The semantics of the placeholder and title attributes of inputs overlap
slightly; the placeholder attribute may contain a hint to aid the user,
while title is to contain "other advisory text." I can think of two valid
uses of placeholder: example value, and the text "click here to type" or
"enter search query here." The latter is obviously user interface that
should be implemented by interactive user agents. Then there is the third
use, use it as a title attribute (but with richer presentation).
Users might want values falling under the first to be prefixed with
"e.g.", "for example" or equivalent - but by allowing the latter use
forces authors to add it to all example values, rather than letting the
user's style sheet take care of it. Thus I suggest narrowing the semantics
of the attribute to example values, allowing for easier styling by users
(or agents, on their behalf). The second one should have no valid
representation. Lastly, the specification should make it clearer what the
title attribute is appropriate for; a description of the input or format.
Also, I see no reason to suggest not rendering the text when the input is
focused - in special on 1D devices such as speech - considering that
JavaScript dependent sites (such as Hotmail) have placed example values in
a small font below the input so that it can be visible while the user is
typing, and, more importantly, after the input has been focused (whether
automatically or manually), but before the user starts typing.
As for the argument against using the title attribute for everything that
it would break existing sites, I do believe rendering the title attribute
of an empty and unfocused input inside of it is an improvement over
displaying a tooltip a second or two after the user positions a cursor
over the input (irrespective of focus). How on Earth is anyone to think of
doing that? Displaying the title attribute in a floating box in a margin
when an input is focused, followed by the example value prefixed with
"e.g." would be my preferred rendering, but that's just my opinion.
P.S. The last paragraph of the section on the pattern attribute links
twice to <semantics.html#the-title-element>. Should it not link to
<elements.html#the-title-attribute>?
- [whatwg] The placeholder attribute Bjartur Thorlacius
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