Re: Ignoring empty paragraphs

On Thu, 13 Apr 2000, Matthew Brealey wrote:

>It just doesn't make any sense to ignore an element simply because it is
>called 'P'; furthermore, I don't think that it was intended to ignore an
>element on these grounds.

I'd say that P was fairly semantic, as it happens. I can see other
uses; perhaps for clarity replaced elements like <object> where there is
no content, something like <object data="foo.svg"></object> where the
browser can't understand SVG.

This would allow the default behaviour to be to ignore the object, but
this pseudo-class might allow the user to see a shape where the graphic
should be.

It could also be used for <th> and <td>; possibly also <caption>.  
Currently, a number of user agents display <td></td> differently to
<td>&nbsp;</td> - this pseudo class would be a nicer way of having empty
cells displayed in different ways, and would leave the final choice in
the hands of the user.

I sometimes use empty <th> elements in the top left of a table with
a header row and a header column, and I suppose I could use a :empty
pseudo-class to change the presentation of these.
-- 
Tim Bannister - isoma@compsoc.man.ac.uk
  "Alcohol kills more people than heroin, crack, acid and cannabis put
   together. And you'd think that putting all those drugs together would
   be lethal." - Dougal

Received on Thursday, 13 April 2000 12:52:41 UTC