Re: [#293] Summary for tables

[-cc HTML]

I don't see that there is a lot of value in trying to change HTML. They state
that tables are not for page layout (have done since 1997), and they normally
work on how to make compliant HTML work, not how to make non-compliant HTML
work.

One technique that could be used is to make use of Semantic Web technologies
such as Annotea. You could select a table and post an annotation to the
effect that it is just layout. (If you are prepared to give an "id" to the
table I'll write a tool that can be used to do this). Then any tool that is
interested in finding out can look up the relevant annotea server and handle
it appropriately. This means that you build user interfaces in any language,
or graphic ones, and don't rely on picking up a string in english.

This can in fact be combined with the evaluation tool I talked about earlier
- you simply identify the table that doesn't meet the "don't use tables for
layout" test. Whether this is done for marking the table, or done in testing
the page, the results become available in both contexts.

This would take some relatively easy coordination with the TAERT document
("testing accessibility evaluation and repair tools) - and the ERT group to
make it work - probably a lot easier than changing HTML.

If people would like to see how this can work, I'll make an example. If Joe
Clark would like to suggest a real-world page to use as the example, be my
guest.

cheers

Chaals

On Thu, 17 Jul 2003, Roberto Scano - IWA/HWG wrote:

>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Chris Ridpath" <chris.ridpath@utoronto.ca>
>To: "Roberto Scano - IWA/HWG" <rscano@iwa-italy.org>; "Jens Meiert"
><jens.meiert@erde3.com>; <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>
>Cc: <www-html@w3.org>
>Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2003 3:14 PM
>Subject: Re: [#293] Summary for tables
>
>
>>
>>  <table type="layout" />
>>
>> The TABLE element does not have a TYPE attribute in HTML4 so, as Roberto
>> suggested, this would cause problems.
>> http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/struct/tables.html#edef-TABLE
>>
>> Even if approved by the XHTML group this would cause problems with HTML
>> validator tools.
>
>Following your suggestion, an attribute that i think could be use is the
>"title" attribute. As you know the screen readers works on the table with
>the summary attribute. If we create an instruction like this:
>
><table title="layout" summary="...">
>
>Roberto Scano
>IWA/HWG EMEA Coordinator
>W3C Advisory Committee Representative for IWA/HWG
>International Webmasters Association / HTML Writers Guild
>http://www.iwanet.org - http://www.hwg.org
>E-Mail: emea@iwanet.org - w3c-rep@iwanet.org
>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>

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Received on Thursday, 17 July 2003 10:13:52 UTC