[whatwg] Elements should be removed from the past names map once it's no longer associated with the form element

• From: Ryosuke Niwa <rniwa@apple.com>
• Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2013 14:45:47 -0700
• To: WHAT Working Group <whatwg@lists.whatwg.org>
• Message-id: <3D1589C6-876D-4E5D-9CAC-79FB788E2F52@apple.com>

Hi all,

I propose to change the specification to remove any elements that are no longer associated with the form from the past names map:
http://www.whatwg.org/specs/web-apps/current-work/multipage/forms.html#past-names-map

It's strange for elements to linger around forever in the past names map after the element get associated with a new form element.  Since IE didn't support form attribute for a long time (or maybe still hasn't?), I don't think there is any compatibility concern.

The change makes the elements associated with the form element more consistent and easier to reason about.  We can make form[x].form === form an invariant for every x such that form[x] is a form control element.

- R. Niwa

Received on Monday, 26 August 2013 21:46:15 UTC