[whatwg] Index attribute in formdata

[Ian Hickson]

On Mon, 9 Aug 2004, [ISO-8859-1] Olav Junker Kjær wrote:
>
> I would like to get rid of the "index" attribute on fields in xml formdata. I
> think it binds the server side processing too tightly to the UI, by relying on
> the document order of controls.
> 
> If I understand correctly, the role of the index is for identifying controls
> in the case where controls cannot be identified only by name (and perhaps
> value). E.g. when several text field in the same form has the same name.
> 
> I think it is a reasonable trade-off, to require that fields (apart from check
> boxes and radio buttons) should be uniquely named (in the form scope), and
> that values should be unique for check boxes and radio buttons with the same
> name, and for options in a select.

I agree that _if the author writes the form according to the guidelines 
you just described_, he shouldn't need to give the index attribute. So 
I've made it optional and defaulting to 0. I also special-cased radio 
buttons and checkboxes so that if the attribute is omitted, it'll use the 
value to work out which one should be set.

-- 
Ian Hickson               U+1047E                )\._.,--....,'``.    fL
http://ln.hixie.ch/       U+263A                /,   _.. \   _\  ;`._ ,.
Things that are impossible just take longer.   `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'