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At 4.10.10 (The datalist element), the content model is given as phrasing content or zero or more option elements. However, the prose then says that the element can be used in two ways. The first way uses just option elements, whereas in the second one, apparently with phrasing content, “the option elements are provided inside a select element inside the datalist element”. If this is meant to be restrictive, please clarify it in the content model, requiring that the phrasing content must have at least one select element descendant. If not, please modify the prose e.g. so that it says “In this case, the option elements can, for example, be provided...”. It would be even better to add another example that uses another technique, such as text that just mentions (some of) the values as examples, implying that the user is expected to enter he value in the text control.
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: Small clarification to the content model description. Rationale: There is no requirement that there be any <option> descendant since there can be zero suggestions. I have clarified the content model to indicate that in the case of phrasing content there can be zero or more <option> descendants.