RE: [techs] Alt Text Tests 192 and 195

I wonder if a confusing thing about the INPUT element is confusing the discussion a little bit.

As I understand things, text alternatives / labels for INPUTs come from different sources:

* INPUT type of "image" gets its label from the "alt" attribute
* INPUT type of "submit" or "reset" gets its label from the "value" attribute
* INPUT type of "hidden" does not require a label
* INPUT type of anything else gets its label from a LABEL element
* The "title" attribute can be used on any of these but is not the primary label mechanism.

The HTML DTD is a little fluid / vague about this because of the limited expressiveness of DTDs, but I understand this to be the intent of the authors of the HTML spec. Our techniques and test files should enforce the above mechanisms for labeling INPUT elements, i.e., we don't accept "value" for labeling purposes on an image submit button and we don't accept "alt" for labeling purposes on a standard submit or reset button. Last time I tested this I verified that this is what user agents are expecting to see. [1] 

Also, user agents do supply a default label if the label is not provided. In the same test I just mentioned I observed this with every user agent tested, both old and new, though I admit it was only on a Windows system and I wasn't specifically looking for this at that time. Therefore I consider it an open question whether image submit, standard submit, and reset buttons require labels. My proposal would be that they not be required, but if provided they be required to pass quality tests. Then, we argue about what the quality tests are.

Michael

[1] http://trace.wisc.edu/bugzilla_wcag/show_bug.cgi?id=273

> -----Original Message-----
> From: w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org]On
> Behalf Of John M Slatin
> Sent: January 28, 2005 10:22 AM
> To: Chris Ridpath; Gregg Vanderheiden; WAI WCAG List
> Subject: RE: [techs] Alt Text Tests 192 and 195
> 
> 
> 
> Chirs wrote:
> <blockquote>
> OK. Test 192 "don't label your submit buttons as 'submit'" is out.
> 
> Just to be clear - the Alt text for images used as form submit buttons
> is
> *not* covered under the guidelines. Guideline 1.1, L1, SC1 
> [1] does not
> apply to form submit button images. Correct?
> 
> </blockquote>
> 
> I assume Gregg's argument against this test is that according to the
> HTML 4.01 spec alt is optional for the input element.  But the URI
> attribute still specifies non-text contnet, which is covered under 1.1
> and the definition of non-text content that Wendy proposed.
> 
> So... Maybe there's a way around this: *if* an input of type image
> *does* have an alt attribute, then the contents of that attribute have
> to satisfy 1.1.  If the input does *not* have an alt 
> attribute, then the
> value attribute must serve identify the purpose of the input. 
>  "Submit"
> would be acceptable, though it would be nice (i.e., best 
> practice) to be
> more descriptive.  Maybe Chris' wording would work-- something about
> identifying the purpose of the *form* as I recall?
> 
> John
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Good design is accessible design." 
> John Slatin, Ph.D.
> Director, Accessibility Institute
> University of Texas at Austin
> FAC 248C
> 1 University Station G9600
> Austin, TX 78712
> ph 512-495-4288, f 512-495-4524
> email jslatin@mail.utexas.edu
> web http://www.utexas.edu/research/accessibility/
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org] On
> Behalf Of Chris Ridpath
> Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 8:35 am
> To: Gregg Vanderheiden; 'WAI WCAG List'
> Subject: Re: [techs] Alt Text Tests 192 and 195
> 
> 
> 
> Chris wrote:
> > But is there anything in the guidelines that covers the 
> text used in 
> > form submit buttons?
> >
> 
> Gregg replied:
> > Nope I don't think there is.
> > So I don't think we can have a test of it.
> 
> OK. Test 192 "don't label your submit buttons as 'submit'" is out.
> 
> Just to be clear - the Alt text for images used as form submit buttons
> is
> *not* covered under the guidelines. Guideline 1.1, L1, SC1 
> [1] does not
> apply to form submit button images. Correct?
> 
> Chris
> 
> [1] For all non-text content that is functional, such as 
> graphical links
> or buttons, text alternatives identify the purpose or function of the
> non-text content.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>

Received on Friday, 28 January 2005 19:16:39 UTC