RE: XPath & CSS, again

Just a quick note to say that if anyone is interested I've blogged about
this topic:

 
<http://internet-apps.blogspot.com/2005/04/css-xforms-dependency-engine-and.
html>

The blog argues for turning CSS into something more akin to a framework,
with each part of the framework able to move independently of the others.
The parts would be:

 * the CSS processing model;
 * the CSS addressing model;
 * the CSS styling properties.

The processing model could be generic, and I discuss in the blog that there
is a clear relationship with other 'dynamic infoset' models such as the
XForms dependency engine.

But the main point of relevance to this discussion is that by breaking CSS
up in this way, CSS styling properties could be used independently of the
addressing model, and CSS selectors would just be one addressing mechanism
amongst many -- enabling those who wanted to, to use XPath.

Regards,

Mark


Mark Birbeck
CEO
x-port.net Ltd.

e: Mark.Birbeck@x-port.net
t: +44 (0) 20 7689 9232
w: http://www.formsPlayer.com/
b: http://internet-apps.blogspot.com/

Download our XForms processor from
http://www.formsPlayer.com/ 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: www-style-request@w3.org 
> [mailto:www-style-request@w3.org] On Behalf Of Pascal Schmitt
> Sent: 12 April 2005 10:03
> To: Bert Bos
> Cc: www-style@w3.org
> Subject: Re: XPath & CSS, again
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hello!
> 
> >> My intention was not to /replace/ CSS with XPath but to enhance it.
> >> Especially for generated-content, this would be helpful as 
> there is 
> >> afaik no special CSS-Syntax yet (and you could use XPath 1:1 for 
> >> generated-content, couldn't you?)
> >
> > You'll have to explain that...
> >
> > The CSS selectors for generated content are :after and :before (and 
> > ::marker in CSS3 for the list marker).
> 
> Oh, I meant using XPath-Expressions for the "content" property, like
> this:
> 
> table::after {
>    content: xpath("count(tbody/tr)") " lines"; }
> 
> 
> Speaking of tables: there should be a CSS-Selector which 
> enables me to select cells by column without knowing its position:
> 
> Consider this table:
> 
> <table>
> <col id="a" /><col id="b" /><col id="c" /> <tbody> 
> <tr><td>A</td><td>B</td><td>C</td></tr>
> </tbody>
> </table>
> 
> To give all cells in the "b"-column a blue background-color, 
> one could use CSS like that:
>    table > tbody > td+td { background-color: blue; }
> 
> But you have to know, which column (here: the 2.) it is.
>    table > tbody > td[ col(b) ] { background-color: blue; } 
> Would seperate the stylesheet from the content as you don't 
> have to know the column order.
> 
> 
> --
> Pascal Schmitt
> 
>

Received on Wednesday, 13 April 2005 19:11:38 UTC