Hi,

Are there ways in WebFocus to make reports(FocExec reports and reports with Launch pages) ADA Compliant? What techniques do you guys use?

The simple answer is it is quite difficult, though WebFocus reports can be okay if simple and use the accessible=on parameter; WebFocus standard launch pages are almost a non-starter if you are serious, though getting better. You can even get a maintain pretty compliant.

Normally I recommend someone reads the W3C WAI documents, uses the W3C validator as a minimum to help understand all considerations.

I have found it simpler (not essential) to start from a point of working to W3C standards guidelines and hand code all launch pages and wrap reports in my own HTML, a basic self service approach. I have not found any web development tool to be perfect (yet), though again they are getting better.

For first testing I use firefox with the Web Developer, Fangs and HTML Validator extensions, follow up with other validators.

A lot can be achieved really quite quickly following the KISS principle and common sense, the more complex you make pages the harder it is to comply.

Of course there is not full agreement in the web world on accessibility implementation, but I found a good starting point at A LIST apart.

Hey Alan,

Thank you for responding.
Recently I created a report for our department to be posted on the internet and it did not pass the accessibility test. It was a report with a launch page and a frame in the same page. Basically the top part which was the form was not readable by the software they were using at all! I'm using WebFocus version 7.1. It doesn't use form tags or tables. So the column headings were not readable either. I guess like you said basically I have to hand-code everything.

I do really have problems with frames and accessibility, I find best to avoid if possible. The Tables output from a report may 'just' be okay if you surround with your own HTML. Otherwise I found myself outputing to a SAVE file and -READing the data to be output on the page!
Good luck.