Re: Proposal: :column pseudo-class

Laurens Holst wrote:
> 
> I hereby propose a :column pseudo-class, which I think would be the best 
> possible way to resolve the problem that it is currently impossible to 
> reliably select a column.

How is this any different from the other proposals we've just been 
discussing here, except that yours doesn't seem to allow for an index 
like :column(n), and thus doesn't make any sense?

> The :column pseudo-class is effective on elements with ‘display’ type 
> ‘table-cell’ or ‘table-column’ or ‘table-column-group’ only...
> 
> To avoid circular references, there is the following restriction: any 
> ‘display’ properties set on the element that is selected by the :column 
> selector is ignored (and remains table-cell). For example:

Circular references isn't the only problem with trying to select an 
element based on it's style, it's just an issue that would occur if it 
were possible to do so.  It's that the element's styles aren't even 
known until after all selectors have already been associated with the 
elements they select, and their styles applied to the element.

For any form of :column pseudo-class to work, knowing which column (or 
row) an element occurs within a table has to be able to be determined 
before, and independent of, any styles that are applied later.

-- 
Lachlan Hunt
http://lachy.id.au/

Received on Saturday, 2 July 2005 14:16:58 UTC