Internet Explorer Mobile HTML Elements

A version of this page is also available for

Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3

4/8/2010

There are many elements in the XHTML language and many derivatives. This topic is designed to help understand which elements are supported in which derivative and within Internet Explorer Mobile.

In This Section

The table shows the possible elements available in some of the main variations on the HyperText Markup Language (HTML) theme. These include HTML, XHTML, CHTML, iHTML and WAP.

The XHTML column shows in which module the element is found.

The HTML column indicates at which version of HTML this element was initially supported.

cHTML is compact HTML and is a subset of HTML for a device, for example a Windows Mobile device. To accommodate the restrictions placed on such devices, it does not support tables, frames, style sheets and more than 2-color displays. It also assumes that the device will have limited interactive hardware, such as no keyboard or mouse.

iHTML is inline HTML and is a server side scripting language that works with HTML. This allows for dynamic customization of web sites.

XHTML is the eXtensible HTML and reworked HTML 4.0 into an XML application. XHTML contains the initial building blocks for future HTML extensions. There are Basic and numbered variations of the language. The Basic set contains the minimal set of elements required for an XHTML document type. It has been modularized and where appropriate these have been indicated. These modules include Text, Hypertext, Applet and Client-Side Image Maps.

WAP is the Wireless Application Protocol and is an open standard for applications that with to communicate with wireless devices, such as mobile phones. It is specifically designed to allow web sites to address the challenges of small portable devices.

The following table shows items that Internet Explorer Mobile supports and also indicates which features are available to a Windows Mobile device.

Element Windows Mobile 6.5 XHTML  Module HTML cHTML iHTML Req'd for XHTML Basic? Req'd for XHTML 2.0 Req'd for WAP 2.1 Req'd for HTML 4.01 Comments

! --

Yes

 

2

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

 

! DOCTYPE

Yes

 

2

Yes

No

No

No

No

No

There is no difference in the way Internet Explorer Mobile handles HTML 3.2 vs. HTML 4.0 in this case. This is also the same as no DOCTYPE specified.

? xml-stylesheet

Yes

 

Yes

No

No

No

No

Yes

No

For full details see the W3C Web site.

A

Yes

Hypertext

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Designates the start or destination of a hypertext link. The A element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

A

Yes

 

4

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Method of giving access/focus to an active HTML element using a keypad number. This feature is only supported on devices with an appropriate input method.

ABBR

Yes

Text

4

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

 

ACRONYM

Yes

 

4

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Renders its contents in italics. Used to specify information such as the address, signature and authorship for the document. ADDRESS is a block element and requires a closing tag.

ADDRESS

Yes

Text

4

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Renders its contents in italics. Used to specify information such as the address, signature and authorship for the document. ADDRESS is a block element and requires a closing tag.

APPLET

Yes

Applet

3.2

No

No

No

No

No

No

This will be ignored by the browser unless a JVM is installed. This element is deprecated in HTML 4.0 in favor of <OBJECT>

AREA

Yes

Client-Side Image Map

3.2

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Defines the shape, coordinates, and associated URL of one hyperlink region within a client-side image MAP. The AREA element is not rendered and requires a closing tag.

B

Yes

 

2

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Specifies that the text should be rendered in bold. The B element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

BASE

Yes

Base

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Specifies an explicit URL used to resolve links and references to external source such as links and images. The BASE element does not require a closing tag

BASEFONT

Yes

Legacy

3.2

No

No

No

No

No

No

Sets attributes of default font to be used when rendering text. This does not require a closing tag.

BGSOUND

Yes

Legacy

IE2

No

No

No

No

No

No

Enables a background sound to be played when the page is visited. BGSOUND does not require a closing tag.

BIG

Yes

 

3

No

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Specifies that the enclosed text should be in a larger font than the current font. BIG is an inline element and requires a closing tag

BLOCKQUOTE

Yes

Text

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Sets apart a quotation in text. Text within the tag is indented. BLOCKQUOTE is a block element and requires a closing tag

BODY

Yes

Structure

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Denotes the beginning and end of the document body. BODY is a block element and requires a closing tag.

BR

Yes

Text

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Inserts a line break. This element does not require a closing tag.

BUTTON

Yes

 

4

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Defines a button.

CAPTION

Yes

Tables

3

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Specifies a brief description/caption for a table. The CAPTION element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

CENTER

Yes

 

3.2

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

Centers subsequent text and images. This element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

CITE

Yes

Text

2

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Specifies a citation. The enclosed text is rendered in italics. The CITE element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

CODE

Yes

Text

2

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Specifies a code sample. The enclosed text is rendered in a mono-spaced font. The CODE element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

DD

Yes

List

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Indicates a definition in a definition list (DL). The definition is indented from the definition list. This element is a block element and does not require a closing tag.

DEL

Yes

 

4

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

 

DFN

Yes

Text

3

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Indicates the defining instance of a term. The enclosed text is rendered in italics. This element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

DIR

Yes

List

2

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

Denotes a directory list. The DIR element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

DIV

Yes

Text

3

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Specifies a container/division in the document. This is a block element and requires a closing tag.

DL

Yes

List

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Denotes a definition list. The DL element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

DT

Yes

List

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Denotes a definition term within a definition list (DL). The DT element is a block element and does not require a closing tag.

EM

Yes

Text

2

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Emphasizes text by rendering it in italics. The EM element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

FONT

Yes

Legacy

3

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

Specifies a new font, size, and color to be used for rendering the enclosed text. The FONT element requires a closing tag.

FORM

Yes

Basic Forms

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Specifies that the contained controls are part of a form. The FORM element is a block element and requires a closing tag

FRAME

Yes

Frames

4

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Specifies an individual frame within a FRAMESET. FRAME is a block element and does not require a closing tag.

FRAMESET

Yes

Frames

4

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Specifies a frameset consisting of 1 or more frames. The FRAMESET element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

H1...H6

Yes

Text

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Renders text in heading style. Use H1 through H6 to specify different sizes and styles of headings. The Hn element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

HEAD

Yes

Structure

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Provides an unordered collection of information about the document. The HEAD element requires a closing tag.

HR

Yes

Text

2

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

Draws a horizontal rule. The HR element is a block element and does not require a closing tag.

HTML

Yes

Structure

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Identifies the document as containing HTML elements. The HTML element requires a closing tag.

I

Yes

 

2

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Specifies that the enclosed text should be rendered in italics. The I element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

IFRAME

Yes

Iframe

4

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Specifies an inline frame. IFRAME is a block element and does not require a closing tag.

IMG

Yes

Image

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Embeds an image in the document.

INPUT TYPE=button

Yes

Basic Forms

4

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Creates a button control. The input type=button element is an inline element and does not require a closing tag.

INPUT TYPE=checkbox

Yes

Basic Forms

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Creates a checkbox control. The checkbox element is an inline element and does not require a closing tag.

INPUT TYPE=file

Yes*

 

4

No

No

No

No

No

No

Only applicable for

*Not supported in Windows Mobile Standard.

INPUT TYPE=hidden

Yes

Basic Forms

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Used to transmit information about the client/server interaction. This control is not rendered but sends the name/value pair as defined by the attributes below. The hidden element does not require a closing tag.

INPUT TYPE=image

Yes

Basic Forms

2

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Creates an image control, when clicked, causes the form to be immediately submitted. The coordinates where the click are measured from the upper-left of the image and are submitted w/the form as two name/value pairs. The x-coordinate is submitted under the name of the control with .x appended, and the y-coordinate is submitted under the name of the control with .y appended.

INPUT TYPE=password

Yes

Basic Forms

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Creates a single-line text entry control similar to the text control, except that text is not displayed as the user enters it. The input type=password element is an inline element and does not require a closing tag.

INPUT TYPE=radio

Yes

Basic Forms

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Creates a radio button control. The input type=radio element is an inline element and does not require a closing tag. Use a radio button control to limit a user's selection to a single value within a set of values. To do this, you must group each button in a set of radio buttons by assigning each button the same name. When a user submits a form, a selected radio button only generates a name/value pair in the form data if the button has a value.Note: if a radio button is in a group and the button has no value, the button name is submitted without a value.

INPUT TYPE=reset

Yes

Basic Forms

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Creates a button that, when clicked, resets the form's controls to their initial values. The reset element is an inline element and does not require a closing tag.

INPUT TYPE=submit

Yes

Basic Forms

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Creates a button that, when clicked, submits the form. The input type=submit element is an inline element and does not require a closing tag.

INPUT TYPE=text

Yes

Basic Forms

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Creates a single-line text entry control. The input type=text element is an inline element and does not require a closing tag.Note: if the author places an INPUT without a TYPE attribute or with an invalid TYPE, Internet Explorer Mobile treats it as an INPUT TYPE=text.

INS

Yes

 

4

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

 

KBD

Yes

Text

2

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Renders enclosed text in a fixed-width font. The KBD element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

LABEL

Yes

Basic Forms

4

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

 

LEGEND

Yes

 

4

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

LEGEND is not technically supported (you won't see any border, etc.) but the text in the legend will be displayed in boldface.

LI

Yes

List

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Denotes one item in a list. The LI element is an inline element and does not require a closing tag.

LINK

Yes

Linking

4

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

 

LISTING

Yes

 

2

No

No

No

No

No

No

Visually and functionally works like PRE

MAP

Yes

Client-Side Image Map

3.2

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Defines a client side image map which contains one or more AREAs that specify hot zones on the associated image and bind these zones to URLs. The MAP element requires a closing tag.

MENU

Yes

 

2

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

Creates an unordered list of items (consisting of LI elements).

META

Yes

Meta-information

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Conveys hidden information to the server and the client. The META element does not require a closing tag.

NOFRAMES

Yes

Frames

4

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Contains HTML for browsers that do not support FRAMES. The NOFRAMES element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

NOSCRIPT

Yes

Scripting

3.2

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

 

OBJECT

Yes

Object Module

4

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Inserts an ActiveX control onto the page. The OBJECT element is a block element and requires a closing tag.Note: There is no mechanism in Internet Explorer Mobile to download controls. The author is limited to using controls that have been pre-installed on the device.

OL

Yes

List

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Creates a numbered list consisting of LI elements.

OPTGROUP

Yes

 

4

No

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Recurse into all siblings and show all options regardless of OPTGROUPing.

OPTION

Yes

Basic Forms

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Denotes one choice in a SELECT element. The OPTION element does not require a closing tag.

P

Yes

Text

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Denotes a paragraph. The P element is a block element and does not require a closing tag.

PARAM

Yes

Object

3.2

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Sets the property value for a given OBJECT. This tag must be inside the associated OBJECT tag. The PARAM element does not require a closing tag.

PRE

Yes

Text

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Denotes preformatted text and renders it in a fixed pitch font. Spaces and carriage returns within the PRE tag are preserved. The PRE element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

Q

Yes

 

3.2

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Sets apart quotation in text.

S

Yes

 

3

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Renders text in strike-through type. The S element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

SAMP

Yes

Text

2

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Denotes a code sample. Contents inside the tag are rendered in a fixed pitch font. The SAMP element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

SCRIPT

Yes

Scripting

4

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Specifies a block containing script to be interpreted by the script engine.

SELECT

Yes

Basic Forms

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Denotes a list box or drop-down list. The SELECT element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

SMALL

Yes

 

3

No

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Specifies that the enclosed text should be rendered in a smaller font.

SPAN

Yes

Text

4

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

 

STRIKE

Yes

 

3.2

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Renders enclosed text in strike-through type. The STRIKE element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

STRONG

Yes

Text

2

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Renders enclosed text in boldface. The STRONG element is an inline element and requires a closing tag

STYLE

Yes

Stylesheet

4

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

 

SUB

Yes

Text

3

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Specifies that the enclosed text should be displayed in subscript, using a smaller font than the current font. The SUB element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

SUP

Yes

Text

3

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Specifies that the enclosed text should be displayed in superscript, using a smaller font than the current font. The SUP element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

TABLE

Yes

Tables

3

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Specifies that the contained content is organized into a table with rows and columns. The TABLE element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

TBODY

Yes

Tables

4

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

 

TD

Yes

Tables

3

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Specifies a cell in a table. The TD element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

TEXTAREA

Yes

Basic Forms

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Specifies a multi-line text input control. The TEXTAREA element is an inline element and requires a closing tag

TFOOT

Yes

Tables

4

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

 

TH

Yes

Tables

3

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Specifies a header column of a table. Contents of the TH are centered within the cell and bold, unless overridden. The TH element is a block element and requires a closing tag. Note: this is almost the same as a TD except for the default formatting.

THEAD

Yes

Tables

4

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

 

TITLE

Yes

Structure

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Contains the title of the document. The TITLE element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

TR

Yes

Tables

3

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Specifies a row in a table. The TR element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

TT

Yes

 

2

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Renders text in a fixed pitch font. The TT element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

U

Yes

 

3

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Renders text that is underlined. The U element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

UL

Yes

List

2

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Creates a bulleted list consisting of list items (LI). The UL element is a block element and requires a closing tag.

VAR

Yes

Text

2

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Renders enclosed text in italics. The VAR element is an inline element and requires a closing tag.

XML

Yes

 

IE5

No

No

No

No

No

No

Defines a XML data island.

XMP

Yes

 

2

No

No

No

No

No

No

Visually and functionally works like PRE

See Also

Other Resources

Internet Explorer Mobile Reference