Followup-For: Bug #1064575 On Mon, 26 Feb 2024 00:22:44 +0000, I wrote: > On Sat, 24 Feb 2024 12:33:50 +0000, I wrote: > > Part of the documentation rendering process - I have not determined exactly > > what yet - adds an 'alt' attribute when it does not exist, and generates a > > randomized hex string to use as the value of the attribute. This causes the > > resulting python-pyswarms-doc package to vary on each build. > > Part of the reason for this appears to be the nbsphinx component; when it > encounters HTML <img> elements, it emits reStructuredText markdown containing > an alt attribute if one was found on the element, and defines an rST > substitution[1] named by a UUID4-generated value converted to hexadecimal. > > Next question: where is that substitution name used when the ':alt:' option > is not found on the image directive?
The answer is that the alt attribute/option is created by docutils here: https://sources.debian.org/src/python-docutils/0.20.1%2Bdfsg-3/docutils/parsers/rst/states.py/#L2689-L2690 ...and that is only relevant when an existing alt attribute is _not_ found from the node here: https://sources.debian.org/src/python-docutils/0.20.1%2Bdfsg-3/docutils/writers/_html_base.py/#L1084 The reason I'd like to know this is to determine the feasibility of a fix that would apply across multiple buildsites (not only python-pyswarms-doc). A naive fix idea would be to modify nbsphinx to emit an empty-string alt option in cases where no existing alt attribute was found on the HTML <img> element. However: I'm not yet sure about the implicit contracts/conventions are between these components (nbsphinx, docutils), so I may need to investigate/discuss further.
