[WSG] Re: Complex form - markup help?
On 10/20/05, Christian Montoya [email hidden] wrote: It looks like a data table to me. If you didn't use a table, you would probably use lists, which might be more confusing. I've had advise from [EMAIL PROTECTED] against using data table markup for forms because screen readers often have different modes for the navigation of tables and the navigation of forms. And if you provide information in a mix of data table markup and form markup, users may miss one or the other. See: http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ig/2005JulSep/0196.html So if you do use a table to layout your form, you might want to consider it a layout table and not use structural data table markup. In this case, the content is generally considered part of a form, not a table. Form elements already provide ways for explicitly associating labels with inputs and legends with fieldsets. So, you do not need structural table elements and attributes in order to mark-up the relationship. Just be sure the layout table makes sense when linearized. So my take is... - The way you choose to go (layout table or CSS) depends upon your CSS knowledge. CSS layouts are becoming more popular, they are more standards compliment. Cameron Adams has a good CSS form examples, Accessible, stylish form layout templates [1]. Derek Featherstone also has some other good CSS form techniques at Simply Accessible[2]. However, some designers/developers revert back to tables when it comes to laying out a form because of the complexities involved. - The way you choose to go might also depend upon your knowledge of your audience (that is what software they'll be using to access a page) and the amount of cross-browser compatibility you want to accomplish. Some More References: CSS Forms http://www.d.umn.edu/goto/css#forms Forms Accessibility http://www.d.umn.edu/goto/accessibility#forms Forms Usability http://www.d.umn.edu/goto/usability#forms Laura [1] http://www.themaninblue.com/writing/perspective/2004/03/24/ [2] http://simplyaccessible.org/ ___ Laura L. Carlson Information Technology Systems and Services University of Minnesota Duluth Duluth, MN 55812-3009 http://www.d.umn.edu/goto/webdesign/ ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help **
Re: [WSG] Re: Complex form - markup help?
On 10/21/05, Laura Carlson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On 10/20/05, Christian Montoya [email hidden] wrote: It looks like a data table to me. If you didn't use a table, you would probably use lists, which might be more confusing. I've had advise from [EMAIL PROTECTED] against using data table markup for forms because screen readers often have different modes for the navigation of tables and the navigation of forms. And if you provide information in a mix of data table markup and form markup, users may miss one or the other. See: http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ig/2005JulSep/0196.html I learn something new every day :-) In that case, if I were to attempt to make it ultra-accessible, I would use divs in this situation, with the center div having lists. Just wondering, I think I mentioned about this possibly being implemented with a list that has nested lists... how does that affect accessibility, especially for screen readers? Are nested lists problematic? What about using nested lists elsewhere, like in a list of links? -- C Montoya rdpdesign.com ... liquid.rdpdesign.com ... montoya.rdpdesign.com ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help **
Re: [WSG] Re: Complex form - markup help?
On 10/21/05, Laura Carlson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On 10/20/05, Christian Montoya [email hidden] wrote: It looks like a data table to me. If you didn't use a table, you would probably use lists, which might be more confusing. I've had advise from [EMAIL PROTECTED] against using data table markup for forms because screen readers often have different modes for the navigation of tables and the navigation of forms. And if you provide information in a mix of data table markup and form markup, users may miss one or the other. See: http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ig/2005JulSep/0196.html I learn something new every day :-) In that case, if I were to attempt to make it ultra-accessible, I would use divs in this situation, with the center div having lists. Just wondering, I think I mentioned about this possibly being implemented with a list that has nested lists... how does that affect accessibility, especially for screen readers? Are nested lists problematic? What about using nested lists elsewhere, like in a list of links? -- C Montoya rdpdesign.com ... liquid.rdpdesign.com ... montoya.rdpdesign.com ** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list getting help **
