[uf-new] Re: figure microformat

[Toby A Inkster]

Andy Mabbett wrote:
> Toby A Inkster <mail at tobyinkster.co.uk> writes
>
> >The draft has always explicitly said that the include pattern  
> *may*  be
> >used.
>
> But only in limited circumstances.

The exact wording is:
	The include pattern may be used within figures.

That is the only mention of the include pattern on the entire page.  
No mention of any "limited circumstances". Indeed, I'd envisaged the  
include pattern as being a core part of the microformat -- it may be  
very useful to provide the legend, or credits as part of the running  
commentary rather than a separate block underneath the picture.

> "caption" appears to be what is meant here. Os is this another US  
> vs. UK
> English issue?


It's a practical one. I chose "legend" rather than "caption" because  
that's what's used in the HTML5 equivalent markup. The HTML5 guys  
chose to use the <legend> element rather than the <caption> element  
because <caption> will trigger table-like behaviour in legacy HTML4  
browsers.

"caption" would otherwise be slightly preferable.

Martin McEvoy wrote:
> Figure is just about decorative or functional images?

It's for marking up the sort of images that might be listed in a  
"table of figures" at the front of a text book. From the top of the  
draft spec:

> Introduction
>
> Many HTML documents include supporting images, such as photographs,  
> flow charts, graphs, blueprints or screen captures. These are  
> usually incorporated using the HTML <img> element, however this  
> offers no way of differentiating between such supplementary content  
> and mere decorative images.
>
> Authors often wish to annotate these images with captions or  
> attributions. Currently there is no markup to explicitly associate  
> such text with an image and readers must rely on the proximity of  
> the image and text on the finished rendered page.
>
> This specification aims to allow authors to mark up captions and  
> credits, explicitly associating them with an image.
>

-- 
Toby A Inkster
<mailto:mail at tobyinkster.co.uk>
<http://tobyinkster.co.uk>