Re: [HELP] Help implementing org-lint/warnings buffer during export (was: Org HTML export accessibility (was: org exported pdf files))

[Tim Cross]

Ihor Radchenko <yantar92@gmail.com> writes:

> Tim Cross <theophilusx@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> From an org-mode perspective, the key things which need to be maintained
>> (and which perhaps we could make even easier or possibly have
>> 'defaults') is the ability to add the alt attribute to any non-text
>> element. For example, images, videos, sound files etc. All such content
>> should always have some text describing the 'element'. However, it is
>> also important to be able to not have an alt tag in some situations (for
>> example, when using images as 'spacers' for formatting etc, we don't
>> want an alt tag. Things to be aware of are things like using single
>> characters or symbols (e.g. < and > for previous/next) or using unicode
>> and other symbols whose meaning/purpose may seem very obvious when
>> viewed, but is less so when 'spoken'. 
>>
>> From an authoring perspective, it probably would be good if org mode was
>> able to alert the user to content which lacks an alt attribute but which
>> probably should have one e.g. an image with no caption, a link to a
>> video/audio file etc.
>
> This sounds like a good idea.
>
> Org currently attempts to be slightly helpful by indicating, for
> example, LaTeX compilation warnings. However, it is just done by writing
> a simple message in the echo area.
>
> What would be more useful is the kind of buffer displayed by org-lint,
> but instead used during export:
> - If there are any export issues (LaTeX errors/warnings) they can appear
>   in the buffer
> - If there are any stylistic issues (like lack of alt attributes during
>   html export), they can also appear
>
> Ideally, we should be able to jump directly to the line containing
> error.
>
> org-lint code could be used as a base, but otherwise we need to
> implement something generic way to check style/export warnings on
> per-backend basis.
>
> This is probably something we need to do before we dive into the
> accessibility specifics. AFAIU from the Tim's reply, many of the
> accessibility guidelines may need to be decided by the document author.
> Tim, let me know if I am wrong and some of the accessible tagging must
> be done unconditionally.
>
> I am marking this as a help request.
>
> Let me know what you think.

I had a very similar idea wrt lint like functionality to alert user to
possible 'stylistic' and/or other problems in exported content. Adding
accessibility to that would then be the next step.

I'm very much against enforcing standards. Experience has taught me that
these sorts of thing change more frequently then you might expect. Also,
like the old sayings go "every rule has an exception" "you need to know
the rules before you can break them", etc. Far better to provide the
tools which can assist the author, but avoid enforcing some particular
view/opinion.

We would probably want to make the linting rules dynamic - allowing easy
add/removal/update of rules. People could then possibly use it to also
check for local policy/standard requirements by adding their own.