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Bug 8118 - Remove the Hidden Attribute
Summary: Remove the Hidden Attribute
Status: CLOSED WONTFIX
Alias: None
Product: HTML WG
Classification: Unclassified
Component: pre-LC1 HTML5 spec (editor: Ian Hickson) (show other bugs)
Version: unspecified
Hardware: Macintosh Mac System 9.x
: P3 normal
Target Milestone: FPWD
Assignee: Ian 'Hixie' Hickson
QA Contact: HTML WG Bugzilla archive list
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords: a11y, NE, TrackerIssue, WGDecision
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2009-10-28 19:18 UTC by Shelley Powers
Modified: 2010-10-04 14:49 UTC (History)
9 users (show)

See Also:


Attachments

Description Shelley Powers 2009-10-28 19:18:18 UTC
Remove section 7.1 which describes a hidden boolean attribute. 

The ability to hide or display elements is adequately covered with CSS, via both the visible and the display properties. The hidden attribute is completely redundant, and violates the standard of separating presentation from the contents.
Comment 1 Maciej Stachowiak 2010-01-04 14:44:43 UTC
The hidden attribute applies to things that are currently not relevant at a semantic, not just presentational level. In that respect it is similar to aria-hidden, but it has the obvious presentational effect in addition.
Comment 2 Shelley Powers 2010-01-04 20:27:15 UTC
(In reply to comment #1)
> The hidden attribute applies to things that are currently not relevant at a
> semantic, not just presentational level. In that respect it is similar to
> aria-hidden, but it has the obvious presentational effect in addition.
> 

CSS can manage presentation, and aria-hidden can manage accessibility. The attribute is redundant. 
Comment 3 Maciej Stachowiak 2010-01-04 20:36:25 UTC
(In reply to comment #2)
> (In reply to comment #1)
> > The hidden attribute applies to things that are currently not relevant at a
> > semantic, not just presentational level. In that respect it is similar to
> > aria-hidden, but it has the obvious presentational effect in addition.
> > 
> 
> CSS can manage presentation, and aria-hidden can manage accessibility. The
> attribute is redundant. 
> 

That's assuming semantics doesn't matter, and that saying two things is just as good as saying one thing. When a particular semantic, presentation and accessibility behavior all go together, it's useful to have a single construct to take care of all aspects.
Comment 4 Shelley Powers 2010-01-04 21:06:57 UTC
(In reply to comment #3)
> (In reply to comment #2)
> > (In reply to comment #1)
> > > The hidden attribute applies to things that are currently not relevant at a
> > > semantic, not just presentational level. In that respect it is similar to
> > > aria-hidden, but it has the obvious presentational effect in addition.
> > > 
> > 
> > CSS can manage presentation, and aria-hidden can manage accessibility. The
> > attribute is redundant. 
> > 
> 
> That's assuming semantics doesn't matter, and that saying two things is just as
> good as saying one thing. When a particular semantic, presentation and
> accessibility behavior all go together, it's useful to have a single construct
> to take care of all aspects.
> 

There is nothing semantically relevant in the discussion for the hidden attribute. 
Comment 5 Jonas Sicking (Not reading bugmail) 2010-01-08 20:16:42 UTC
This does not appear to be the case. The "The hidden attribute" section in the spec says:

When specified on an element, it indicates that the element is not yet, or is no longer, relevant.

Which seems to define a semantic meaning.
Comment 6 Ian 'Hixie' Hickson 2010-01-09 00:03:41 UTC
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: This is an Editor's Response to your comment. If you are satisfied with this response, please change the state of this bug to CLOSED. If you have additional information and would like the editor to reconsider, please reopen this bug. If you would like to escalate the issue to the full HTML Working Group, please add the TrackerRequest keyword to this bug, and suggest title and text for the tracker issue; or you may create a tracker issue yourself, if you are able to do so. For more details, see this document:
   http://dev.w3.org/html5/decision-policy/decision-policy.html

Status: Accepted
Change Description: no spec change
Rationale: The hidden="" attribute is no longer in the vocabulary spec, it's now only defined in the split-out spec with the user interaction stuff.
Comment 7 Shelley Powers 2010-01-09 00:30:38 UTC
(In reply to comment #6)
> EDITOR'S RESPONSE: This is an Editor's Response to your comment. If you are
> satisfied with this response, please change the state of this bug to CLOSED. If
> you have additional information and would like the editor to reconsider, please
> reopen this bug. If you would like to escalate the issue to the full HTML
> Working Group, please add the TrackerRequest keyword to this bug, and suggest
> title and text for the tracker issue; or you may create a tracker issue
> yourself, if you are able to do so. For more details, see this document:
>    http://dev.w3.org/html5/decision-policy/decision-policy.html
> 
> Status: Accepted
> Change Description: no spec change
> Rationale: The hidden="" attribute is no longer in the vocabulary spec, it's
> now only defined in the split-out spec with the user interaction stuff.
> 

I checked the HTML 5 specification here at the W3C. Link http://dev.w3.org/html5/spec/Overview.html#the-hidden-attribute. 

Are you saying this section is no longer part of the spec?
Comment 8 Ian 'Hixie' Hickson 2010-01-09 11:28:23 UTC
(reopening since an unrelated change undid this one)
Comment 9 Shelley Powers 2010-01-09 15:46:36 UTC
(In reply to comment #8)
> (reopening since an unrelated change undid this one)
> 

Is this open or closed? 

I asked that this item be removed. Such a removal does necessitate ripping apart HTML5.
Comment 10 Shelley Powers 2010-01-09 21:23:20 UTC
(In reply to comment #9)
> (In reply to comment #8)
> > (reopening since an unrelated change undid this one)
> > 
> 
> Is this open or closed? 
> 
> I asked that this item be removed. Such a removal does necessitate ripping
> apart HTML5.
> 

Sorry, typo. 

Removing/deleting/discarding this attribute does _not_ necessitate ripping apart HTML5.
Comment 11 Ian 'Hixie' Hickson 2010-01-11 10:10:50 UTC
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: This is an Editor's Response to your comment. If you are satisfied with this response, please change the state of this bug to CLOSED. If you have additional information and would like the editor to reconsider, please reopen this bug. If you would like to escalate the issue to the full HTML Working Group, please add the TrackerRequest keyword to this bug, and suggest title and text for the tracker issue; or you may create a tracker issue yourself, if you are able to do so. For more details, see this document:
   http://dev.w3.org/html5/decision-policy/decision-policy.html

Status: Rejected
Change Description: no spec change
Rationale: hidden="" is a key part of HTML5's accessibility story and represents one of the main accessibility improvements over HTML4 for dynamic applications.
Comment 12 Shelley Powers 2010-01-11 15:37:36 UTC
Created as Tracker Issue 95

http://www.w3.org/html/wg/tracker/issues/95
Comment 13 Joshue O Connor 2010-01-11 19:29:17 UTC
I am a little confused by this one. Firstly, Shelly's issue with @hidden seemed to be accepted and then rejected? I am still a little in the dark as to the usefulness of the attribute either way. 

FWIW I don't think it has a semantic meaning at all - but it /may/ have a certain useful that does strike me as being of a presentational nature - but again that would have to be demonstrated. I don't see how it is an improvement on HTML 4 and the @hidden seems to duplicate what can already be done with CSS.
Comment 14 Michael Cooper 2010-02-11 17:26:26 UTC
Per the proposal at http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html-a11y/2010Jan/0245.html, the HTML A11Y TF does not plan to formally work on this issue at this time. This does not mean the TF has no interest in it, but does not have immediate plans to work on it. The TF may review the issue in the future.
Comment 15 Maciej Stachowiak 2010-07-21 02:06:26 UTC
The HTML WG has published a decision affirming the editor's resolution - the hidden attribute will not be removed.