Re: Another question about JAWS 4.01 rendering & Empty alt tags

this jfw bug goes way back but it soon should be fixed.  We are looking
for a way to configure the empty alt situation with both alt="" and
alt=" " so that you can have a choice of what you want jaws to say when
all graphics are set which is a viable mode for many reasons not the
least of which is that many important graphics are not alted.  I think
there is an relatively easy fix for the alt="x" problem where x is any
one character such as - or * etc.

Thanks for your message on this, Perhaps some configurations regarding
title/alt and the order of things might be helpful here as well?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Scott" <mscott2@msfw.com>
To: <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2002 9:17 AM
Subject: RE: Another question about JAWS 4.01 rendering & Empty alt tags


JAWS is configurable to read either "no graphics", "tagged graphics", or
"all graphics". In "all graphics" mode, JAWS 4.01 will read the image
filename if alt is missing, alt="", or alt="[space]". In "tagged
graphics" mode, it will ignore the image if alt is missing, alt="", or
alt="[space]". (Surprisingly, JAWS 4.01 also seems treat alt text
consisting of punctuation characters, e.g. alt="*" or alt=">>", as if
were null -- i.e. it skips it in "tagged" mode and reads the filename in
"all" mode.)

With image links, "all graphical links" is the default, so JAWS will
read either the image filename or the link href when alt is missing or
alt="" (null). Strangely, JAWS seems to read the link href when in is
normal reading mode and the filename when "tabbing" from link to link.
Also, JAWS 4.01 DOES ignore image links when alt="[space]", not that I
would recommend taking advantage of this "feature"...

When title attributes are used, JAWS will read ONE of (1) the link
title, (2) the image title, or (3) the image alt, in that order of
precedence. There doesn't seem to be any setting to change how JAWS
handles titles on image links.

Next week we'll have to try Home Page Reader 3.02 and Window Eyes 4...

Mike

Mike Scott
MSF&W Information Technology Solutions
217 698-3535 / 217 698-1353 TTY
http://www.msfw.com

-----Original Message-----
From: w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org] On
Behalf Of jm.damour@camo.qc.ca
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 10:57 AM
To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: Another question about JAWS 4.01 rendering

Hello all,

In JAWS 4.01, for an image with a null alt text (alt=""), JAWS read the
name of the image. If  alt is alt=" ", JAWS don't read the name.

I think it is a result wich can surprise many Web designers.

Jean-Marie D'Amour, M.Ed.
CAMO pour personnes handicapées
www.camo.qc.ca
Montréal, Québec, Canada

Received on Saturday, 2 March 2002 12:08:52 UTC