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Re: Adding a label to search box

for

From: Christian Heilmann
Date: Apr 12, 2006 2:40AM

> >> Use title="search text" on the input element.
> >>
> >> It is a no-brainer - no need to hide text and the title is supported by
> >> screen readers.

> But can that be relied on? Isn't it true, that many screen readers (well JAWS anyway), may not
> read out the contents of the title attribute at all (depending on the users verbosity settings).
> Isn't title supposed to be for *additional* information?
> I would use it myself BTW , but not in isolation and certainly not sans <label>, for explicit field/button association.

You're right, the title solution is just not safe. The label should do
two things: It should explain what the connected form field is and it
should connect the two. Titles can and are in a lot of cases turned
off, you cannot rely on them. Another cool benefit of labels is that
they focus the element the label is associated with when you click
them. This makes them dead handy with checkboxes, as users get a
larger area to click on. What is so wrong about writing next to a form
element what you are supposed to enter in it?