Seeking comments on UA search functionality

From the minutes...

<<
Add to guidelines: new options for a browser's search command - 1) search
only links 2) search alt text 
>>

Here is my proposal:

6.8 Searching Functionality
6.8.1 
Priority 1
Allow the current page to be searched for a given phrase.  If the selected
text is found, the selection should be moved to the occurrence.  If the text
occurs within an anchor, the focus should be changed to the anchor.  [Should
the selection also be moved?]  The user interface of this functionality,
including selection presentation and keyboard shortcuts should be consistent
with the platform the UA is operating on.

6.8.2
Priority 2
Optionally allow searching of the text within an anchor.  If desired, the
search would ignore the given phrase if it appeared outside of a anchor.

6.8.3
Priority 3
Optionally allow searching of descriptive text of elements.  This would
expand the scope of the search to include text that may not be visible
on-screen.  Would include the inner-text of <OBJECT> elements, ALT and TITLE
attribute text. [Others?]

We'll need examples for the actual HTML document.

Please comment.

Charles Oppermann
Program Manager, Active Accessibility, Microsoft Corporation
mailto:chuckop@microsoft.com http://microsoft.com/enable/
"A computer on every desk and in every home, usable by everyone!"

Received on Friday, 3 July 1998 23:07:46 UTC