Re: can <MAP> be used soley to group links?

Ian,

Would you agree that the spec commentary needs re writing, e.g. change

 > This content should include A elements that specify
 > the geometric regions of the image map and the link associated with each
 > region"

to

"If the <MAP> is being used to specify regions of an image map, then the A 
elements should specify the geometric regions and their associated 
links.  If the <MAP> is being used only to group the links, then the 
geometric regions may be omitted."

(you suggested something like this,  to make it a "little clearer".)

also change the line in the DTD

 > name        CDATA          #REQUIRED -- for reference by usemap --

to

 > name        CDATA          #REQUIRED -- for reference by usemap and/or 
other purposes --

If you agree on the need for that rewrite, or something equivalent, then 
we're in agreement.

Len

At 12:50 PM 7/31/00 -0400, Ian Jacobs wrote:
>"Leonard R. Kasday" wrote:
> >
> > To the HTML editor,
> >
> > During discussions in WAI, people have been saying that in HTML 4.01 <MAP>
> > can be used for the sole purpose of grouping links, i.e. without
> > implementing an image map, e.g.
> >
> > <MAP name="foo">  <!-- with no usemap referring to "foo" -->
> >    <A href="home.html"> home </A>
> >    <A href="contact.html> contact </A>
> > </MAP>
> >
> > However, what I read in the HTML 4.01 spec seems to contradict this.
>
> > 1. In 13.6.1 [1] . it says that the name attribute is required, and the
> > comment says it's for use by usemap.  But there's no need for usemap if
> > it's only for grouping.  So the reference to usemap seems to contradict
> > that map can be used solely for grouping.
>
>That's not my reading of the spec:
>
>"name: This attribute assigns a name to the image map
>        defined by a MAP element."
>
>One use of this name value is to be the value of the
>usemap attribute on another element. But name may serve
>other purposes (e.g., it could be used in scripting).
>
>I don't see a contradiction. "Usemap" is one consumer
>of MAP/name.
>
> > 2. The document also says that
> >
> > "Block-level content. This content should include A elements that specify
> > the geometric regions of the image map and the link associated with each
> > region"
> >
> > This also seems to contradict the idea that <MAP> can be used solely for
> > grouping, since there's no need to specify geometry for such uses.
> >
> > Are these simply editorial glitches in the 4.01 spec that need to be
> > corrected?
>
>Again, I don't see a contradiction. But it might be little clearer:
>If your A elements are associated with an image, then specify
>the geometric reasons. Authors aren't required to put in geometries.
>Most of this section is about image maps, so the language is
>tailored towards that application of MAP, AREA, and A.
>But, the following sentence clearly indicates that an image
>is not required:
>
>   "The MAP element may be used without an associated image for
>    general navigation mechanisms."
>
>  - Ian
>
> > Or is it a mistaken belief that <MAP> can be used solely for the 
> purpose of
> > grouping links?
> >
> > Thanks much in advance.
> >
> > Len
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>--
>Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
>Tel:                         +1 831 457-2842
>Cell:                        +1 917 450-8783

--
Leonard R. Kasday, Ph.D.
Institute on Disabilities/UAP and Dept. of Electrical Engineering at Temple 
University
(215) 204-2247 (voice)                 (800) 750-7428 (TTY)
http://astro.temple.edu/~kasday         mailto:kasday@acm.org

The WAVE web page accessibility evaluation assistant: 
http://www.temple.edu/inst_disabilities/piat/wave/

Received on Tuesday, 1 August 2000 09:12:30 UTC