Rule n° 244 - Linearising tables used for layout does not impede the understanding of contents
A vocalised page will be read in a linear fashion, in the order in which its content appears in the HTML code. It can happen that the linearisation of the layout tables breaks the meaning of the page.
Goal
- Supply content that is understandable to users whose user agents or technical aids (screen readers) cannot reconstruct the formatting that was initially defined by a table.
Solution technique
Regroup in the same td cell the information which must be vertically associated (do not distribute it in cells placed in successive rows of the table).
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Moyen de contrôle
For each formatting table, i.e. for each table not including data linked to row or column headers:
- Linearise the display using a development tool.
- Check that the linearised content remains understandable, without inconsistency or loss of information.