Re: [Koha-devel] prog templates (once again)...

[Richard Anderson]

Hi,

Just a couple of comments...

Paul POULAIN wrote:
> * Some html proposals :
> - use h1 for page main title
> - use h2 for bloc level title
> - write forms with : <p><label>text</label><input type="..."></p>, NOT 
> with <table>

I think there is a problem here in that the <label> tag has been used as 
for formatting (with CSS styles) rather than its intended use as an 
accessibility aid. So people will find it hard to add in <label> tags to 
other parts of the forms without distorting the page layout.

When used as an accessibility aid the <label> tag can really speed up 
how people use forms - especially for radio buttons and checkboxes - you 
get a big target to click on to check the input.

Rather than apply a style to the <label> tag, I think it would be better 
to wrap it in <span> with the style applied to the span.

So the above example would be:
<p><span class="label"><label for="somename">text</label></span> <input 
type="..." id="somename" /></p>

This would enable someone, perhaps me, to add in the accessibility 
features which the <label> tag enables.

There is an explanation of how the <label> tag should be used at 
http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/interact/forms.html#edef-LABEL
and
http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10-HTML-TECHS/#forms-grouping


> - use <table> as few as possible (and only where tables are useful)
> - don't use <caption> at the beginning of tables, at least not for table 
> title. As most blocs are not table, the caption does not exist 
> everywhere. Use h2 instead
>
> Questions :
> * the toggle variable is what the template designers must use when 
> wanting a toggle color in <table> : <!-- TMPL_IF name="toggle" --><td 
> with_toggle1_parameter><!-- TMPL_IF --><td with_toggle0_parameter><!-- 
> /TMPL_IF --> I suggest having a style "toggled" in the css to check that 
> the HTML is correct.

I think it would be nice to add a unique id to each table. This would 
give a lot more options for people to format how each table looks via 
some contextual css. I guess in most cases it wouldn't be used but I 
think it is an easy  option to add in at the templating stage.

eg
The class="toggled" in the 2 tables below could easily be made to look 
quite different via css without having to edit the template.

<table id="table1">
<tr>
        <td class="toggled">text</td>
        <td class="toggled">text</td>
</tr>
</table>
        
<table id="table2">
<tr>
        <td class="toggled">text</td>
        <td class="toggled">text</td>
</tr>
</table>



> * begin every "invariant" bloc with <!-- KOHA id="X" --> where X is a 
> number : that is a big task and only useful is someone is ready to 
> develop a "template compiler" (like the translator compiler). The idea 
> would be to : be able to report blocs in a local template to have synch 
> easier. An example :
> ==============
> my local template
> <p>something specific to me....</p>
> <!-- KOHA id="1" -->
> something coming from prog templates, unmodified
> <!-- /KOHA -->
> <!-- KOHA id="2" MODIFIED -->
> Something modified locally, even if it exist in prog templates
> <!-- /KOHA -->
> <p> something still specific...</p>
>
> the compiler would automatically replace the KOHA id=1 in the template, 
> but let the KOHA id="2" as is, warning the user to check manually for a 
> change.
>
> Does it sound interesting ? It would only is template designers plan not 
> to modify invariant blocs, even for some spelling reasons (like "book 
> bag" in NPL template where default says "basket" !)

This sounds like a great idea.

Cheers,
Richard

--
Richard Anderson
Project Manager
Katipo Communications
PO Box 12487
Wellington
Web:    http://www.katipo.co.nz/
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