set a time on an alt tag descriptor

[Mrs C]

Is anybody aware as to whether you can set a time period for an alt tag
descriptor to appear. Currently, the default is not very long and sometimes
it is require mouseover a link/image quite a few times before being able to
read the whole alt tag description?

 

[Wally S]

You can get javascript for this at
http://www.walterzorn.com/tooltip/tooltip_e.htm. The tooltip will stay on as
long as the mouse is over the item.

Wally S

 

[Stefan B Rusynko]

No you can't




| Is anybody aware as to whether you can set a time period for an alt tag
| descriptor to appear. Currently, the default is not very long and sometimes
| it is require mouseover a link/image quite a few times before being able to
| read the whole alt tag description?

 

[P@tty Ayers]

This is a function of the browser. ALT attributes aren't meant to be seen as
a "popup tool tip" at all - they're for providing text as an alternate way
of understanding the content of images, when read by screen readers. Some
browsers, such as Internet Explorer, display them anyway.

The 'title' attribute is supposed to be used for this purpose, and most
browsers will display it correctly; the length of time will probably be
different depending upon the browser. This article seems to explain this all
pretty well: http://www.netmechanic.com/news/vol6/html_no1.htm .

Hope that helps,

 

[Mrs C]

YES!!! you can....c Wally S's reply!!

 

[Murray]

No, you cannot. Wally's reply takes you to a completely different method of
doing things that relies on javascript functions embedded in the head of the
document, instead of the alt attribute. Why anyone would do this (all other
things being equal) instead of using the title attribute (which is what one
should use for this purpose anyhow) escapes me (has done so for quite a
while, too!).

 

[P@tty Ayers]

I'm sure you meant to include, "as explained correctly in Patty's post".
:-D

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Patty Ayers | www.WebDevBiz.com
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[Murray]

Hmm - I had loaded that into a hidden layer.

 

[Wally S]

Because the title attribute only stays on for four seconds, so all other
things are not equal. The javascript works great, and it stays on for as
long as you mouseover it.

Wally S

 

[Murray]

But doesn't function without javascript, adds extra bulk to your page, and
all that other stuff, like not helping with SE ranking. Other than that
it's ok I guess.

 

[Wally S]

There is no javascript in the head of the page. The javascript is on a
separate page, with a reference to it at the bottom of the document, so it
won't screw up your SE ranking. Of course, the viewer has to download the
separate page, so that may take a second or two, but then that one page of
javascript is used for as many pages as you want to put the tooltips on.

Of course, there are a few more things to add with the tooltip text, so this
will take up more space than the "title" attribute. You also have more
choices for formatting yout tooltips, and you can include a picture if you
want (I don't). It's a lot better than having these "title" tips that
annoyingly disappear after four seconds.

If you want to see it in action, it's in the index in the right column of my
home page, www.dipika.org.

Wally S

 

[Murray]

You misread me. If I come to the page with javascript disabled (like with a
screen reader, or a browser hobbled by an iron-fisted IT department), then
your method doesn't work. Furthermore, since the text to be shown in the
tooltip is embedded in the javascript function call, it will not be read by
the search engines.

It's a lot better than having these "title" tips that annoyingly disappear
after four seconds.

Four seconds is often more than enough.

 

[Wally S]

I took all this into consideration. If the reader does not have javascript
enabled, he will simply not see the tooltips, but they are not essential.
They are simply an extra convenience for the reader. The same if the search
engines don't read them. But what you say might have some relevance for the
original post on this thread. In that case, the person could use both the
alt text and the tooltip.

Four seconds is often more than enough.

True, but I personally find it annoying when things disappear before my
eyes. I feel as if I were being ordered around by my computer (as if that
didn't happen enough already).

Wally S

 

[Murray]

I feel as if I were being ordered around by my computer (as if that didn't

happen enough already).

I'm resigned to it....

 

[MoniqueWS]

Sorry for the awful subject line but I am not saavy enough to know what to
call these things and can only hope to describe what I am looking for.

I am trying to create an online registration form. At some point the
registrants will fall into one of two groups - one who is finished with
their registration and needs to now pay and the second group is one that
needs to continue answering questions before they can pay. How do I create
this type of form or webpage that only brings up the continuing questions
when the respondent activates a button or choice? Clear as mud? Let me
know if you have any questions. I'll do my best to answer them and not
embarass myself!
-Monique

 

[Thomas A. Rowe]

First, all user must complete the form and payment info. Then you have to set up the credit card
payment, which will require a SSL Certificate and a Merchant Account. You will most likely need to
write some server-side scripting to handle this process along with a database. Which server-side
scripting (ASP, PHP, etc.) depending on what is supported by your web host.

--
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