[thelist] CSS

Ron Thigpen rthigpen at nc.rr.com
Mon Nov 12 14:49:18 CST 2001


Looking at the W3 HTML 4.01 spec, I don't really see any side-by-side 
discussion of the intendended differences for these two attributes. 
That being the case, the browser coders would have to infer the 
intentions of the spec writers as to how the user-agent should present 
these two information items.

The only specific use indicated for the alt element is for the case in 
which the user-agent cannot display the image.

<quote>
alt = text [CS]
For user agents that cannot display images, forms, or applets, this 
attribute specifies alternate text. The language of the alternate text 
is specified by the lang attribute.
</quote>

A variety of non-specific, optional uses are indicated for the title 
element.  For example, in visual user-agents, as a tooltip.

<quote>
title = text [CS]
This attribute offers advisory information about the element for which 
it is set.

Unlike the TITLE element, which provides information about an entire 
document and may only appear once, the title attribute may annotate any 
number of elements. Please consult an element's definition to verify 
that it supports this attribute.

Values of the title attribute may be rendered by user agents in a 
variety of ways. For instance, visual browsers frequently display the 
title as a "tool tip" (a short message that appears when the pointing 
device pauses over an object). Audio user agents may speak the title 
information in a similar context. For example, setting the attribute on 
a link allows user agents (visual and non-visual) to tell users about 
the nature of the linked resource:
</quote>

Given this language, it's reasonable that the browser coders would 
choose not extend the use of the alt text by presenting it in tooltips.

--rt




.jeff wrote:


> using nn6.1, i just noticed i wasn't getting any tooltips for alt text, just
> title text.  anybody else notice that?






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