Hierarchical checkboxes / Interdependent checkboxes

[Gabor]

There is a thing, I'm missing in HTML for a very long time. I think I've read this somewhere here, but I don't find it.

What I would like very much is the possibility to have checkboxes / radiobuttons that control other checkboxes / radiobuttons.

For example I activate (deactivate) one checkbox and this activates (deactivates) other checkboxes too.

I know that such hierarchical / interdependent checkboxes are possible with Scripting. But for those who have Scripting deactivated (and maybe even cannot change this, e.g. at work or school) that isn't an option.

This feature should be possible only with HTML and CSS!

[Gabor]

PS:
Of course the controlled checkboxes should be possible to activate/deactivate too. But the control-checkbox should activate and deactivate them with only one single click.

One of many possible use-cases is the following:
if you have e.g. a dictionary that supports 10 languages. And say, you want to translate the word "table". If you only want to see the german translation you only have to click the checkbox "German". But if you want to see the translation in all 10 languages you don't have to do 10 clicks but only 1. And if you want to have 8 translations, you click the "Check all"-checkbox and then deactive 2 of them. and so on

Or another use-case:
you want to search for a book / movie / CD / DVD on a page that supports many indexes. You can e.g. only search in your local library catalog, but also in many others. And if you want to search all, you only have to click once.

And one more wish:
This all should not only be possible by a major checkbox/radiobutton but also with a button that can change it's text from "Check all" to "Uncheck all".

But also (as said) with a major checkbox/radiobutton that controls other interdependent checkboxes.

And that all without Scripting.

[Gabor]

I've found the old thread about this. It's the one, that has many more suggestions:
http://forums.whatwg.org/viewtopic.php?t=4100

There is an example of a site from german university-libraries, that uses exactly what I mean, but with Scripting:
http://www.ubka.uni-karlsruhe.de/kvk.html

E.g. if you activate the check-box "Deutschland" many checkboxes under it are activated too. The same with "Buchhandel", "Elektronische Volltexte", and so on.

This is what I mean. But it would be better, if no scripting is needed for this, but this should be possible only with HTML / CSS.

[CasparLamy]

Very good idea!

And not only major check-boxes should be able to check or uncheck other checkboxes. But also textlinks like "check all" or "uncheck all" (even if they are in a drp-down-menu).

In short: a whole new mechanism for controlling (many) checkboxes with one other element (major checkbox, textlink or whatever).

And all of this in HTML, working without Scripting (for those machines/users where Scripting isn't activated - security or any other reasons - and even where Scripting is activated this would be better).

[PhilG]

Caspar told me of this forum.

I agree:
this very useful feature should be a first-priority to-do for HTML 5.1 or whatever comes after HTML 5.

[Niklas81]

Does anybody know, if there are plans to integrate this feature in HTML? Because I think that would be a great feature.