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Re: complex layout tables

for

From: Karl Groves
Date: Jan 28, 2014 8:26PM

Here's a case-in-point. In this case there's a mish-mosh of presentational
attributes and a spacer gif in a layout table. While they've added an
empty alt on the spacer gif, the presentational markup cannot be overridden
by user styles or by turning off styles.

<table bgcolor="#999999" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
border="0">
<tbody><tr valign="top"><td><img src="/uscmap/images/dot_clear.gif"
width="10" height="5" alt=""></td><td class="lftNavBot">






On Tue, Jan 28, 2014 at 9:52 PM, Karl Groves < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> Nested table layouts aren't inherently any more inaccessible than images,
> CSS, or anything really.
>
> In practice however, there are a couple of issues that tend to arise
>
> 1. The table layouts tend to create a source order that leads to content
> being read in an order other than what is intended, visually. The higher
> the density of tables, the greater likelihood this will be the case. Even
> though it is 2014, I've seen tables 10-deep as recently as last month.
>
> 2. The existence of the tables are often announced by assistive
> technologies. So each new table gets announced, adding to unnecessarily
> verbose output and possible user confusion.
>
> 3. Layout tables are often combined with other bad practices like spacer
> images (without alt attributes) and deprecated presentational markup both
> of which serve to exacerbate the accessibility problems
>
> 4. Tables-based layouts are gross and make me want to take a bath whenever
> I look at their markup.
>
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 28, 2014 at 8:25 PM, Reinhard Stebner < <EMAIL REMOVED> >wrote:
>
>> Does anyone have any good explanations why nested layout tables should not
>> be used?
>>
>> >> >> >>
>
>
>
> --
>
> Karl Groves
> www.karlgroves.com
> @karlgroves
> http://www.linkedin.com/in/karlgroves
> Phone: +1 410.541.6829
>



--

Karl Groves
www.karlgroves.com
@karlgroves
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karlgroves
Phone: +1 410.541.6829