[css3-gcpm] counter() and "special" values

I have been looking at 
http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-page/#pg-based-extensions and 
http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-gcpm/ and trying to understand where the state 
of the WD is.  First, I have a question:

    Are there any specially named values for counters?

E.g., can I generate content like this:

    content: "Page " counter(page) " of " counter(pages)

Where on page 2 of a five page document it would emit (based on the 
appropriate @page rules):

    Page 2 of 5

I.e., is there a special counter called "pages" that reflects (if the 
rendering agent supports it) the total number of printed pages 
calculated for the document?  Or if it's not "pages", what is its name?

By extension, I'd like to know if there are any (other) special 
counters.  For instance, the total number of footnotes.  Or the total 
number of chapters.  Etc.  (I'm not asking for any of these to be added; 
I am asking if they exist in the CSS3 or CSS2[.1] specifications today.)

In http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-page/#pg-based-extensions I think it would 
be clearer if the text in Example XXII included something like, "The 
counter 'page' in this example could have been called 'pageno' or 
'pagenumber' or 'fred' and the output would be the same."  Unless, of 
course, "page" (or "pages") turns out to be a "special" counter name.

Similarly, in Example II of http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-gcpm/ I think it 
would help to clarify that the string named "header" is independent (in 
a different namespace) from the _counter_ called "header".  While the 
example shows that the two don't intersect, the choice of the names 
themselves is confusing, at least to me.

Thanks,
-Del

Received on Friday, 25 May 2007 21:08:11 UTC