Re: We are where we are.... but how did we get here?

On Wednesday 2005-06-29 16:51 -0400, Ryan Cannon wrote:
> 
> You mean something along the lines of
> 
> table:column(2) td { text-align:center }

Yes, something like that.

> I think the problem here is the somewhat partially thought-out tables  
> module. It only partially captures the HTML table model (leaving off  
> techniques of spanning, both for the table-cell elements and table- 
> column), which was never complete in the first place. The current  

Spanning is trivial to add, and I believe the working group has already
agreed to add 'row-span' and 'column-span' properties to css3-tables.

> The method of moving forward then becomes either 1.) create  
> convoluted table module rules that allow for the existing HTML table  
> mechanics but break the CSS processing model, or 2.) create re-write  
> the table module independent of the HTML legacy, allowing a  
> semantically correct but structurally different markup.
> 
> I think the second method preferable, but I'm not sure the industry  
> nor the working group is very interested in either solution right  
> now. The problem is describing a two-dimensional content in a one- 

I think the industry would be much more likely to support the first,
since both 'row-span' and 'column-span' properties and
semantic-column-based selectors are easy to implement.

-David

-- 
L. David Baron                                <URL: http://dbaron.org/ >
          Technical Lead, Layout & CSS, The Mozilla Foundation