Re: [css3-multicol] unknown available width and shrink-to-fit

Also sprach fantasai:

 > > http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-style/2012Jul/0598.html
 > >
 > > Summary of this issue:
 > >
 > > §3.4 of css3-multicol uses a "shrink-to-fit" variable that is used when the available width is not know. This is in direct
 > > contradiction, if only in the naming, with §10.3.5 of CSS 2.1 that defines in "shrink-to-fit" based on a known available width.
 > >
 > > The obvious contradiction could be avoided by using another word in in the multicol algorithm, maybe "preferred width" or
 > > "preferred minimum width". But the result does not make much more sense.
 > >
 > > It seems this part of the algorithm is trying to define the preferred/intrinsic widths of a multicol element. I think that it
 > > should just be removed, and the preferred widths left undefined so that css3-multicol can progress. They can be defined later,
 > > maybe in css3-sizing.
 > 
 > Simon, you suggested removing lines 03-10 of the pseudo-algorithm.
 > I've reviewed this part of the spec, and I agree. The Multi-column
 > module should remove the concept of 'available-width' and 'shrink-to-fit'
 > from its pseudo-algorithm and just use the term 'used width'.

This would make the pseudo-algorithm simpler. Simpler is generally
better. But if we just move complexity to somewhere else (in time or
space), we may noe gain much. If we remove lines 03-10 and replace
'available-width' with 'used-width', the input to the pseudo-algorithm
would change: 'used-width' would have to be known. What should the
spec say about finding it -- just point to shrink-to-fit in 2.1?

That's what lines 09-10 are saying now:

  (09)  if (available-width = unknown) then
  (10)    available-width := shrink-to-fit;

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

Received on Wednesday, 17 October 2012 15:07:13 UTC