Re: [css-line-grid][css-books] one property or more?

On 10/4/14, 3:54 AM, "Håkon Wium Lie" <howcome@opera.com> wrote:

>Alan Stearns wrote:
>
> > Two separate properties make it easier to extend in the future
> > (both for defining a named grid and for snapping to different
>baselines).
> > The small benefit of using one declaration instead of two is a false
> > economy.
>
>So, your argument is that we should choose the most complex
>alternative today so that we can further complicate it tomorrow?

No, my argument is that we should start with the least complex alternative
that allows for future extensions we have discussed and acknowledged. I
spend quite a bit of time simplifying my proposals and pushing off
complications to future levels. But when I do this I always make sure we
can extend the current simple feature if needed.

>
> > And I just had another thought. In my draft line-grid does not inherit,
> > but line-snap does. This maps well to what the properties are used for
>-
> > defining a grid is a singular operation, but it makes sense for
>snapping
> > to continue through all of the element’s children. The single property
> > can’t inherit, as you wouldn’t want a ‘new’ value to create a new grid
>on
> > each child. The engagement part of the single property is then carried
> > through to the element’s children just by definition, not inheritance.
>So
> > child elements have a 'baseline-grid:normal’ value and their content
>snaps
> > or not depending on the nearest ancestor with a baseline-grid value
>that
> > isn’t ‘normal’?
>
>The element snaps if a baseline grid is enganged, otherwise not. Simple.

For an author who isn’t familiar with the new line grid feature, I don’t
see the simplicity. I’m debugging someone else’s CSS, and there’s an
element doing a weird thing with its line boxes. With your proposal,
there’s nothing in that element’s CSS rules that I can use to figure out
why. With the two-property proposal, there’s a line-snap property that
isn’t set to its initial value that introduces me to the new feature.

Establishing a grid doesn’t inherit. Snapping line boxes should inherit.
Thus they should be expressed in separate properties.

Thanks,

Alan

Received on Saturday, 4 October 2014 14:13:55 UTC