Cougar DTD changes request

Some changes for tables under Cougar.  I admit I'm not completely clear on
the changes from Wilbur to Cougar - like why widths are now 'CDATA' and not
%Length or %Pixels - but this seems to be just tables as other elements have
not had that change.  But I think I can hack this to get the point across:


<!ATTLIST table                    -- table element --
        %attrs;                    -- id, lang, style, dir and class --
        align   %Where;  #IMPLIED  -- table position relative to window --
        width   %Length   #IMPLIED  -- table width relative to window --
        cols    NUMBER   #IMPLIED  -- used for immediate display mode --
        border  CDATA    #IMPLIED  -- controls frame width around table --
        frame   %Frame;  #IMPLIED  -- which parts of table frame to include --
        rules   %Rules;  #IMPLIED  -- rulings between rows and cols --
        cellspacing %Pixels #IMPLIED -- spacing between cells --
        cellpadding %Pixels #IMPLIED -- spacing within cells --
        bgcolor %color   #IMPLIED  -- cell background color --
        text %color #IMPLIED
        link %color #IMPLIED
        vlink %color #IMPLIED
        alink %color #IMPLIED
	bordercolor %color #IMPLIED
	bordercolorlight %color #IMPLIED
	bordercolordark %color #IMPLIED
	background %URL #IMPLIED 
        >


<!ATTLIST tr                       -- table row --
        %attrs;                    -- id, lang, style, dir and class --
        %cell.halign;              -- horizontal alignment in cells --
        %cell.valign;              -- vertical alignment in cells --
        height  %Pixels  #IMPLIED  -- suggested cell height --
        bgcolor %color   #IMPLIED  -- cell background color --
        text %color #IMPLIED
        link %color #IMPLIED
        vlink %color #IMPLIED
        alink %color #IMPLIED
	bordercolor %color #IMPLIED
	bordercolorlight %color #IMPLIED
	bordercolordark %color #IMPLIED
	background %URL #IMPLIED 
        >

<!ATTLIST (th|td)                  -- header or data cell --
        %attrs;                    -- id, lang, style, dir and class --
        axis    CDATA    #IMPLIED  -- defaults to cell content --
        axes    CDATA    #IMPLIED  -- list of axis names --
        nowrap (nowrap)  #IMPLIED  -- suppress word wrap --
        rowspan NUMBER   1         -- number of rows spanned by cell --
        colspan NUMBER   1         -- number of cols spanned by cell --
        %cell.halign;              -- horizontal alignment in cells --
        %cell.valign;              -- vertical alignment in cells --
        width   %Length  #IMPLIED  -- suggested cell width --
        height  %Pixels  #IMPLIED  -- suggested cell height --
        bgcolor %color   #IMPLIED  -- cell background color --
        text %color #IMPLIED
        link %color #IMPLIED
        vlink %color #IMPLIED
        alink %color #IMPLIED
	bordercolor %color #IMPLIED
	bordercolorlight %color #IMPLIED
	bordercolordark %color #IMPLIED
	background %URL #IMPLIED 
        >


Reasoning:
1. For the sizing on table cells - backwards compatibility with HTML 3.2.
This is simpler to use that the column grouping, which is overkill for most
user's needs.  And again, being able to set the widths as percentages as
well as Pixels is much appreciated and works today in MSIE and NS AFAIK.

2. Colors - You should be able to set the background color for an entire
table or a row in a table and not have to do it cell by cell.  This is a
convenience issue for the authors but I have seen large tables where the
user has tried to use Cougar and has set it on each cell.  

3. If you allow a user to change the background color, you must also allow
them to adjust the rest of the colors in that area.  Using FONT COLOR is
not acceptable as it is not affected on browsers that allow you to override
document colors with your own, it is also a different paradigm.  I feel
strongly that any place you can set bgcolor, you must be able to set the
complete palete just as in the document body.  (I also am aware that CSS1
could do this, but I do not believe in forcing people to use CSS1 for 
everything.  This is a simple extension to the existing structure - and
doubly important as bgcolor is supported today and I have had many people
ask how they can change the color of the text, links, etc.)

4. Yeah, bordercolors are a MSism, but I think they are rather useful, 
especially if you can set the rest of the colors.  MSIE already supports
this and it would be cake for NS to do this in the upcoming 4.0.

5. Adding background to TABLE, TH, TD, and TR would allow for some very 
fine control over layout, making tables even more useful than they are today 
- a quick and easy way to do text overlays on an image.  This is a simpler
alternative for some things in CSS1, and also as an enhancement to tabular
data presentations.  Personally I'm now starry eyed over CSS1 as many
people seem to be - I like the ability to do something more than one way.

-MZ
--
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Received on Thursday, 5 September 1996 12:08:01 UTC