Explicit Definition of Property Hierarchy

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 146 views

Introduction

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has been working on a proposal for the slider-orientation property, which aims to provide a standardized way of controlling the orientation of sliders in web applications. While this proposal is a step in the right direction, there are some aspects that need further clarification and consideration to ensure interoperability and consistency across different browsers and devices.

Interoperability Issues

One of the key concerns with the current proposal is the definition of the auto value. According to the spec draft, auto is "defined by the writing mode and direction." However, this statement raises more questions than it answers. For instance, when the writing mode is set to vertical-lr, should a slider with slider-orientation:auto have "more" oriented toward the top or bottom? This might seem like a straightforward question, but it's not as clear-cut as it appears.

In the past, we've encountered similar issues when dealing with text flow and orientation. For example, when text flows down, it's not necessarily true that "more" should be "down." In fact, many users expect "up" to always be "more." This lack of clarity can lead to interoperability problems, where sliders go in different directions on different browsers.

Explicit Definition of Property Hierarchy

Another aspect that needs attention is the property hierarchy. The current proposal implies that the slider-orientation property should "win" over writing-mode, direction, and even the orient=vertical attribute (although non-standard). However, this should be explicitly stated in the specification to avoid any confusion.

Logical Values for Slider Orientation

In addition to the auto value, it might be helpful to define logical values for slider orientation. For example, slider-orientation:start-to-end or slider-orientation:block-start-to-block-end could provide a more explicit way of controlling the orientation of sliders. This could be particularly useful for elements like <input type=checkbox switch>, where the concept of "on" and "off" is more nuanced.

Defining "More" for Checkbox Switches

Speaking of checkbox switches, it's worth considering what "more" means in this context. While it might seem intuitive that "on" is "more," this should be explicitly stated in the specification to avoid any confusion.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the slider-orientation property proposal is a step in the right direction, there are some aspects that need further clarification and consideration. By addressing these issues, we can ensure that sliders behave consistently across different browsers and devices, providing a better user experience for web application users.

Recommendations

Based on the analysis above, we recommend the following:

Clarify the definition of the auto value: Provide more detail on how the auto value is defined by the writing mode and direction, and ensure that it's interoperable across different browsers and devices.
Explicitly define the property hierarchy: State that the slider-orientation property should "win" over writing-mode, direction, and even the orient=vertical attribute (although non-standard).
Define logical values for slider orientation: Consider defining logical values for slider orientation, such as slider-orientation:start-to-end or slider-orientation:block-start-to-block-end.
Explicitly define "more" for checkbox switches: State that "on" is "more" for checkbox switches to avoid any confusion.

Q: What is the purpose of the slider-orientation property?

A: The slider-orientation property is designed to provide a standardized way of controlling the orientation of sliders in web applications. This property aims to ensure that sliders behave consistently across different browsers and devices, providing a better user experience for web application users.

Q: What values can the slider-orientation property take?

A: The slider-orientation property can take the following values:

auto: Defined by the writing mode and direction.
start-to-end: Slider orientation from start to end.
block-start-to-block-end: Slider orientation from block start to block end.
vertical: Slider orientation is vertical.
horizontal: Slider orientation is horizontal.

Q: How does the slider-orientation property interact with other properties?

A: The slider-orientation property should "win" over writing-mode, direction, and even the orient=vertical attribute (although non-standard). This means that the slider-orientation property takes precedence over these other properties and should be used to control the orientation of sliders.

Q: What is the difference between `auto` and other values?

A: The auto value is defined by the writing mode and direction. This means that the orientation of the slider will be determined by the writing mode and direction of the element. In contrast, other values such as start-to-end and block-start-to-block-end provide a more explicit way of controlling the orientation of sliders.

Q: How does the slider-orientation property affect checkbox switches?

A: For checkbox switches, the concept of "more" is more nuanced. While it might seem intuitive that "on" is "more," this should be explicitly stated in the specification to avoid any confusion. The slider-orientation property should be used to control the orientation of checkbox switches, and the definition of "more" should be consistent with the rest of the specification.

Q: What are the benefits of using the slider-orientation property?

A: The benefits of using the slider-orientation property include:

Improved consistency: The slider-orientation property ensures that sliders behave consistently across different browsers and devices.
Better user experience: By providing a standardized way of controlling the orientation of sliders, the slider-orientation property helps to improve the user experience for web application users.
Increased accessibility: The slider-orientation property can help to increase accessibility by providing a more explicit way of controlling the orientation of sliders.

Q: What are the challenges of implementing the slider-orientation property?

A: Some of the challenges of implementing the slider-orientation property include:

Interoperability issues: The slider-orientation property may require changes to existing implementations to ensure interoperability.
Complexity: The slider-orientation property introduces new concepts and values, which can add complexity to the specification.
Testing: The slider-orientation property will require thorough testing to ensure that it works correctly across different browsers and devices.

Conclusion

The slider-orientation property is a new feature that aims to provide a standardized way of controlling the orientation of sliders in web applications. By understanding the purpose, values, and interactions of the slider-orientation property, developers can create more consistent and accessible web applications. However, implementing the slider-orientation property may require changes to existing implementations and thorough testing to ensure interoperability and correctness.