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Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Accessibility/dl tests

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When using MediaWiki parser's built-in description/definition/association list shorthand markup (the ; and : syntax), there cannot be blank lines between any "terms" or "definitions" in the list, or it breaks the list markup.

Contiguous association list in MediaWiki markup

[edit]

View source to behold the semantic markup.

Term 1
Definition 1A
Definition 1B
Term 2 (UK)
Term 2 (US)
Definition 2
Wiki source
;Term 1
:Definition 1A
:Definition 1B
;Term 2 (UK)
;Term 2 (US)
:Definition 2
Resulting HTML
<dl>
<dt>Term 1</dt>
<dd>Definition 1A</dd>
<dd>Definition 1B</dd>
<dt>Term 2 (UK)</dt>
<dt>Term 2 (US)</dt>
<dd>Definition 2</dd>
</dl>

Association list in MediaWiki markup with blank lines

[edit]

View source to behold to MW vomit.

Term 1
Definition 1A
Definition 1B
Term 2 (UK)
Term 2 (US)
Definition 2
Wiki source
;Term 1

:Definition 1A

:Definition 1B

;Term 2 (UK)

;Term 2 (US)

:Definition 2
Resulting HTML
<dl>
<dt>Term 1</dt>
</dl>
<dl>
<dd>Definition 1A</dd>
</dl>
<dl>
<dd>Definition 1B</dd>
</dl>
<dl>
<dt>Term 2 (UK)</dt>
</dl>
<dl>
<dt>Term 2 (US)</dt>
</dl>
<dl>
<dd>Definition 2</dd>
</dl>

This is a semantic HTML and Web accessibility nightmare.

Association list in HTML with blank lines

[edit]

View source to behold the semantic markup's return

Term 1
Definition 1A
Definition 1B
Term 2 (UK)
Term 2 (US)
Definition 2
Wiki source
<dl>

<dt>Term 1</dt>

<dd>Definition 1A</dd>

<dd>Definition 1B</dd>

<dt>
Term 2 (UK)
</dt>

<dt>
Term 2 (US)
</dt>

<dd>
Definition 2
</dd>

</dl>
Resulting HTML
<dl>
<dt>Term 1</dt>
<dd>Definition 1A</dd>
<dd>Definition 1B</dd>
<dt>Term 2 (UK)</dt>
<dt>Term 2 (US)</dt>
<dd>Definition 2</dd>
</dl>