Alignment Inheritance in HTML 4.01 Tables

 <BLOCKQUOTE cite="http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/struct/tables.html#h-11.3.2.1">
  The order of precedence (from highest to lowest) for the attributes
  align, char, and charoff is the following:

     1.An alignment attribute set on an element within a cell's data
       (e.g., P).
     2.An alignment attribute set on a cell (TH and TD).
     3.An alignment attribute set on a column grouping element (COL
       and COLGROUP). When a cell is part of a multi-column span, the
       alignment property is inherited from the cell definition at
       the beginning of the span.
     4.An alignment attribute set on a row or row grouping element
       (TR, THEAD, TFOOT, and TBODY). When a cell is part of a
       multi-row span, the alignment property is inherited from the
     cell definition at the beginning of the span.
     5.An alignment attribute set on the table (TABLE).
     6.The default alignment value.
 </BLOCKQUOTE>

Why is no. 5 included in the alignment inheritance? Since when
does 'char' apply to the <TABLE> tag?

The 'align' attribute for the <TABLE> tag specifies the table's
position in relation to its container, acting essentially as a
floating mechanism. IMO, it should not play a role in content
alignment, and <TABLE> should be struck from horizontal alignment
inheritance.

 <BLOCKQUOTE cite="http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/struct/tables.html#h-11.3.2.1">
  The order of precedence (from highest to lowest) for the attribute
  valign (as well as the other inherited attributes lang, dir, and style)
  is the following:

     1.An attribute set on an element within a cell's data (e.g., P).
     2.An attribute set on a cell (TH and TD).
     3.An attribute set on a row or row grouping element (TR, THEAD,
       TFOOT, and TBODY). When a cell is part of a multi-row span, the
       attribute value is inherited from the cell definition at the
       beginning of the span.
     4.An attribute set on a column grouping element (COL and COLGROUP).
       When a cell is part of a multi-column span, the attribute value is
       inherited from the cell definition at the beginning of the span.
     5.An attribute set on the table (TABLE).
     6.The default attribute value.
 </BLOCKQUOTE>

'valign' does not apply to the table, (although lang, dir, and style do).
Shouldn't it be listed as an exception to rule no. 5?

Also, the value of the attribute 'style' is never inherited.
If it did, then this:

    <TABLE style="font-size: smaller">
      <TR>
        <TD>
          Cell A
        </TD>
      </TR>
    </TABLE>

would have the same result as this:

    <TABLE style="font-size: smaller">
      <TR style="font-size: smaller">
        <TD style="font-size: smaller">
          Cell A
        </TD>
      </TR>
    </TABLE>

which is not the case.

Received on Sunday, 16 July 2000 21:46:22 UTC