Re: Comment on WAI-ARIA Role: Mandatory 'describedby' Too Restrictive

Hi, Al-

Thanks for the quick response.  Comments inline...

Al Gilman wrote (on 8/23/08 3:31 AM):
> 
> Briefly:
> 
> We have been working on amending the host-language-implementation
> section to make it clear that host languages can define implicit ARIA
> semantics based on their markup.  You do have to convince your processors
> to pick these up.  This would mean that the nesting-implied relationship
> based on your specified algorithm would be an implicit @aria-describedby
> in this case.

Perfect.  That completely satisfies our use case.

We will have an algorithm that mandates how our processors should assign
these roles.  I'm looking forward to seeing how we should specify this
implicit relationship.


> This will show up in the public editor's draft some time after Michael
> Cooper returns from a well-deserved holiday on Monday.

Great.


> Less briefly:
> 
> In particular, I would expect that svg:desc should acquire the
> an implied @aria-describedby
> emanating from the containing <g> to the <desc> in question.

<g> or any graphical element... you can add a <title> or <desc> to any
element.


> In which the 'description' role is possible but does not add
> anything operationally.

Actually, at least one SVG UA, Batik, renders the content of both the
<title> and the <desc> as a tooltip by default, so there is some
functionality for all users (which, of course, increases the chances
that authors will use these elements, and use them properly).


> In the case of svg:title, are you anticipating that some would
> show tooltip behavior and some not?  Will this be controlled by
> scripting?  I would assume that svg:title is appropriate to
> get an implicit @aria-labelledby from the container.

The aim, and the wording, is to have all browsers (and maybe other UAs)
display the <title> and <desc> content by default, with no scripting
involved.  We plan to go into more detail regarding expected behavior
based on roles in a later spec, but .  We are considering that authors
and users should be able to override this default behavior, possibly
using the display attribute/property.


Regards-
-Doug Schepers
W3C Team Contact, WebApps, SVG, and CDF

Received on Saturday, 23 August 2008 13:46:52 UTC