Re: Columns as ancestors [and a digression]

L. David Baron wrote:
> On Fri, 04 Feb 2000 14:19:29 -0800, Matthew Brealey
> (thelawnet@yahoo.com) wrote:
> > descendant of some ancestor element A. For the purposes of descendant
> > selectors, table cells are treated as descendants of table columns. For
> > all other purposes however, table cells are not descendants of table
> > columns.
> 
> This is impossible, because one can't know what elements are table
> columns until after the cascade has been completed.  (It is truly
> impossible to add to the current CSS table model, but possibly (??)
> only because of the rules for anonymous table elements.  However, if it
> weren't for those rules, it would require complete style resolution on
> parent elements before cascading of rules that apply to their children,
> which is a significant limit on implementations.)

The automatic table layout algorithm require several passes anyway, so
there is no problem finding the column numbers. Furthermore, the fixed
algorithm will often have its columns specified, so they can be used,
and also see:

<blockquote
cite="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-CSS2/tables.html#fixed-table-layout">
In the fixed table layout algorithm, the width of each column is
determined as follows:

A column element with a value other than 'auto' for the 'width' property
sets the width for that column.

Otherwise, a cell in the first row with a value other than 'auto' for
the 'width' property sets the width for that column. If the cell spans
more than one column, the width is divided over the columns.

Any remaining columns equally divide the remaining horizontal table
space (minus borders or cell spacing).

The width of the table is then the greater of the value of the 'width'
property for the table element and the sum of the column widths (plus
cell spacing or borders). If the table is wider than the columns, the
extra space should be distributed over the columns.

In this manner, the user agent can begin to lay out the table once the
entire first row has been received. 
</blockquote>

Really?

<table style="width: x; table-layout: fixed">
<tr>
<td>
Column 1
<td>
Column 2
<tr>
<td>
Column 1
<td>
Column 2
<tr>
<td>
Column 1
<td>
Column 2
<tr>
<td>
Column 1
<td>
Column 2
...
<tr>
<td>
Column 1
<td>
Column 2
<tr>
<td>
Column 1
<td>
Column 2
<td>
Column 3
</table>

[The necessary result is] That is not what I would call laying the table
out after the first row has been received.

<blockquote cite=ibidem>
Cells in subsequent rows do not affect column widths. 
</blockquote>

Don't they?