Please clarify "rowgroup"

The scope attribute of a table cell can be "rowgroup", which is nicely
parallel with colgroup.

There is no such element, nor is there any easy cross-reference to
discover that rowgroup is an abstract class meaning "any of thead,
tbody (which can repeat), or tfoot"

Even when these elements are described as similar, they are often said
to delimit table sections rather than rowgroups, so a text search may
not find them.

When rowgroups are mentioned explicitly, the text says that each of
these elements "contains" rather than "creates" a rowgroup, which
again sent me looking for a rowgroup element.

Suggested changes:

At http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml2/mod-tables.html#adef_tables_rowspan
change:
"""
rowspan = Number
This attribute specifies the number of rows spanned by the current
cell. The default value of this attribute is one ("1"). The value zero
("0") means that the cell spans all rows from the current row to the
last row of the table section ( thead, tbody, or tfoot) in which the
cell is defined.
"""
into:
"""
rowspan = Number
This attribute specifies the number of rows spanned by the current
cell. The default value of this attribute is one ("1").
The value zero ("0") means that the cell spans all rows from the
current row to the last row of the current table section (rowgroup) in
which the cell is defined.  thead, tbody, and tfoot elements are
rowgroups.
"""

At http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml2/mod-tables.html#adef_tables_scope
change:
"""
rowgroup: The header cell provides header information for the rest of
the row group that contains it.
"""
into:
"""
rowgroup: The header cell provides header information for the rest of
the row group (thead, tbody, or tfoot element) that contains it.
"""

At http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml2/mod-tables.html#sec_29.5.
change:
"""
The tbody element contains rows of table data. In tables that also
contain thead or tfoot elements, all of these sections must contain
the same number of columns.
"""
into:
"""
A tbody element contains rows of table data. Each tbody element
creates a rowgroup.  In tables that also contain thead or tfoot
elements, all of these sections must contain the same number of
columns.
"""

At http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml2/mod-tables.html#sec_29.7.
change:
"""
When present, each thead, tfoot, and tbody contains a row group. Each
row group must contain at least one row, defined by the tr element.
"""
into:
"""
When present, each thead, tfoot, and tbody creates a row group. Each
row group must contain at least one row, defined by the tr element.
"""

-jJ

Received on Friday, 17 June 2005 19:25:24 UTC