- From: Chris Tilbury <C.J.Tilbury@estate.warwick.ac.uk>
- Date: Thu, 13 Jul 1995 11:27:44 BST
- To: www-html@www10.w3.org
On Wed, 12 Jul 1995 lee@sq.com wrote: > HTML 3 can do this already using DIVn and Hn; what is the > motivation for an alternative markup? Can it? Looking at the proposal again ... * An outline-display mechanism similar to that provided by most word * processors would be useful for HTML browsers. It would allow the * display of large information spaces in an easy to navigate, compact * form. It would also provide the user with control over which * information is displayed and when. A typical use would be to display * a table of contents for online documentation. It is intended to * provide a self-contained outline for navigating a "book" or * information space. Although an entire book could be represented as * an outline and transmitted at once using the notation we describe, * this is not the notation's primary intent. I think the key here to appreciate is that whilst the last example given here, that of transmitting the entire book in one go, can be handled by HTML 3 already and is merely a browser display/functionality issue, the notion of transmitting only the "table of contents" in an outline form cannot be sensibly handled by Hn and DIV. You could certainly do <DIV class="outline"> <H1>This is the 1st heading in outline level 1</H1> <DIV class="outline"> <H2>This is the 1st heading in outline level 2</H2> </DIV> <DIV class="outline"> <H2>This is the 2nd heading in outline level 2</H2> </DIV> </DIV> <DIV class="outline"> <H1>This is the 2nd heading in outline level 1</H1> </DIV> - This is the 1st heading in outline level 1 o This is the 1st heading in outline level 2 o This is the 2nd heading in outline level 2 - This is the 2nd heading in outline level 1 However, this doesn't work that well. Why? If you attempt to use Hn is a sensible fashion, (H1 is top level, H2 is second level, etc) you're limited to approximately 6 levels of outline. Whilst you may think this is enough, I can guarantee that there will be an application where it's not. The obvious way out of this is to use <P> as the container for the outline elements; viz <DIV class="outline.entry.2"> <P>This is the second outline level</P> </DIV> Later on Wed, 12 Jul 1995, brian@organic.com, continued > I think there were presentational issues they wanted to control - to > which I would reply this is a stylesheet issue, not an HTML issue. I think I'd be inclined to agree with Brian here. We already have a mechanism for creating lists, ordered or otherwise, and for creating entries within these lists, and encapsulating further lists within these entries. I'd prefer to see (this is assuming %html.recommended) something like <OL class="outline"> <LI><P class="outline.header">This is Level 1, Heading 1<P></LI> <LI> <OL class="outline"> <LI><P class="outline.header">This is Level 2, Heading 1</P></LI> <LI> <P class="outline.header">This is Level 2, Heading 2</P> <P class="outline.text">This is the text underneath L2H2</P> </LI> </OL> </LI> <LI><P class="outline.header">This is Level 1, Heading 2</P></LI> </OL> We already have three list metaphor elements within the DTD, <OL>, <UL>, and <DL>. Another would be unnecessary, IMHO. Regards, Chris -- Chris Tilbury, Estates Office, University of Warwick, UK, CV4 7AL Tel: +44 1203 523523 x2665 Fax: +44 1203 524444 MIME mail welcomed mailto:Chris.Tilbury@estate.warwick.ac.uk
Received on Thursday, 13 July 1995 06:28:23 UTC