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SUMMARAY: Add a new <textual> element for *visible* textual substitutes for embedded content. In-depth, original description: http://html4all.org/pipermail/list_html4all.org/2010-September/001071.html RATIONALE * To break down the dichotomy between visible and invisible alternative text. * To allow visible textual substitute text to all embedded elements - img, video etc * To allow, via a description-link attribute, <textual> to link to descriptions without affecting a possible <a> wrapper * To avoid the need to use more complicated and "big" elements like <figure> or specialized elements as <details> (<textual> could instead be used inside these elemetns, when they contain embedded content) * To allow for inline use. * Should be possible to wrap an anchor element around it, without breaking the interactive functionality - The link feature should be of the same nature as @longdesc and @cite * Allow programmatic association of description links and text substitute, without explicit use fo ARIA. * Provide an element that encourages authors to provide textual substitute and link to textual descriptions UA/AT support * The wrapper element approach provides a close link between <textual> and the emebedded content. * That it is a separate element allows for reuse of existing attributes: - @alt can be used as link text container (like in <area alt="">) - @longdesc or @href can be used as link attribute Code example: <figure> <figcaption> Photo number 22, summer 2010 </figcaption> <a href=link-to-big-picture title="see full size"> <textual dref=link alt="Link to long description. "> <img alt="Our summer house in France"> Mom, dad and myself in front of the house. </textual> </a> </figure>
Contexts in which this element can be used - additional note: * as wrapper around <object>,<video>,<audio>, <iframe>,<img>,<embed>, <canvas>, <math>,<svg> Content model - additional note: * It should be forbidden to nest one <textual> inside another * <textual> is phrasing content - block elements are not permitted inside * <textual> only wraps around one element (may exception for several images combinded into one image?)
The link attribute - additional note: Instead of @longdesc or @href as link attribute, @desclink (bug 10967) could be used
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: Did Not Understand Request Change Description: no spec change Rationale: What's wrong with using <a href=""> for this, possibly with a rel="" value if necessary?
Bug triage sub-team thinks this is a A11Y TF priority because it's related to longdesc (ISSUE-30 http://www.w3.org/html/wg/tracker/issues/30). Adding dependency on 10455 to reflect this, and TrackerIssue keyword to reflect relationship to ISSUE-30. Note the ultimate engineering of longdesc solutions may or may not support the suggestion in this bug, so this will have to be addressed when longdesc is complete.
HTML A11Y TF Action 66 http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/HTML/track/actions/66 and Action 90 http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/HTML/track/actions/90 are meant to provide information about embedded content, including long description. Adding dependency on 8885 to reflect this. Note this relates to ISSUE-30 which is closed, but the task force may wish to reopen longdesc discussion.
Assigning to Leif to provide further information http://www.w3.org/2011/02/03-html-a11y-minutes.html#item01
left this one to leif to follow up after discussion with a11y taskforce subteam.