Re: TABLES mentioned in style sheet section.

to follow up on what Daniel Dardailler said:

> I think 1 row/n columns table (e.g. a toolbar) fits my
> description of simple layout table.

> I think this kind of tables would benefit maybe from getting a
> class=toolbar attached to it (or some more generic name) and
> maybe some scope attribute but otherwise are fully accessible.

ASG:: Three points:

First: fully accessible may require that the ALT text for the
buttons is present, appropriate, and dodges known limitations
of commonly used browsers in presenting ALT text (sigh).

Second: I think that class="toolbar" may be too broad, not too
specific.  In other words, perhaps "navigation" would be the
right class, if it is a toolbar supporting site navigation.
There is a toolbar in the outer context that includes open, mail,
etc verbs that are browser functions independent of the current
document and current focus in the document.  Consider the common
frameset composed of a "credits" frame across the top of the
screen, a "navigation" frame down the left hand margin under the
top, and a "current" frame filling the remaining area reaching
down to the lower-right hand corner.

But don't take my answer, this is the appropriate subject area
for a classification study in the GL group.

Third: It would be good to do a comparative analysis of different
ways to implement toolbars and make them accessible.  It may turn
out that after weighing both author and reader concerns, that
using a table is a better option than using other techniques such
as a merged image with a sensitivity map.  A design study
comparing approaches to toolbars would be another valuable
activity that I suspect fits the focus of the GL group well.

-- Al Gilman

Received on Wednesday, 10 December 1997 13:46:00 UTC