[html5] r2866 - [act] (0) Make it clear that layout tables are wrong. Suggest that tools use heu [...]

[whatwg at whatwg.org]

Author: ianh
Date: 2009-02-23 18:49:25 -0800 (Mon, 23 Feb 2009)
New Revision: 2866

Modified:
   index
   source
Log:
[act] (0) Make it clear that layout tables are wrong. Suggest that tools use heuristics to detect them anyway. Allows browsers to use the summary='' attribute.

Modified: index
===================================================================
--- index	2009-02-24 02:29:43 UTC (rev 2865)
+++ index	2009-02-24 02:49:25 UTC (rev 2866)
@@ -22866,12 +22866,32 @@
   </dl><p>The <code><a href=#the-table-element>table</a></code> element <a href=#represents>represents</a> data with
   more than one dimension, in the form of a <a href=#concept-table title=concept-table>table</a>.</p>
 
-  <p class=XXX>we need some editorial text on how layout
-  tables are bad practice and non-conforming</p>
-
   <p>The <code><a href=#the-table-element>table</a></code> element takes part in the <a href=#table-model>table
   model</a>.</p>
 
+  <p>Tables must not be used as layout aids. Historically, some Web
+  authors have misused tables in HTML as a way to control their page
+  layout. This usage is non-conforming, because tools attempting to
+  extract tabular data from such documents would obtain very confusing
+  results. In particular, users of accessibility tools like screen
+  readers are likely to find it very difficult to navigate pages with
+  tables used for layout.</p>
+
+  <p class=note>There are a variety of alternatives to using HTML
+  tables for layout, primarily using CSS positioning and CSS
+  tables.</p>
+
+  <p>User agents that do table analysis on arbitrary content are
+  encouraged to find heuristics to determine which tables actually
+  contain data and which are merely being used for layout. This
+  specification does not define a precise heuristic.</p>
+
+  <p>If a <code><a href=#the-table-element>table</a></code> element has a <code title=attr-table-summary>summary</code> attribute, the user agent
+  may report the contents of that attribute to the user.</p>
+
+  <p class=note>Authors are encouraged to use the
+  <code><a href=#the-caption-element>caption</a></code> element instead of the <code title=attr-table-summary>summary</code> attribute.</p>
+
   <p>The <dfn id=dom-table-caption title=dom-table-caption><code>caption</code></dfn> DOM
   attribute must return, on getting, the first <code><a href=#the-caption-element>caption</a></code>
   element child of the <code><a href=#the-table-element>table</a></code> element, if any, or null

Modified: source
===================================================================
--- source	2009-02-24 02:29:43 UTC (rev 2865)
+++ source	2009-02-24 02:49:25 UTC (rev 2866)
@@ -25191,12 +25191,34 @@
   more than one dimension, in the form of a <span
   title="concept-table">table</span>.</p>
 
-  <p class="XXX">we need some editorial text on how layout
-  tables are bad practice and non-conforming</p>
-
   <p>The <code>table</code> element takes part in the <span>table
   model</span>.</p>
 
+  <p>Tables must not be used as layout aids. Historically, some Web
+  authors have misused tables in HTML as a way to control their page
+  layout. This usage is non-conforming, because tools attempting to
+  extract tabular data from such documents would obtain very confusing
+  results. In particular, users of accessibility tools like screen
+  readers are likely to find it very difficult to navigate pages with
+  tables used for layout.</p>
+
+  <p class="note">There are a variety of alternatives to using HTML
+  tables for layout, primarily using CSS positioning and CSS
+  tables.</p>
+
+  <p>User agents that do table analysis on arbitrary content are
+  encouraged to find heuristics to determine which tables actually
+  contain data and which are merely being used for layout. This
+  specification does not define a precise heuristic.</p>
+
+  <p>If a <code>table</code> element has a <code
+  title="attr-table-summary">summary</code> attribute, the user agent
+  may report the contents of that attribute to the user.</p>
+
+  <p class="note">Authors are encouraged to use the
+  <code>caption</code> element instead of the <code
+  title="attr-table-summary">summary</code> attribute.</p>
+
   <p>The <dfn title="dom-table-caption"><code>caption</code></dfn> DOM
   attribute must return, on getting, the first <code>caption</code>
   element child of the <code>table</code> element, if any, or null