Re: [css3-multicol] Ambiguous term "constrained" for column-fill

Also sprach Robert O'Callahan:

 > The spec says "In continuous media, this property will only be consulted if
 > the length of columns has been constrained. Otherwise, columns will will
 > automatically be balanced."
 > 
 > What exactly does it mean for column length to be constrained? Clearly an
 > outer page height or outer column length can constrain the column length,
 > but if the columns' content fits into a shorter length, are these columns
 > actually "constrained"? For example, if I have a large page containing
 > <div style="column-count:2; column-fill:auto;">Hello<br>Kitty</div>
 > is the content balanced or is it all placed in the first column?

Note that the sentence you quote starts with "in continous media". So,
the sentence doesn't apply in the example you sketch.

However, the property applies to paged media at all times. So the
answer to your question is: the content will be balanced if the value
is 'balance', otherwise not.

 > Similar questions apply to "min-height", "height" and "max-height". Do they
 > count as "constraining" column lengths, and are they "constraining" whenever
 > they're specified, or only when the column element height is actually
 > affected by those values?

The question is: how do we place content in multicol elements when the
column height is longer than it would be naturally. As such,
"constrained" may not be the best word.

How about this text:

  In continuous media, this property will only be consulted if the
  column height is set to be longer than it would naturally be from
  its content. Otherwise, columns will automatically be balanced.

  Example:

  Consider this code, combined with content that naturally fills two lines.

    div.two-column {
       columns: 2;
       min-height: 100px;
       column-fill: balance
    }

  In this example, the column height is longer than it would naturally
  be. Therefore, the 'column-fill' property is consulted and the
  content will be laid out in both columns.


  Example:

  Consider this code, combined with content that naturally fills two lines.

    div.two-column {
       columns: 2;
       min-height: 100px;
       column-fill: auto;
    }

  In this example, the column height is longer than it would naturally
  be. Therefore, the 'column-fill' property is consulted and the
  all content will be laid out in one column.

-h&kon
              Håkon Wium Lie                          CTO °þe®ª
howcome@opera.com                  http://people.opera.com/howcome

Received on Tuesday, 9 June 2009 20:47:06 UTC