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Bug 7724 - I would like to know: what is to become of the A element’s NAME attribute? I validated a HTML5 website that I am working this Wednesday (2009-09-23) which contained an A element with a NAME attribute: the W3C Markup Validator did not mind one bit. Howe
Summary: I would like to know: what is to become of the A element’s NAME attribute? I ...
Status: VERIFIED WORKSFORME
Alias: None
Product: HTML WG
Classification: Unclassified
Component: pre-LC1 HTML5 spec (editor: Ian Hickson) (show other bugs)
Version: unspecified
Hardware: Other other
: P3 normal
Target Milestone: LC
Assignee: Ian 'Hixie' Hickson
QA Contact: HTML WG Bugzilla archive list
URL: http://www.whatwg.org/specs/web-apps/...
Whiteboard:
Keywords: NoReply
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2009-09-24 23:23 UTC by contributor
Modified: 2010-10-04 14:48 UTC (History)
5 users (show)

See Also:

Attachments

Description contributor 2009-09-24 23:23:26 UTC 
Section: http://www.whatwg.org/specs/web-apps/current-work/#reviewCommentText

Comment:
I would like to know: what is to become of the A element’s NAME attribute? I validated a HTML5 website that I am working this Wednesday (2009-09-23) which contained an A element with a NAME attribute: the W3C Markup Validator did not mind one bit.  However, today (25-09-25), the W3C Markup Validator is showing this as an error! For the same page, html5.validator.nu is marking each occurrence with a warning, but still showing an overall pass.  I think that for reasons of backward compatibility, the NAME attribute SHOULD be kept in the HMTL5 spec. Older UAs of the Netscape 4 generation do not support the ID attribute as a fragment identifier, and I think that, solely in the interests of supporting legacy browsers, the NAME attribute should remain in the spec (maybe marked as deprecated).  Thank you for your time, and keep up the good work!  Regards,  Jordan Clark <http://www.jdclark.org/> <mail@jdclark.org>

Posted from: 82.11.218.55
Comment 1 Jordan Clark 2009-09-25 20:51:37 UTC 
Update (2009-09-25):

   I have just noticed that when you validate markup with http://validator.w3.org using the "Validate by URI" or "Validate by File Upload" modes, errors are generated for each occurrence of <A NAME="..."></A>. However, the same markup passes with flying colours in "Validate by Direct Input" mode(???).

   Which of these is the authoritative version? (Judging from the HTML5 spec at present, I am assuming that the "Validate by Direct Input" mode is in the wrong?)

Jordan Clark
<http://www.jdclark.org/>
<mail@jdclark.org>
Comment 2 Simon Pieters 2009-09-28 14:42:24 UTC 
> the NAME attribute should remain in the spec
> (maybe marked as deprecated)

This is what the spec does already; it's obsolete but conforming, with some restrictions on the value.


>    I have just noticed that when you validate markup with
> http://validator.w3.org using the "Validate by URI" or "Validate by File
> Upload" modes, errors are generated for each occurrence of <A NAME="..."></A>.
> However, the same markup passes with flying colours in "Validate by Direct
> Input" mode(???).

I suggest you file a bug on validator.w3.org.


>    Which of these is the authoritative version?

The spec is authoritative, not the validator. :-)
Comment 3 Jordan Clark 2009-09-28 17:47:51 UTC 
@Simon:

Thank you for your reply. Somehow, I overlooked the <a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/html5/Overview.html#warnings-for-obsolete-but-conforming-features">the relevant part of the spec</a>.

I'll take your advice on filing a bug with the W3C Validator. Thanks again!
Comment 4 Maciej Stachowiak 2010-03-14 14:51:46 UTC 
This bug predates the HTML Working Group Decision Policy.

If you are satisfied with the resolution of this bug, 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

This bug is now being moved to VERIFIED. Please respond within two weeks. If this bug is not closed, reopened or escalated within two weeks, it may be marked as NoReply and will no longer be considered a pending comment.