How to add a tool tip to explain a word?

[Digmen1]

Hi Guys

I have a few technical words on one of my web pages.

I would like to be able to show a tool tip if the user hovers their mouse over the words. The tool tip would then just show a few word explanation of the word.

I know this can be done for links to pics etc, but I do not want to link the word to anything.

Kind Regards

Digby
NZ

[lavazza]

G'day

These work almost the same in most common browsers

<abbr title="New Zealand">
NZ</abbr>

<acronym title="People Can't Memorise Computer Industry Acronyms">
PCMCIA</acronym>

[Digmen1]

Thanks once again lavazza!

Gee that was quick!

It worked first time!

Kind Regards

Digby

[Digmen1]

Hi Lavazza

Just to let you know your suggestions worked fine on my default browser - Firefox. The words show with a dotted line, then when you mouse over them the tool tip pops up. This was just what I wanted.

But I have tried them both with IE Explorer 6.0 2900 and they do not work very well at all.

The abbr tag does not show the basic word with any underline etc, and does not show the tool tip when you mouse over it.

But the acronymn tag does display the tool tip, but does not show any underline. This is useless as the users will not know that they can mouse over the word to get a full description.

I do not know if I have done these examples correctly, but if I have it is not your fault but it is a pain as the most popular bowser is of course IE6.00.

Kind Regards

Digby

[rocknbil]

Try title, moving the style into a . . . style sheet:

<a style="text-decoration:none;" href="" onClick="return false;" title="some description">word</a>

[katana_one]

I would use the acronym tag, but give it a style in the style sheet of your document. Maybe a different color for the text, or a soft background color. The key is to make sure it looks different from the surrounding text yet does not look like a hyperlink. For example, if your hyperlinks are the default blue, then maybe your acronym tags can be green.

[pageoneresults]

You have to be careful here though. You just can't wrap something in a <abbr> or <acronym> unless it is applicable.

You can always use a <span title=""></span> and then throw a style in there for a visual clue.

[Fotiman]

I agree. Don't use acronym or abbr unless that's what they are actually representing. Use span otherwise.