive focus, the Canvas implementations are
>updated to use some of the same semantics as form controls, internally.
>They have flow, they may have focusable elements that are not visible on
>screen. They become a render block, or a frame, instead of being a simple
>element with no children.
>
>With SVG, I am more often using <button><svg /></button>, with Canvas,
>I'm more often using <canvas><button /></canvas>.
>Small distinction, not very important.
>
>-Charles
>
>On 2/7/2012 1:22 PM, Leonard Rosenthol wrote:
>> How is this different than the various SVG-based image editors (etc.)
>> that have existed for years?  SVG elements, as well as the Canvas
>> element (and
>> static<img>) all live in the DOM can be interacted with.
>>
>> Input, to me at least, means not so much that the user can interact
>> BUT that the values from input will be read/submitted.
>>
>> Leonard
>>
>> On 2/7/12 4:09 PM, "Charles Pritchard"<chuck@jumis.com>  wrote:
>>
>>> Canvas is widely used for interactivity. The basic example in the
>>> HTML5 specs is a checkbox example.
>>>
>>>
>>> The majority of Canvas uses are for UI, not simply for procedurally
>>> generated images.
>>> While you can generate some interesting images via script, a static
>>> PNG file makes more sense in distribution.
>>>
>>> I found that one out with an extension to a drawing application. I'm
>>> sure people in Adobe have seen this as well with things like
>>>illustrator.
>>>
>>> I was so happy that we were capturing all of the information needed
>>> to redraw an image. Then, I noticed that it took longer to redraw the
>>> image than it did to download a copy that had already been rendered.
>>>
>>> The name of this site is a little silly, but it gives a nice view of
>>> how programmers are using JavaScript in experimentation:
>>> http://badassjs.com/
>>>
>>> Notice, the Js1k demos are just programmatic images. Those are demos
>>> though, intentionally tricky and small.
>>>
>>> For actual apps, you have something like "Morning Star: An Impressive
>>> Audio Synth in JavaScript".
>>> http://badassjs.com/post/16764713909/morning-star-an-impressive-audio
>>> -synt
>>> h-in-javascript
>>>
>>>
>>> -Charles
>>>
>>> On 2/7/2012 12:54 PM, Leonard Rosenthol wrote:
>>>> This is interesting©
>>>>
>>>> What makes you think that Canvas is (or should be) anything more
>>>> than a programmatically described image?
>>>>
>>>> Leonard
>>>>
>>>> On 2/7/12 3:40 PM, "Charles Pritchard"<chuck@jumis.com>   wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> The issue with Canvas is that implementers did not realize that
>>>>> Canvas is in some abstract sense, a form element.
>>>>> "the best way to fix it is to make [it] more like a form control"
>>>>> https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=50126
>>>>>
>>>>> In all implementations, fixing Canvas seems to be about changing
>>>>> the object it inherits from.
>>>>> https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=495912
>>>>>
>>>>> Canvas is not<img>, it's<input>.
>>>>>
>>>
>
>
>
>

Received on Wednesday, 8 February 2012 19:57:50 UTC