Re: CSS Futures

Raul Dias wrote:

> On Mon, 2007-07-02 at 22:26 -0700, James Elmore wrote:
> 
> 
>>Further in the future, I would like the group to consider blocks which are not 
>>rectangular. Just as one example, triangular blocks could provide new layout 
>>concepts such as filling a circular frame and tessellation -- mosaic layout to 
>>fill a larger area.
> 
> 
> Isn't this what "clip" should be used for ?
> A free mode shape would be needed to be defined other than rect() (e.g.
> polyg() ) but AFAIU this is in CSS 2 already and implemented.
> 
> -Raul Dias
> 
> 
If I'm reading the spec correctly, 'clip' declares the part of an image (or 
other overflow element) which will be displayed, but the display (content) area 
is still a rectangle.

Probably in the far future, I would like to be able to specify a shape for the 
content area of a block. Around the content area, there would be padding (which 
might need a slightly different shape if the content area is concave or convex). 
I foresee the border will match the padding shape and the margin will surround 
and match the border shape.

In order to include multiples of these 'odd' shapes on a page, there would need 
to be new layout rules, which define how the shapes fit together. For a simple 
example, if the shapes are triangles made by cutting a rectangle in half, they 
would need every other one rotated 180 degrees to fit together. More complex 
shapes would need more complex layout rules.

Of course, the area being filled would start out as a rectangle (the view 
window). But creative designers might take isosceles triangles and rotate each 
new one 60 degrees to form a hexagon (or approximate filling a circle).

Because the specification of the original shape, along with the padding, 
borders, margins, and layouts will be difficult, I don't expect this anytime 
soon. Just keep it in mind -- as a goal, not an immediate request. If the long 
term goals are clear, it makes it easier to see in the short term where some 
feature is missing from the current feature set.

-- 
James Elmore
22162 Windward Way
Lake Forest, CA 92630
Home	(949) 830-9534
Email	James.Elmore@cox.net

Received on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 19:34:06 UTC