Re: The Meaning of line-height

On Sun, 10 Jan 1999, L. David Baron wrote:
> The definition of line-height in the spec has some problems. [...]
> In section 10.8.1 of CSS2 [...] I think the rule should be the
> following:
> 
>   If the property is set on a block-level element whose content is
>   composed of inline-level elements, it specifies the line-height of
>   an anonymous inline box that contains all of the contents (in the
>   normal flow) of the block-level element.  This anonymous box also
>   has the font properties of the block-level element, so all other
>   inline boxes are vertically aligned within it.
> 

The above makes the spec much closer to the 'intuitive' expectations.


Note. The rule in CSS1 also needs some work. The first paragraph of
5.4.8, 'line-height', of CSS1, says:
   
   The property sets the distance between two adjacent lines' baselines.
 
This is wrong (except in the very simple case of homogenous formatting
throughout both line boxes). I suggest that this paragraph be ammended
as follows:

   In the simplest case, the 'line-height' property sets the distance
   between two adjacent lines' baselines.
   
...and that the final paragraph of that section ("See the section 4.4
for a description on how 'line-height' influences the formatting of a
block-level element.") be moved up to the top of that section.


So... when can we expect CSS1 Revised Edition II? ;-)

-- 
Ian Hickson