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Re: Opening PDF, Word Documents or other sites like Dropbox, One Drive or Google Drive in a new window ...

for

From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Aug 14, 2023 4:58PM

On 14/08/2023 23:21, Bishop, Jeff - (jeffbis) wrote:
> Hello Everyone,
>
> I have of course read the guidelines posted by the W3C as it relates to the use of opening pages in a new window<https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/G200.html>, that being refrain from doing so unless there is a primary reason to do so. These reasons are very well documented in the supporting articles<https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/G201.html>.

Note that those are non-normative *techniques*, not *guidelines*. Plus,
G200 is only an *advisory technique* (meaning it may or may not be
sufficient to pass a criterion) for 3.2.1 On Focus (A) and 3.2.5 Change
on Request (AAA) - but 3.2.1 definitely doesn't apply to links that
*don't* trigger on focus. And G201 is only an *advisory technique* for
3.2.1 On Focus (A) (which again won't apply here) and 3.2.2 On Input
(A), which also doesn't apply to links since activating a link is not
considered an "input".

Long story short, you're not necessarily in WCAG failure territory here,
but rather best practice.

P
--
Patrick H. Lauke

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