I know by reading the W3C documentation for HTML4.01 and HTML5 that the "name" attribute originally existed as a property of the <a> tag to permit people to link to an anchor point within a document.
However, now that all major browser vendors allow linking to any HTML element within a document via the "id" attribute, is there still any real use for the "name" attribute? If so, how should I be using the "name" attribute?
One thing that comes to mind are radio buttons: you have to use name to specify which ones are part of the same group.
<form>
<input type="radio" name="sex" value="male" /> Male<br />
<input type="radio" name="sex" value="female" /> Female
</form>
The name attribute is required, I think, on input elements (and their friends)...
<input type="text" name="email" value="" />
Good question... As mentioned in other answers one obvious use is for radio buttons so that only one radio button can be selected at a time, as you can see in jQuery radio buttons - choose only one?
Along with this, in ASP.Net MVC I have found another use of the name attribute. Refer
MVC which submit button has been pressed
<input name="submit" type="submit" id="submit" value="Save" />
<input name="submit" type="submit" id="process" value="Process" />
From http://www.w3schools.com/tags/att_button_name.asp
The name attribute specifies the name for a element.
The name attribute is used to reference form-data after the form has been submitted, or to reference the element in a JavaScript.
Tip: Several elements can share the same name. This allows you to have several buttons with equal names, which can submit different values when used in a form.
Other References
HTML5 How To Skip Navigation When Name Attribute Is Obsolete
HTML5 Obsolete features
HTML input - name vs. id
Related
I'm working with Tomcat 9 and use a site, with a few JSP pages. I have Sheet.jsp, a self-posting page: it has a form, say F, containing two fields, A and B; there's also a submit button, S. A is an input field, B is readonly and shows the result.
I want to use HTML5, so I put at the beginning of Sheet.jsp.
So I wrote:
<form id=F action=POST>
<input type=Text id=A>
<input type=Text id=B readonly>
<input type=submit id=S>
</form>
I used "id" attribute, not "name" attribute, according to HTML5.
So doing, the page doesn't work.
If I write:
<form name=F action=POST>
<input type=Text name=A>
<input type=Text name=B readonly>
<input type=submit name=S>
</form>
the page works fine.
So, my question is: is there any compatibility issue between JSP pages and HTML5 ?
Perhaps JSP generates HTML4 text only ?
Thanks in advance. PS: I apologize if it's a known and already answered question, but I tried and wasn't able to find it.
Maybe I've solved the problem.
The name attribute is necessary when the form is submitted, and only input tags with the attribute name are submitted. Without the name attribute defined, nothing is submitted.
The id attribute can be used on the client side (e.g. into Javascript code), but not for submission.
Consider the following:
<label>Range from
<input name='min_value'/> to
<input name='max_value' />
</label>
Is this semantically correct since the W3C recommendations state that a label is associated with exactly one form control?
Clicking into the second input shifts focus immediately to the first input? Can this be prevented?
How would one markup a min/max input combination to show that two inputs belong together?
No, it's not correct (since, as you note, a label is associated with exactly one form input).
To label a group of inputs that belong together, use a <fieldset> and a <legend>:
<fieldset>
<legend>Range</legend>
<label for="min">Min</label>
<input id="min" name="min" />
<label for="max">Max</label>
<input id="max" name="max" />
</fieldset>
References:
<input />HTML 5 spec.
<fieldset>HTML 5 spec.
<label>HTML 5 spec.
<legend>HTML 5 spec.
As the accepted answer states, that's not correct, however I think there are better ways to do it.
Accessible alternatives:
Option 1 (using the aria-label attribute):
Range:
<input ... aria-label='Range start' />
<input ... aria-label='Range end' />
Option 2 (using hidden label tags):
<label for='start'>Range start</label>
<input type='text' id='start' />
<label for='end' class='hidden'>Range end</label>
<input type='text' id='end' />
Where the .hidden class is only readable by screen readers.
Option 3 (using aria-labelledby attributes):
<label id='lblRange'>Range</label>
<input type='text' id='start' aria-labelledby='lblRange' />
<input type='text' id='end' aria-labelledby='lblRange' />
Advantages of option #1: Each input has a good description that other suggestions (such adding a "to" label) do not. Options #2 and #3 might not be the best for this specific case, but worth mentioning for similar cases.
Source: http://webaim.org/techniques/forms/advanced
I see many answers saying it is wrong to put 2 inputs inside a label.
This is actually a wrong statement in html5. The standard explicitly allow it:
http://www.w3.org/TR/html5/forms.html#the-label-element
If the for attribute is not specified, but the label element has a labelable element descendant, then the first such descendant in tree order is the label element’s labeled control.
If a label element has interactive content other than its labeled control, the activation behavior of the label element for events targeted at those interactive content descendants and any descendants of those must be to do nothing.
However, Safari does not respect the html5 standard here (tested on iOS 11.3). So, someone that wants to be compatible with Safari must use workarounds here or wait until Apple fixes its browser.
According to this - label can contain only one input as it should be associated with only one control. Putting input inside the label means elimination of for attribute (automatic linking).
So you should either put single input into label or specify for attribute which points to input id and don't put input into label.
How about this:
<label> Range from <input name='min_value'> </label>
<label> to <input name='max_value'> </label>
1 LABEL = 1 INPUT !!!
If you put 2 INPUTS inside a LABEL, it will NOT work in Safari (and iPad and iPhone)... because when you click inside LABEL it automatically focuses the first INPUT... so the second input is impossible to type to.
I see many answers saying it is wrong to put 2 inputs inside a label. This is actually a wrong statement in html5. The standard explicitly allow it: http://www.w3.org/TR/html5/forms.html#the-label-element
<label id='dobRange'>DOB between</label>
<input type='text' id='start' aria-labelledby='dobRange' />
<input type='text' id='end' aria-labelledby='dobRange' />
in haml:
= f.label :dob_range
= f.search_field :dob_gteq, 'aria-label': 'dob_range'
= f.search_field :dob_lteq, 'aria-label': 'dob_range'
i don't think you should be putting the input field inside the label control.
<label for="myfield">test</label><input type="text" id="myfield" name="myfield />
the label is just that, a label for something.
I have this:
<input type="radio" name="sex" required /> Masculine
<input type="radio" name="sex" required /> Faminine
but if I check one of them, and since both of them are required, I will get alerted that the other one should also be checked. But how do I do so that only one of them must be checked?
Your code works as-is on any browser that supports the required attribute in the first place. (As far as this attribute is concerned. The code has other problems, like the lack of value attributes.)
For a radio button, the required attribute is defined in a special way: the “attribute is satisfied if any of the radio buttons in the group is selected”. It would thus be sufficient to use the attribute in one of the radio buttons of the group. However, HTML5 CR adds: “To avoid confusion as to whether a radio button group is required or not, authors are encouraged to specify the attribute on all the radio buttons in a group.” But this just relates to the assumed readability of HTML code, not its functionality.
In this context, HTML5 CR also presents the following remark, which is actually rather unrelated but a good principle: “authors are encouraged to avoid having radio button groups that do not have any initially checked controls in the first place, as this is a state that the user cannot return to, and is therefore generally considered a poor user interface.” If you add a radio button into the group with a meaning like “Does not want to tell” and make it initially checked, the required attribute becomes unnecessary. If you wish to force the user into disclosing his or her sex, you would then have to do the check in a different way.
like this
<form>
<input type="radio" name="sex" required /> Masculine <br />
<input type="radio" name="sex" required /> Faminine
</form>
I have seen this in jQuery - what does it do?
<label for="name"> text </label>
<input type="text" name="name" value=""/>
The for attribute is used in labels. It refers to the id of the element this label is associated with.
For example:
<label for="username">Username</label>
<input type="text" id="username" name="username" />
Now when the user clicks with the mouse on the username text the browser will automatically put the focus in the corresponding input field. This also works with other input elements such as <textbox> and <select>.
Quote from the specification:
This attribute explicitly associates the label being defined with
another control. When present, the value of this attribute must be the
same as the value of the id attribute of some other control in the
same document. When absent, the label being defined is associated with
the element's contents.
As far as why your question is tagged with jQuery and where did you see it being used in jQuery I cannot answer because you didn't provide much information.
Maybe it was used in a jQuery selector to find the corresponding input element given a label instance:
var label = $('label');
label.each(function() {
// get the corresponding input element of the label:
var input = $('#' + $(this).attr('for'));
});
To associate the <label> with an <input> element, you need to give the <input> an id attribute. The <label> then needs a for attribute whose value is the same as the input's id:
<label for="username">Click me</label>
<input type="text" id="username">
The for attribute associates a <label> with an <input> element; which offers some major advantages:
1. The label text is not only visually associated with its corresponding text input; it is programmatically associated with it too. This means that, for example, a screen reader will read out the label when the user is focused on the form input, making it easier for an assistive technology user to understand what data should be entered.
2. You can click the associated label to focus/activate the input, as well as the input itself. This increased hit area provides an advantage to anyone trying to activate the input, including those using a touch-screen device.
Alternatively, you can nest the <input> directly inside the <label>, in which case the for and id attributes are not needed because the association is implicit:
<label>Click me <input type="text"></label>
Notes:
One input can be associated with multiple labels.
When a <label> is clicked or tapped and it is associated with a form control, the resulting click event is also raised for the associated control.
Accessibility concerns
Don't place interactive elements such as anchors or buttons inside a label. Doing so, makes it difficult for people to activate the form input associated with the label.
Headings
Placing heading elements within a <label> interferes with many kinds of assistive technology, because headings are commonly used as a navigation aid. If the label's text needs to be adjusted visually, use CSS classes applied to the <label> element instead.
If a form, or a section of a form needs a title, use the <legend> element placed within a <fieldset>.
Buttons
An <input> element with a type="button" declaration and a valid value attribute does not need a label associated with it. Doing so may actually interfere with how assistive technology parses the button input. The same applies for the <button> element.
Ref:
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/label
I feel the need to answer this. I had the same confusion.
<p>Click on one of the text labels to toggle the related control:</p>
<form action="/action_page.php">
<label for="female">Male</label>
<input type="radio" name="gender" id="male" value="male"><br>
<label for="female">Female</label>
<input type="radio" name="gender" id="female" value="female"><br>
<label for="other">Other</label>
<input type="radio" name="gender" id="other" value="other"><br><br>
<input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>
I changed the for attribute on the 'male' label to female. Now, if you click 'male' the 'female' radio will get checked.
Simple as that.
a fast example:
<label for="name">Name:</label>
<input id="name" type="text" />
the for="" tag let focus the input when you click the label as well.
You use it with labels to say that two objects belong together.
<input type="checkbox" name="remember" id="rememberbox"/>
<label for="rememberbox">Remember your details?</label>
This also means that clicking on that label will change the value of the checkbox.
FYI - if you are in an typescript environment with e.g.
<label for={this.props.inputId}>{this.props.label}</label>
you need to use htmlFor
<label htmlFor={this.props.inputId}>{this.props.label}</label>
it is used for <label> element
it is used with input type checkbox or redio to select on label click
working demo
The for attribute of the <label> tag should be equal to the id attribute of the related element to bind them together.
It associates the label with an input element. HTML tags are meant to convey special meaning to users of various categories. Here is what label is meant for:
For people with motor disabilities (also for general mouse users): Correctly used label tags can be clicked to access the associated form control. Eg. Instead of particularly clicking the checkbox, user can click on more easily clickable label and toggle the checkbox.
For visually-challenged users: Visually challenged users use screen-readers that reads the associated label tag whenever a form control is focused. It helps users to know the label which was otherwise invisible to them.
More about labelling -> https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/H44.html
it is used in <label> text for html
eg.
<label for="male">Male</label>
<input type="radio" name="sex" id="male" value="male"><br>
It's the attribute for <label> tag : http://www.w3schools.com/tags/tag_label.asp
Consider the following:
<label>Range from
<input name='min_value'/> to
<input name='max_value' />
</label>
Is this semantically correct since the W3C recommendations state that a label is associated with exactly one form control?
Clicking into the second input shifts focus immediately to the first input? Can this be prevented?
How would one markup a min/max input combination to show that two inputs belong together?
No, it's not correct (since, as you note, a label is associated with exactly one form input).
To label a group of inputs that belong together, use a <fieldset> and a <legend>:
<fieldset>
<legend>Range</legend>
<label for="min">Min</label>
<input id="min" name="min" />
<label for="max">Max</label>
<input id="max" name="max" />
</fieldset>
References:
<input />HTML 5 spec.
<fieldset>HTML 5 spec.
<label>HTML 5 spec.
<legend>HTML 5 spec.
As the accepted answer states, that's not correct, however I think there are better ways to do it.
Accessible alternatives:
Option 1 (using the aria-label attribute):
Range:
<input ... aria-label='Range start' />
<input ... aria-label='Range end' />
Option 2 (using hidden label tags):
<label for='start'>Range start</label>
<input type='text' id='start' />
<label for='end' class='hidden'>Range end</label>
<input type='text' id='end' />
Where the .hidden class is only readable by screen readers.
Option 3 (using aria-labelledby attributes):
<label id='lblRange'>Range</label>
<input type='text' id='start' aria-labelledby='lblRange' />
<input type='text' id='end' aria-labelledby='lblRange' />
Advantages of option #1: Each input has a good description that other suggestions (such adding a "to" label) do not. Options #2 and #3 might not be the best for this specific case, but worth mentioning for similar cases.
Source: http://webaim.org/techniques/forms/advanced
I see many answers saying it is wrong to put 2 inputs inside a label.
This is actually a wrong statement in html5. The standard explicitly allow it:
http://www.w3.org/TR/html5/forms.html#the-label-element
If the for attribute is not specified, but the label element has a labelable element descendant, then the first such descendant in tree order is the label element’s labeled control.
If a label element has interactive content other than its labeled control, the activation behavior of the label element for events targeted at those interactive content descendants and any descendants of those must be to do nothing.
However, Safari does not respect the html5 standard here (tested on iOS 11.3). So, someone that wants to be compatible with Safari must use workarounds here or wait until Apple fixes its browser.
According to this - label can contain only one input as it should be associated with only one control. Putting input inside the label means elimination of for attribute (automatic linking).
So you should either put single input into label or specify for attribute which points to input id and don't put input into label.
How about this:
<label> Range from <input name='min_value'> </label>
<label> to <input name='max_value'> </label>
1 LABEL = 1 INPUT !!!
If you put 2 INPUTS inside a LABEL, it will NOT work in Safari (and iPad and iPhone)... because when you click inside LABEL it automatically focuses the first INPUT... so the second input is impossible to type to.
I see many answers saying it is wrong to put 2 inputs inside a label. This is actually a wrong statement in html5. The standard explicitly allow it: http://www.w3.org/TR/html5/forms.html#the-label-element
<label id='dobRange'>DOB between</label>
<input type='text' id='start' aria-labelledby='dobRange' />
<input type='text' id='end' aria-labelledby='dobRange' />
in haml:
= f.label :dob_range
= f.search_field :dob_gteq, 'aria-label': 'dob_range'
= f.search_field :dob_lteq, 'aria-label': 'dob_range'
i don't think you should be putting the input field inside the label control.
<label for="myfield">test</label><input type="text" id="myfield" name="myfield />
the label is just that, a label for something.