Re: [csswg-drafts] [css-overflow-4] `line-clamp` shorthand syntax is ambiguous (#12416)

The CSS Working Group just discussed ``[css-overflow-4] `line-clamp` shorthand syntax is ambiguous``, and agreed to the following:

* `RESOLVED: Rename block-ellipsis: none to no-ellipsis, make empty string behave the same as it.`

<details><summary>The full IRC log of that discussion</summary>
&lt;astearns> (folks are convinced by the presentation)<br>
&lt;fantasai> andreubotella: [explains slight different between "" and none]<br>
&lt;fantasai> fantasai: why not just rename 'none' to 'clip' or something<br>
&lt;fantasai> florian: in any case we should handle empty string case better<br>
&lt;fantasai> fantasai: block-ellipsis: no-ellipsis<br>
&lt;fantasai> andreubotella: we weren't planning to ship the &lt;string> value in the initial rollout<br>
&lt;fantasai> andreubotella: but someone is working on text-overflow: &lt;string> so maybe we can do it anyway<br>
&lt;fantasai> florian: if there is a string, it needs to insert the string. if the string is empty, insertion of nothing and non-insertion, difference is not deliberate<br>
&lt;fantasai> florian: difference now is that when you insert empty string, in some rare cases you delete the whole line<br>
&lt;fantasai> andreubotella: block-ellipsis clamps to the last line break opportunity where the ellipsis fits<br>
&lt;fantasai> andreubotella: if no line-break opportunities, then you replace the line with the ellipsis<br>
&lt;fantasai> florian: that is not deliberate<br>
&lt;fantasai> fantasai: still think having a keyword would be nice, even if you are fixing the string<br>
&lt;fantasai> ...<br>
&lt;fantasai> fantasai: isn't it the initial value?<br>
&lt;fantasai> andreubotella: no, but it is the default value when omitted in certain shorthand combinations<br>
&lt;fantasai> SebastianZ: my suggestion was to use a new keyword for max-lines, 'unlimited'<br>
&lt;fantasai> SebastianZ: because that was the part where 'none' in line-clamp and max-lines clashed<br>
&lt;fantasai> SebastianZ: right?<br>
&lt;fantasai> andreubotella: -webkit-line-clamp: none still needs to disable clamping<br>
&lt;fantasai> andreubotella: though behavior of all browsers is consistent now, used to be weird<br>
&lt;fantasai> andreubotella: line-clamp: none doesn't need to map to max-lines: none, but<br>
&lt;fantasai> SebastianZ: should introduce new keyword for not clamping, then it woudl solve the issue<br>
&lt;fantasai> andreubotella: because clas his between block-ellispsis: none and none<br>
&lt;fantasai> fantasai: so, suggest none -> no-ellipsis<br>
&lt;fantasai> florian: could just say ""<br>
&lt;fantasai> fantasai: but then you have to implement &lt;string><br>
&lt;fantasai> florian: yeah<br>
&lt;fantasai> fantasai: It's useful to be able to separate that out as a feature<br>
&lt;SebastianZ> +1 for no-ellipsis<br>
&lt;fantasai> fantasai: there are other implementations than chrome. If &lt;string> is significant work, then don't make it required for basic behavior<br>
&lt;fantasai> florian: 'blank' is easier to type than ellipsis<br>
&lt;fantasai> SebastianZ: blank could be misinterpreted as a space<br>
&lt;fantasai> [nods in sympathy]<br>
&lt;fantasai> [more bikeshedding]<br>
&lt;oriol> q+<br>
&lt;fantasai> Florian points out that Chrome is only now implementing text-overflow: &lt;string>, despite how old the property is<br>
&lt;astearns> ack oriol<br>
&lt;fantasai> oriol: can say it's a string, but only allow some strings<br>
&lt;fantasai> oriol: e.g. grid-template-areas restricts which strings are valid<br>
&lt;fantasai> oriol: it's weird, but could be expanded in the future<br>
&lt;fantasai> RESOLVED: Rename block-ellipsis: none to no-ellipsis, make empty string behave the same as it.<br>
&lt;RRSAgent> I have made the request to generate https://www.w3.org/2025/08/20-css-minutes.html fantasai<br>
</details>


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Received on Wednesday, 20 August 2025 15:09:52 UTC