[CSS21] Fixed Table Layout - Columns

Hi,
   I'm in the process of designing and writing test cases for the fixed 
table layout algorithm [1] and I have found a possible issue.  The spec 
states:

| If a subsequent row has more columns than the first, then additional
| columns must not be rendered. When using 'table-layout: fixed',
| authors should not omit columns from the first row.

That indicates that the total number of columns in the table is 
determined from the number of columns spanned by the cells in the first 
row.  However, what if there are more 'table-column' elements than the 
first row?  Should a UA still determine the number of columns from the 
first row or can that be determined from the number of table-columns?

For example:
<table>
   <col>
   <col>
   <col>
   <col> <!-- 4 columns -->
   <tr>
     <td>test</td>
     <td>test</td>
     <td>test</td> <!-- 3 cells -->
   </tr>
</table>

with this style:
table { table-layout: fixed; width: 100%; }

I tested Firefox 1.0.4, IE6 and Opera 8 and each of them leave space for 
the 4th cell.

Can the spec be clarified to either explicity allow or disallow this 
behaviour?

[1] http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS21/tables.html#fixed-table-layout

-- 
Lachlan Hunt
http://lachy.id.au/

Received on Monday, 11 July 2005 13:20:22 UTC