Re: @headers issue resolved - allowing a td to be referenced by a header to be in the HTMl5 spec.

Robert J Burns wrote:
> Whatever the HTML5 draft says for document conformance, the use of the 
> headers attribute to point to a TD cell is long established and much 
> existing content will be broken if the HTML5 headers association 
> algorithm does not support it. The question of whether document 
> conformance should permit a headers attribute to reference an TD is a 
> separate matter. Personally, I'm finding it difficult to come up with an 
> example where the approach you advocate wouldn't work. The question is 
> how important is it for authors to distinguish not only data from 
> header, but also data acting as header (or header acting as data to put 
> it another way). 

Also we would need to work out how UAs behave when they encounter a 
proper <th> (or several) embedded or nested within a complex data table. 
Would it confuse existing AT? Will the UA think that it is encountering 
a separate table and start a new heuristic process? How will the 
presence of nested tables therefore effect the way the UA reacts?

I haven't tested any nested headings within tables but James may have. 
I would be concerned that using nested headers in data tables this way 
could be more problematic that the use of conceptual headers.

My 2 cents (Euro).

Cheers

Josh

Received on Friday, 29 August 2008 14:38:11 UTC