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Is the following code a good use of tables?

<form action="store.php" method="post">
<table>
<tr><td style="text-align: right;">Name:</td><td><input type="text"
name="from"></td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: right;">Email:</td><td><input type="text"
name="email"></td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: right;">Body:</td><td><textarea
name="body"></textarea></td></tr>
</table>
<input type="submit" value="Send">
</form>

The labels (name, email, body) do refer to the adjacent cell, and it seems
like it should be acceptable, but I thought I should ask.
--
Michael Wilcox
Essential Tools for the Web Developer - http://mikewilcox.t35.com
mjwilco at yahoo dot com

Michael Wilcox wrote:

> Is the following code a good use of tables?
(snip example)
> The labels (name, email, body) do refer to the adjacent cell, and it seems
> like it should be acceptable, but I thought I should ask.

It is pushing the bounds, but I would class it as reasonable.

Make sure to also use the <label> tag, for example:

<tr>
<td style="text-align: right;">
<label for="from">Name</label>:
</td>
<td>
<input type="text" name="from" id="from">
</td>
</tr>

This explicitly specifies the relationship between input fields and their
labels. Note that the "for" attribute specifies an *id*, not a *name*, so
it means you have to add both an *id* _and_ a *name* to your fields. This
does not cause any problems in submitting the forms.

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"Michael Wilcox" <> wrote:

> Is the following code a good use of tables?

Opinions differ on the question whether a set of a field label, input
field pairs logically constitutes a table. If you ask me, it does.
On the practical side, for accessibility it would be useful to associate
the labels with the fields in markup, but this is also true (though not as
important) when tables are not used. Example:

<tr><td ...><label for="name" Name:</td><td><input id="name" type="text"
name="from"></td></tr>

By the way, your textarea lacks the required rows and cols attributes,
which means that the effect is unpredictable:

> <tr><td style="text-align: right;">Body:</td><td><textarea
> name="body"></textarea></td></tr>
> </table>

Better use some rows and cols attributes, even if you have a style sheet
that may override those dimensions.

--
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Pages about Web authoring: http://www.cs.tut.fi/~jkorpela/www.html

Isofarro <> wrote:
> No.

Why not?

> The table cell holding the text "Name:" is actually a table header so
> mark it up as such, and add in a scope="right" . Then migrate the
> style information into a stylesheet.

Why is it a table header? It only has to do with one input.
--
Michael Wilcox
Essential Tools for the Web Developer - http://mikewilcox.t35.com
mjwilco at yahoo dot com

Michael Wilcox wrote:

> Is the following code a good use of tables?

No.

>
> <form action="store.php" method="post">
> <table>
> <tr><td style="text-align: right;">Name:</td><td><input type="text"
> name="from"></td></tr>

The table cell holding the text "Name:" is actually a table header so mark
it up as such, and add in a scope="right" . Then migrate the style
information into a stylesheet.

Then encapsulate Name: in a label element with the attribute for="from".



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Michael Wilcox wrote:

> Isofarro <> wrote:
>> No.
>
> Why not?

Because its missing some structural elements. td, label, scope, table
summary

>> The table cell holding the text "Name:" is actually a table header so
>> mark it up as such, and add in a scope="right" . Then migrate the
>> style information into a stylesheet.
>
> Why is it a table header? It only has to do with one input.

You've answered the question.


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Isofarro <> wrote:
> Michael Wilcox wrote:
>
>> Isofarro <> wrote:
>>> No.
>>
>> Why not?
>
> Because its missing some structural elements. td, label, scope, table
> summary

Ok, I think I fixed it up. See the whole page code at
http://codedump.phpfreaks.com/viewcode.php?id=1374
--
Michael Wilcox
Essential Tools for the Web Developer - http://mikewilcox.t35.com
mjwilco at yahoo dot com

"Michael Wilcox" <> wrote in message
news:Ign6b.2033$ ink.net...
> Is the following code a good use of tables?
>
> <form action="store.php" method="post">
> <table>
> <tr><td style="text-align: right;">Name:</td><td><input type="text"
> name="from"></td></tr>
> <tr><td style="text-align: right;">Email:</td><td><input type="text"
> name="email"></td></tr>
> <tr><td style="text-align: right;">Body:</td><td><textarea
> name="body"></textarea></td></tr>
> </table>
> <input type="submit" value="Send">
> </form>
>
> The labels (name, email, body) do refer to the adjacent cell, and it seems
> like it should be acceptable, but I thought I should ask.

Not really.
At least they're adjacent to each other.
However, if it is accessibility you're after, you should label those inputs,
too.

http://webaim.org/howto/forms/


--
Karl Core

Charles Sweeney says my sig is fine as it is.