Databases
StackOverflow2013
Postsdbo
POProper definition for "tabular data" in HTML
 

Note that there are some explanatory texts on larger screens.

plurals
  1. POProper definition for "tabular data" in HTML
    primarykey
    data
    text
    <p>I have a pedantic argument that needs resolution.</p> <p>As a proper koolaid drinker when it comes to HTML, I'm all about semantic markup. As a result, of course I hate to see tables where they don't belong. The rule of thumb for tables is that you should only use them for "tabular data", but it has come to my attention that this is a really poorly defined phrase. I wanted to make the following data a table, but others at my office disagreed that a table would be semantically correct in this case (as opposed to a <code>dl</code> or <code>ul</code>, etc):</p> <pre><code>------------------ | SomeEmployee | |----------------| | Field | val | | Field | val | | Field | val | | Field | val | ------------------ </code></pre> <p>Asking around the office (and the interwebs), I got some of the following answers on what makes data "tabular":</p> <ul> <li>"Anything that you would put in a spreadsheet" (I've seen entire design mockups created in spreadsheets, so this seems somewhat lacking to me)</li> <li>Data that would map well to a database table (e.g. row and column data, specifically)</li> <li>"Text, preformatted text, images, links, forms, form fields, other tables, etc." (thanks <a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/struct/tables.html" rel="noreferrer">W3C</a>, that's really helpful)</li> </ul> <p>And so on and so forth. None of these seem to be canonical definitions, and they don't provide great dividing lines to make decisions on. So, I ask you, my clever compatriots: <em>how should we define tabular data</em>.</p> <p>If at all possible, please cite the sources for your answers to prevent a string of "well I think" answers.</p> <p>Thanks!</p> <p>Joe</p>
    singulars
    1. PO
      singulars
      1. PTAnswer
    1. This table or related slice is empty.
    1. PTQuestion
    1. USJoel Coehoorn
    1. USJoseph Mastey
    plurals
    1. This table or related slice is empty.
    1. PL
      singulars
      1. LTLinked
    2. PL
      singulars
      1. LTLinked
    3. PL
      singulars
      1. LTLinked
    1. This table or related slice is empty.
    1. PO
      singulars
      1. PTAnswer
    2. PO
      singulars
      1. PTAnswer
    1. VO
      singulars
      1. POProper definition for "tabular data" in HTML
      1. This table or related slice is empty.
      1. VTUpMod
    2. VO
      singulars
      1. POProper definition for "tabular data" in HTML
      1. This table or related slice is empty.
      1. VTUpMod
    3. VO
      singulars
      1. POProper definition for "tabular data" in HTML
      1. This table or related slice is empty.
      1. VTUpMod
    1. COInteresting question. Related (though without a clear definition): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_(information)
      singulars
      1. POProper definition for "tabular data" in HTML
      1. USPekka 웃
    2. COMy "well, I think" contribution would be *anything that a table is the semantically most suitable element for*. Lists with one item belong in a ordered or unordered list. `Field / value` pairs are best displayed by definition lists. anything beyond that needs a table.
      singulars
      1. POProper definition for "tabular data" in HTML
      1. USPekka 웃
    3. COHow about "any data structure consisting of multiple elements that are related to each other either on the x or y axis"?
      singulars
      1. POProper definition for "tabular data" in HTML
      1. USPekka 웃
 

Querying!

 
Guidance
A row detail

Detail views are divided into sections. All the information in the data section comes from columns in the selected row. The other sections display data from other, related rows.

Related data can be related in a to-one or a to-many fashion. Captions of data related in a to-many fashion link to a list view showing a filtered view of the table.

Try moving around until you find a non-empty to-many entry and click on the label to get to one. You can move back to the root by clicking on the database name in the header.

SQuiL has stopped working due to an internal error.

If you are curious you may find further information in the browser console, which is accessible through the devtools (F12).

Reload