Re: feature for HTML

|
|Why not having some tag which are only executed when one prints in odrer
|to have some What You See IS What You Get.
|

I think he does have an interesting idea. I mean, when I print a document,
it's because I want a hard copy of its text. I don't want the entire
graphical layout of the page! For example, when I go to MapQuest for
directions from one place to another, I don't want the navigation tools
printed out with my directions, but it's also a nusance to have to click on
a printable version, taking an extra trip to the server for a primarily
text-only, no tables, etc. etc. version.

While there could be a solution with a client-side scripted event, i.e.
'click here to open a new window with text only so you can print,' with the
text pulled out of the first document (I'm no expert there, so I don't know
if that's possible without an extra trip to the server,) it would be
infinately easier to have some sort of print or printout element, if you get
what I mean. The UA would recognize a <print> tag, and send text from
everywhere between that and the </print> tag, and text between any other
sets of <print> </print> tags to the printer. Older web browsers should
ignore the tags in, in a way so that it makes no difference to them whether
the tags are there or not.

I think it fits in rather well with the w3c's philosophy, as it could make
things a lot easier.
As it is, it is too annoying to have to copy the text I want in the web
browser, paste it into notepad (as all of the other recent versions of major
win9x text editors try to emulate hypertext, which frequently ruin what I'm
trying to print,) and would be a lot easier if I could just print the text
straight out of the page.

Naturally, a UA should ask the user whether or not it would like to use this
feature, as the item they want printed may not be included in a <print>
</print> tagset.

In closing, I'd just like to specify that I chose <print> </print> as an
example name... the element could be whatever name fits the function best.
Another good idea ascociated with this would be to include an order
attribute, i.e. <print order="1"> to make that section appear at the top of
the printed page. This may help liniarize a page that has a multiple column
layout when converting it to a single column printout page.

What does everyone else here think of this idea?

Daniel [inanis (edf)]

Received on Monday, 15 February 1999 14:41:48 UTC