Navigation List Issues

The current structure of navigation lists leave me with several questions.

<nl>
 <label>Contents</label>
 <li href="#intro">Introduction</li>
 <li>
  <nl>
   <label>Book One</label>
   <li href="#b1c1">Chapter One</li>
   <li href="#b1c2">Chapter Two</li>
   <li href="#b1c3">Chapter Three</li>
  </nl>
 </li>
 <li href="#b2">Book Two</li>
</nl>

1. How do you address only the links of a navigation list directly? They 
do not have a dedicated containing element to do so. If I wanted to 
apply a style to the list items, would I have to address each one 
individually? What if I wanted a simple outset border around just the 
list items of a navigation list?

2. If I wanted a to make an xslt stylesheet to transform a nl element 
into a working navigation menu I must:
  A: Create an extra element to contain the nl,
     remove the label from the nl, and insert the
     label into the new element x.

     Element X provides a positioned parent with
     which to position the nl as the dedicated li
     container. I can also address the nl to style
     and script the navigation list's pop out menu.

     Element X is a hack, and users would not be
     able to address it for styling and scripting
     without knowing the hack. Furthermore, the nl
     element's natural parent becomes an ancestor
     once removed. Style selectors and Dom walking
     are thrown off accordingly unless users know
     how the hack works.

     nl>label is also meaningless since nl and
     label are siblings of element X.


               OR

  B: Create a dedicated containing block for the
     li elements. Still a hack, with problems that
     prevent someone from addressing the nl element
     effectively without knowing the hack.

3. Is the navigation list meant to be a menu bar or a menu, or am I 
misinterpretting its structure entirely. Clearly they do not seem to 
possess the rquisite structure for either to me.

Received on Friday, 30 July 2004 18:02:40 UTC