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Re:

for

From: Andrew Kirkpatrick
Date: Oct 8, 2003 12:37PM

I agree that there are some issues here, but I don't agree with all of your
suggestions. Comments within are related to this example:

> (1) Use only column headers much like a database where the top row
> identifies the type of information found in the cells below.

This won't work here since the user navigating this table needs the name
information as context for the quote. In this example, it is safe to assume
that the user will be able to intuit that Jackie and Beth are people, but
this is not always the case.

> (2) The top left cell should be left blank (empty) then the row headers
> would apply to the cells to the right and the column headers would apply to
> the cells below. The headers need the scope attributes to ensure that the
> headers are handled in the correct direction.

Imagine a table where the row headings are special names for a project -
"black cat" and "purple cow" could be animals, but with out the header
"Project code name", the information causes confusion.

>
> (2) Add an additional layer of headers which are spanned across the other
> row or column headers. Take the first example shown in the tutorial,
> information about Shelly's daughters. Again, like #2 above, left the top
> left corner cells empty. Create a spanned cell above "Age" and "Birthday"
> and insert "Properties" (not a good phrase but the point should come
> across). Create a spanned cell to the left of "Jackie" and "Beth" and insert
> "Names". Add markup with the header and id attributes so that "January 14"
> is associated with "Name", "Beth", "Properties" and "Birthday".

Ok, this is fine, but does it have to be the only way? What is the
difference between having a header that is defined by a header to its visual
left and having a header that is defined by a header that is above it
visually?

AWK

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Andrew Kirkpatrick
CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media
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