RE: More best practices for RTL scripts (markup vs CSS for bidi).

Hi, I've always assumed that float overrode directionality--except that the directionality of the text within the block will not be changed by float alignment.

 

I hope this answers your question.

 

Sorry to right a hurried response.  

 

I'll look over this in more detail hopefully over the holiday (holiday here anyway and one of my favorites).

 

Best wishes,

 

C. E. Whitehead

cewcathar@hotmail.com 
> Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:40:25 +0000
> From: ntounsi@gmail.com
> To: public-i18n-core@w3.org; www-international@w3.org
> Subject: More best practices for RTL scripts (markup vs CSS for bidi).
> 
> Dear all, and bidi experts
> 
> When trying to localize [1] the new W3C homepage style [2], I came 
> across something worth to note.
> 
> 
> HTML markup (dir="rtl") doesn't have the same effect as CSS (direction: 
> rtl;unicode-bidi: embed;)
> 
> Some time you want your block-element to display inline (e.g. for 
> menu-like effect). However, by default this block elements flow from 
> left to right. So to make them flow from right-to left, you want to use 
> HTML markup (dir="rtl"). It doesn't work. You should use CSS properties
> (direction: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed;) to get the desired effect.
> 
> with the following style:
> 
> <style type="text/css">
> .a p {display:inline; direction: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed}
> .b p {display:inline;}
> </style>
> 
> the HTML code (case-1):
> 
> <div class="a">
> <p>display</p>
> <p>in</p>
> <p>line</p>
> </div>
> 
> results in
> line in display
> 
> while (case-2):
> 
> <div class="b" dir="rtl">
> <p>display</p>
> <p>in</p>
> <p>line</p>
> </div>
> 
> will result in (right justified)
> display in line
> 
> 
> The point is: Why CSS 'direction: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed' is not the 
> same as markup 'dir="rtl"'
> 
> Css vs markup FAQ [3] says (and I strongly agree):
> "You should always use dedicated bidi markup to describe your content, 
> where markup is available [...] because directionality is an integral 
> part of the document structure." This rule seems violated in the above 
> example.
> 
> Well... why change writing direction when content is all English?
> But imagine one of the <p> contains a strong RTL char.
> 
> The two cases are still different. In the second case (dir="rtl"), the 
> result is like if all <p>s are inline elements, i.e. all inner <p>s are 
> removed.
> Please try it: http://www.w3c.org.ma/Tests/displayInline.html
> 
> So, the rule seems to be (grossly paraphrased):
> For inline elements, CSS direction property applies to the ordering of 
> elements as well as to their content. On the other hand, markup dir 
> attribute applies only to the content of these elements juxtaposed 
> together.
> 
> Any opinion?
> 
> [1] http://www.w3c.org.ma/Tests/temp-ar-index.html
> [2] http://www.w3.org/
> [3] http://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-bidi-css-markup
> 
> 
> -----------------------------
> Note incidently, that elements displayed inline and floated right, will 
> flow (by side effect) from right to left, whatever direction is 
> specified. Does float style (*cancel*) direction style?
> 
> Try it: http://www.w3c.org.ma/Tests/inlineFloat.html
> 
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Najib
> 
> 
> -- 
> Najib TOUNSI (tounsi at w3.org)
> W3C Office in Morocco (http://www.w3c.org.ma/)
> Ecole Mohammadia d'Ingénieurs, BP. 765 Agdal-RABAT Morocco
> Phone : +212 (0) 537 68 71 50 Fax : +212 (0) 537 77 88 53
> Mobile: +212 (0) 661 22 00 30 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>