Calendar generated by WordPress is invalid HTML5

[avcascade]

While building an HTML5 theme for WordPress (I don't use XHTML, ​this is why) I discovered that the calendar generated by WordPress' general-template is not valid HTML5.

Two attributes are causing problems: summary (which is obsolete) and abbr, which seems redundant since title contains the same information.

Removing the summary and abbr attributes from general-template causes a WordPress blog with an HTML5 theme to properly validate using the conformance checker. Since the summary and abbr attributes do not appear necessary for the display of the calendar, it seems like removing them would make the core leaner and meaner.

Line with summary:

echo '<table id="wp-calendar" summary="' . esc_attr__('Calendar') . '">

There are several lines with abbr, like:

echo "\n\t\t<th abbr=\"$wd\" scope=\"col\" title=\"$wd\">$day_name</th>";

[dd32]

WordPress itself does not output HTML5, instead, All functions will generally return HTML4/XHTML strings.

Theme authors may replace core strings via filters and/or registering their own widgets if WordPress's output doesnt conform to their Doctype specifications.

I'm setting this a dev-feedback, with the question of: What Doctypes does WordPress currently support, and what should it support?

Given that the attributes there at present are virtually useless to most people, i see no reason to not remove them, however, Future output may not conform to HTML5 spec either.

[hakre]

WordPress does support any doctype. It can be configured. Mainly this is HTML and XHTML but this is configure-able.

HTML5 still is a draft, it makes no sense to validate against it right now.

But in any case, the reported redundant information should be removed. I would favor for the title attribute.

[hakre]

Some wise words: The referenced resource - which is a must read for any webdev - suggests to stick with HTML 4.01. Why not build a theme based on that standard. I would like to see WordPress to at least validate against that standard (plus ARIA maybe).

[iammattthomas]

Removes the summary attribute from the calendar table element. Removes the abbr attribute from the calendar th and td elements. Calendar output validates as HTML5.

[ryan]

(In [12943]) Make calendar valid HTML 5. Props iammattthomas. fixes #11554

[anmari]

Line 1149 of general-template.php in 3.2 "bleeding edge" just updated is still generating html warnings - Patch not applied?

<table id="wp-calendar" summary="Calendar"

The summary attribute is obsolete. Consider describing the structure of complex tables in <caption> or in a paragraph and pointing to the paragraph using the aria-describedby attribute.

[ocean90]

Interesting, it was reverted with r13048 by mistake.

[studionashvegas]

Ran a source dump of a clean install with one widget through the validator - checks clean.

[studionashvegas]

Patch applied, source ran through HTML5Validator (​http://html5.validator.nu/) with clean validation.

[ramoonus]

doesn`t this belong to validation?

[ryan]

In [18120]:

Remove summary attribute. Props ocean90. fixes #11554