Legend

Legend Support Key: [2\|3\|3.2\|4] [X1\|X1.1] [*IE4B2\|M\|N6B1*\|O7]	What is it? Attributes Tag Example	Parent/Content Model Tips & Tricks Browser Peculiarities
= Index DOT Html by Brian Wilson =

Quick Statistics
End Tag:		Required
Standards Details:		HTML: In all 4.x DTDs XHTML: In all 1.0 and 1.1 DTDs
XHTML Modules:		Forms
CSS 'display' Type:		"inline"
CSS Mapping:		NA
Default Rendering:		A caption embedded in the FIELDSET bounding box. Horizontal alignment of the caption depends on the ALIGN attribute
Official Docs:		HTML 4.x, XHTML 1.1

What is it?: The LEGEND element assigns a caption to a FIELDSET grouping of form elements. Using a LEGEND is most useful when pages are rendered using non-visual formats. The ALIGN attribute of this element will allow horizontal and vertical alignment of LEGEND content with respect to the FIELDSET in visual browsers.

Note: Use of the LEGEND element is optional within a FIELDSET, and if used, must immediately follow the opening FIELDSET tag. If the LEGEND element uses the ACCESSKEY attribute, the form control within the parent FIELDSET with the lowest tabbing order receives the focus.

Common Attributes
%Core%: [2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE4B2|M|N6B1|O4]
%Accessibility%: [2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE4B2|M|N6|O5]
%Events%: [2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE4B2|M|N6B1|O4]
%Language%: [2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE4|M|N|O]
%Editing%: [2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE5.5|M|N|O]
Specific Attributes
Accesskey
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE4|M|N|O]: Standards Details: In all HTML 4.x/XHTML DTDs; Required? No; Description:
This is a method of giving access/focus to an active HTML element using a keyboard character. This is a common GUI paradigm also known as a "keyboard shortcut" or "keyboard accelerator" A single character is used as the value of this attribute. In addition, a platform-dependent key is usually used in combination with the ACCESSKEY character to access the functionality of the active field.; Values: CDATA. [A single, case-insensitive character from a browser's character set.]
Align
[2|3|3.2|4] [X1|X1.1] [IE4B2|M|N6B1|O]: Standards Details: Deprecated in HTML 4.x/XHTML 1.0; Dropped from XHTML 1.1 (use CSS instead); Required? No; Description:
Specifies the text alignment relative to the FIELDSET.; Values:
Top | Bottom | Left | Right - Basic alignment values indicated in HTML 4.0
Center - Extra Internet Explorer 4.0 value for horizontal alignment of content at the top of the LEGEND

Example: <fieldset>
<legend accesskey="G" tabindex="1">Gender</legend>
<label accesskey="M"><input type="radio" name="Gender" value="Male" />Male</label> <br />
<label accesskey="F"><input type="radio" name="Gender" value="Female" />Female</label>
</fieldset>

Tips & Tricks

Browser Peculiarities

Internet Explorer does not allow the TOP and BOTTOM values of the ALIGN attribute for this element yet. Instead, the LEGEND is always rendered at the top edge of the FIELDSET, and the LEFT | CENTER | RIGHT alignment values control positioning along this edge.
[Test] In Internet Explorer 4.0 if a LEGEND exists and is NOT the first element after the opening FIELDSET tag, rendering problems occur. Such a construct is illegal according to the spec anyway, so don't do it.
[Test] Use of the ACCESSKEY attribute for this element in IE 4.0 puts focus on the first form field within the parent FIELDSET.
[Test] In Netscape 6 Beta 1, a black bordered box was automatically placed around the LEGEND content (equivalent of using <legend STYLE="border: 2px solid black">). In later versions, no border box is applied.
In Netscape 6, the ALIGN attribute horizontally aligns content relative to the fieldset content, not relative to the fieldset box itself (IE5 and early Netscape 6 betas align relative to the fieldset box.)