mouse over text - accessibiltiy for the blind

**Ken Gaskell** · 17 January 2008, 01:05 PM

Legally, every image on a website should produce descriptive text when you pass a mouse over it. This is so that people with sight problems can hear what the image is when using their accessibility software.

When adding an image in FrontPage, I simply right click on the image and select picture properties. I then select the tab called General. Where it says "Text:" I simply type in a description of the image. I click OK and the job is done.

When I pass the mouse over the image, the text appears. To see what I mean, check any professional website and you will see that all the images work in this way. The law in the UK says they have to.

Using Webstyle 4, this works automatically for the menus. However, it doesn't when using headers and other images not related to navigation. If I select a Webstyle4 header in Frontpage, it doesn't give me the option to add descriptive text for the image.

Question: Can this be done? If so, how do I do it? I appreciate FrontPage might not help me, but I am hoping that someone will tell me where to put the HTML instructions provided in the Webstyle4 help when it comes to applying it to headers created using Webstyle 4. There is already so much html language involved, I don't know how or where to add the extra information that is needed.

Ken

**Soquili** · 17 January 2008, 06:07 PM

Ken the following link explains how to create alt-text tags for accessibility http://www.cew.wisc.edu/accessibilit...ls/alttext.htm

In FrontPage go to html view and manually enter the alt-text tag for the header and other graphics that do not offer the Text option on the General Tab.

**Ken Gaskell** · 18 January 2008, 11:26 AM

Thanks, that is a great help.

The trouble is, Webstyle makes it tricky knowing where to insert the extra html. I have a header which simply says STAFF. This is the html:

<img src="images/Staff.gif?00CE3FDD" editor="Webstyle4" border="0">

The question is, where do I insert:

alt="Staff"

Could someone insert it in the above so that I will know where to put it.

Ken

**Soquili** · 18 January 2008, 03:54 PM

Ken the alt= should go between the img tag and the editor tag.

<img src="images/Staff.gif?00CE3FDD" alt="Staff" editor="Webstyle4" border="0">

If you are using FrontPage 2003 or newer (is there a newer version??) when you place your cursor in the code after the Src= "images/Staff.gif?00CE3FDD" tag the intellisense will pop up allowing you to select the alt tag and then type in the information.

**ss-kalm** · 18 January 2008, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by Soquili

If you are using FrontPage 2003 or newer (is there a newer version??).....

The "newer" version is now called "Expression Web"

**Soquili** · 18 January 2008, 04:24 PM

Thanks Keith I thought may be the case.

**Ken Gaskell** · 20 January 2008, 05:36 PM

Thanks Soquili & ss-kalm, you are wonderful people out there. I can now do alt text with Webstyle4 headers as well as with photos and other images.

FrontPage did finish with 2003. I have been debating whether to upgrade, I would like to do more with my site. You mentioned Expression Web. Do you know if it is much of an improvement on FrontPage? Do you use it? If not, is there anything you can recommend.

I am just about to set up my own small business (not web building) and I want to make the most of my website.

I am delighted by the way that I am now able to comply with the accessibilty regulations. Thanks again.

Ken

**Soquili** · 20 January 2008, 06:33 PM

Ken I have used Expression Web. It is very similar to FrontPage with some added functions. From what I recall during my tests a few months ago, Expression Web creates cleaner HTML code than FrontPage. No webbot references or removing of some hand edited code, no reformatting of the code making it almost unreadable.

Currently there is no plug-in for Webstyle to integrate with Expression Web. It is still easy to include your Webstyle menus, banners, etc. in an Expression file.

Another program I use is Web Developer which is also a Microsoft product. The Express version is free and can be downloaded from the Microsoft website. Web Developer is geared more toward a software developer.

**ss-kalm** · 21 January 2008, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by Soquili

Expression Web creates cleaner HTML code than FrontPage.....

In my experience, pretty much anything creates cleaner code than FrontPage. However, I am still using Frontpage 2000 so maybe it's better in the newer versions.