XHTML table model issue

[ptc-953926]

Adepters:

We're using AE 5.4 patch M050 and use the XHTML table model in our custom schema. We've noticed that when the table structure does not include <thead> or <tbody>, the <table> tag itself is not displayed in the editor. With <thead>/<tbody> applied, you see the table tag. This is in the table editor view, of course.

Anyone know why this is true? Our authors want the table tag to always be visible.

Dave Hintz
Siemens

[ebenton]

I have Arbortext Editor 5.4 M050 on a laptop here, and when I do File-New-XHTML V1.0 and check the Sample box, and insert a table, I do not see this behavior. The <table> tag is visible, without a <thead>. When you insert a table, Editor always puts in a <tbody>, but not a <thead>.
Are you sure you don't have some weird Styler or Screen FOSI formatting going on here for tables?

[ptc-953926]

No, nothing strange going on. The table was probably copied and pasted from HTML where thead/tbody are often missing. So, did you try editing that table with table markup showing and delete any thead/tbody tags? I was seeing this:

<table...><tr>...</tr></table>

[ebenton]

When you insert the table in the sample XHTML file, there is no <thead>, and the <table> tag is visible. If you view table markup and delete the <tbody> tags, it is apparently still valid, since it does not fail a completeness check. The <table> tags are also still visible. However, you can no longer see the grid if you turn off table markup. It remains in "view table markup" mode.
What kind of rendering do you get in a browser with <table...><tr>...</tr></table>
I guess maybe IE and others are pretty forgiving and go ahead and render it as a table, without the <tbody>?

In any case, I can't do anything to get the <table> tags to disappear in my version 5.4 M050 using the standard sample XHTML document.

[ptc-953926]

The tbody/thead structure is not required in the XHTML table model. We're seeing the table and grid just fine in the table editor view. Just no <table> tag.

[ebenton]

OK. I see it now. I must have clicked on the wrong thing before. If I delete the <tbody> tags, the grid still renders on screen, but the <table> tags are missing. I wonder if there is something in preferences or the DCF file that you can set to change this behavior. Otherwise, it might be new "feature" in 5.4 M 050.