Re: Optional content in paged media

Michael Day wrote about constraint-driven models for allowing boxes to appear:

> Adding a new property for this purpose seems unnecessary, as there is
> already "display" and "visibility".

I would bundle the functionality into the 'display' property, which then raises the 
question: may the Paged module redefine or extend a property defined in another 
module?

> How about space permits when the block (I'm assuming this would only
> sensibly apply to blocks) can be placed in the normal flow with the usual
> collapsing margins without overflowing the page box?

Overflowing the page box is the crucial thing.  If we specify that a conditional element 
shall generate boxes only if all generated boxes can fit within the current page box, I see 
no reason to exclude inline boxes.  Determining conditions for elements in normal flow is 
seemingly easy.  What do we do with positioned elements?  Should they be allowed 
conditional appearance?

> On the other hand, it could be seen as saying that when the box overflows 
> its containing box, the box should be removed from the flow. Better in 
> overflow than display perhaps?

Consider an element, E: E's 'overflow' property does not deal with condition that E 
overflows its containing block.  Thus E's 'overflow' property is a poor point of control for 
E's conditional appearance.

-- 
Etan Wexler <mailto:ewexler@stickdog.com>

Received on Saturday, 18 May 2002 09:17:47 UTC