Fri, 02 May 2008 19:10:32 +0300, /Stanimir Stamenkov/:

> In this regard I think it is better to style a SPAN
> like a button (or whatever is appropriate) and attach a custom script
> action to it, rather than abusing a hyper link element for that purpose.

Hyper-link elements - HTML <A> elements with 'href' attribute
specified. <A> element without 'href' is not a hyper-link so it is
perfectly possible to use it in place of SPAN, also.

--
Stanimir

On 05/01/08 06:58 pm, Prisoner at War wrote:
>>
>> You can use the onClick attribute with just about any element. It soes
>> not have to be an anchor.
>
> Ah, yes, thanks; I'd forgotten that! As it is, I do need a hyperlink,
> though it doesn't point to another document, but to a function that
> manipulates a <div> or two in order to present a modal window....
>
I guess I don't get it then. You need a link that's not a link but looks
like a link and does non-link things. I can see why you are having difficulty.
Use a <span>, give it a class that makes it look like a link (to confuse
everyone), and the onClick attribute to do the non-link things.

--
jmm (hyphen) list (at) sohnen-moe (dot) com
(Remove .AXSPAMGN for email)

Stanimir Stamenkov <s7an10@netscape.net> writes:

> Fri, 02 May 2008 19:10:32 +0300, /Stanimir Stamenkov/:
>
>> In this regard I think it is better to style a SPAN like a button
>> (or whatever is appropriate) and attach a custom script action to
>> it, rather than abusing a hyper link element for that purpose.
>
> Hyper-link elements - HTML <A> elements with 'href' attribute
> specified. <A> element without 'href' is not a hyper-link so it is
> perfectly possible to use it in place of SPAN, also.

But then you'd have to differentiate between "pure anchors"; <a
name="something"> and "my special click thingies": <a
onclick="dostuff()">. Still better to use a span or a div.

If styling form controls wasn't so annoying, I'd always recommend
<button>. As it is, it's just too hard to style portably in some
cases.

--
Joost Diepenmaat | blog: http://joost.zeekat.nl/ | work: http://zeekat.nl/

Fri, 02 May 2008 19:49:36 +0200, /Joost Diepenmaat/:
> Stanimir Stamenkov <s7an10@netscape.net> writes:
>
>> Hyper-link elements - HTML <A> elements with 'href' attribute
>> specified. <A> element without 'href' is not a hyper-link so it is
>> perfectly possible to use it in place of SPAN, also.
>
> But then you'd have to differentiate between "pure anchors"; <a
> name="something"> and "my special click thingies": <a
> onclick="dostuff()">. Still better to use a span or a div.

Is there anything ambiguous in differentiating a named anchor or
link and an <A> element which does not specify an anchor? At least
the HTML specification states (a bit down below)
<http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/struct/links.html#edef-A>:

> Authors may also create an A element that specifies no anchors,
> i.e., that doesn't specify href, name, or id. Values for these
> attributes may be set at a later time through scripts.

Until href, name, or id gets set the <A> element doesn't signify an
anchor. Similar case would be:

<ul>
<li><a href="section1">Section 1</a></li>
<li><a href="section2">Section 2</a></li>
<li><a>Section 3</a></li>
<li><a href="section4">Section 4</a></li>
</ul>

The given list used as navigational menu in a multi-page document
where the current page is "Section 3".

--
Stanimir

On May 2, 12:51 pm, Jim Moe <jmm-list.AXSPA...@sohnen-moe.com> wrote:
>
>
> I guess I don't get it then. You need a link that's not a link but looks
> like a link and does non-link things. I can see why you are having difficulty.
> Use a <span>, give it a class that makes it look like a link (to confuse
> everyone), and the onClick attribute to do the non-link things.

I suppose I'm not making myself clear (or maybe I really don't know
what I'm trying to do!)...instead of footnotes on every page, I
figured I'd present such information as an option. That means a
button or a link, right?

So clicking a link -- say, an asterisk -- brings up a modal window.
That way, the page itself is not cluttered by extraneous info but the
user has the option of viewing it.

I could use a button, but unless buttons can be made as small as an
asterisk, I think a hyperlink is what I have to use.

Or is there anything else other than a hyperlink or button?

In the meantime, I'm considering onMouseOver " balloons" instead,
instead of onClick modal windows. balloons seem less intrusive
and in-your-face than modal windows.

Any more advice much appreciated.

> --
> jmm (hyphen) list (at) sohnen-moe (dot) com
> (Remove .AXSPAMGN for email)

Stanimir Stamenkov <s7an10@netscape.net> writes:

> Fri, 02 May 2008 19:49:36 +0200, /Joost Diepenmaat/:
>> Stanimir Stamenkov <s7an10@netscape.net> writes:
>>
>>> Hyper-link elements - HTML <A> elements with 'href' attribute
>>> specified. <A> element without 'href' is not a hyper-link so it is
>>> perfectly possible to use it in place of SPAN, also.
>>
>> But then you'd have to differentiate between "pure anchors"; <a
>> name="something"> and "my special click thingies": <a
>> onclick="dostuff()">. Still better to use a span or a div.
>
> Is there anything ambiguous in differentiating a named anchor or link
> and an <A> element which does not specify an anchor? At least the
> HTML specification states (a bit down below)
> <http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/struct/links.html#edef-A>:
>
>> Authors may also create an A element that specifies no anchors,
>> i.e., that doesn't specify href, name, or id. Values for these
>> attributes may be set at a later time through scripts.

Now that you mention it, I'm not sure I stand by my initial
assessment. The main reason I still wouldn't use A here, is that I
generally use unqualified CSS styles for links, which would make all
of these uses look the same (though A NAME anchors can be empty).

--
Joost Diepenmaat | blog: http://joost.zeekat.nl/ | work: http://zeekat.nl/

On May 2, 6:13 pm, dorayme <doraymeRidT...@optusnet.com.au> wrote:
>
>
> P@W, if you want to give extra information without cluttering but
> without your users charging off to another page and having to come back
> - the motivation for footnotes - then it is simple enough really.
> Because, so it is told here in this church, a significant number of
> people have javascript disabled, you can make them footnotes. You can
> make the asterisks link to notes at the bottom of your page.
>
> You can do this by <a href="#footnote1">*</a> when you have also made
> sure of identifying the footnote concerned at the end with something
> like <p id="footnote1">footnote1...</p> You can have a similar mechanism
> at the footnote end, to take the reader back to the area of asterisk
> they clicked so they can read on. There are some details and
> considerations that I leave out.

Yes, I could use an HTML-only approach, of course, but that's so,
like, 1992!

The main thing, though, is that my site will be a "lifestyle
resource," let's say...and such a thing needs to be somewhat "glossy"
and not give the feel of a local church newsletter, if you understand
what I mean...visual effects to me are like body language -- they
communicate much, even if non-verbally...my site's success will in
large part depend on style in addition to substance (and, again, being
what it is, style is almost half-"substance" itself)....

Footnotes would only add to the visual clutter. They would be at the
bottom of the page and "train" my visitors to ignore that part of the
page. I don't think that's a good idea -- and again, it just wouldn't
look very elegant. I mean, a book with footnotes or endnotes is one
thing, but a webpage? BTW, these aren't "proper" or "real" footnotes,
either, citing works or something of the sort -- they are more like
quick and casual asides, too small for an actual sidebar but too large
for inclusion in the content proper....

> Why don't you try this, it is thoroughly honest and decent and your
> captors will have no option but to release you (I assume you are
> prisoner at war in addition to being a prisoner of war: because you are
> waging a private battle with your captors?)

LOL! I wage a war against society. I do not like the hypocrisy I see
around me.

Right now, though, I am in quite the designer's dilemma!

> --
> dorayme