Business rules manual
RGAA v4.0.0
Theme 8: Mandatory elements
Rule 8.9.1

Rule 8.9.1

Summary

This test consists in searching patterns indicating that forbidden tags (not div, span or table) are used for layout purpose.

Business description

Criterion

8.9

Test

8.9.1

Description

Dans chaque page web les balises (à l’exception de <div>, <span> et <table>) ne doivent pas être utilisées uniquement à des fins de présentation. Cette règle est-elle respectée ?

Level

A

Technical description

Scope

Page

Decision level

Semi-Decidable

Algorithm

Selection

Set1

All the <a> tags without href, name or id attribute and without role attribute whose value is button.

CSS selector:

a:not([href])
 :not([name])
 :not([id])
 :not([role=button])

Set2

All the following tags without content (text or tag child) :

  • <p>
  • <li>

CSS selector:

p:matchesOwn(^$):not(:has(*)):not([hidden]),
li:matchesOwn(^$):not(:has(*)):not([hidden])

Set3

All consecutive <br> tags without text in between.

Process

Tests

Test1

Test emptiness of Set1.

  • If empty, raise a MessageA
  • If not empty, for each occurence of the Set1 raise a MessageB
Test2

Test emptiness of Set2.

  • If empty, raise a MessageA
  • If not empty, for each occurence of the Set2 raise a MessageC
Test3

Test emptiness of Set3.

  • If empty, raise a MessageA
  • If not empty, for each occurence of the Set3 raise a MessageD

Messages

MessageA: No suspect pattern detected
  • code: NoPatternDetected_Rgaa40-8-9-1
  • status: Pre-Qualified
  • present in source: no
MessageB: Link without target
  • code: LinkWithoutTarget
  • status: Failed
  • parameter: snippet
  • present in source: yes
MessageC: Tags without content that are used for layout purpose
  • code: TagsWithoutContentUsedForLayoutPurpose
  • status: Failed
  • parameter: snippet
  • present in source: yes
MessageC: Consecutive tags that are used for layout purpose
  • code: consecutiveTagsUsedForLayoutPurpose
  • status: Failed
  • parameter: snippet
  • present in source: yes

Analysis

Failed

The page contains either consecutive <br> tags without text in between, or a tag (<p> or <li>) without content (text or tag child), or a link (without href, name or id attribute and without role attribute whose value is button).

Pre-qualified

In all other cases

Notes

On latest webdev data set (2013-10-30, 78,000 pages), links without target (a:not([href]):not([name]):not([id])) have been found on 18256 pages, i.e on 23% of the pages.

Files

Rule 8.8.1