Re: [xep-support] XEP 3.2: error in handling value "auto" for margin-left and margin-right

From: Werner Donné (werner.donne@re.be)
Date: Sun Feb 02 2003 - 14:20:43 PST

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    David,

    XEP does indeed comply with the spec. The formula in section 5.3.2 must be applied
    because section 5.1.2 says it the case for auto values. So the spec treats "auto"
    as if the property is not explicitly specified. As a consequence the last paragraph
    of section 5.3.2 applies.

    I regret this choice in the spec, at least for left and right margins. The value
    "auto" is an explicit relative value. Furthermore we are dealing with properties
    which are taken over from CSS2. In the described case "auto" is the same as "0"
    according the CSS2. Why bother taking over such properties if their meaning is not
    taken over completely?

    Much of the trouble comes from the indent mechanism which is made in terms of
    reference areas instead of containers. Apparently I've bumped into this before:
    http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/xsl-editors/2001OctDec/0020.html.

    I got the following disposition for that:

    <<
    The following is our disposition of your above comment:

    ---
    Disposition: Explanation of why no change will be made
    It would not be appropriate to allow space-start and space-end
    on block-level formatting objects.  This would be particularly
    problematic considering that space-start and space-end values
    can be length ranges.  This does not fit in well with the
    current XSL formatting model.
    Instead, as noted in your comment, one can effectively get the
    desired results using the 'inherit' keyword added to a value.
    ---
     >>
    I must say I don't really know what is meant by
       "This does not fit in well with the current XSL formatting model."
    What is wrong with the way CSS2 handles this?
    Werner.
    David Tolpin wrote:
    >>Hi,
    >>
    >>I think the example below reveals an error in the handling of margin-left and
    >>margin-right. According to section 10.3.3 of the CSS2 specification the "auto"
    >>values should be treated as "0", because the width is also set to "auto" (didn't
    >>have to be defined explicitly). Both blocks should therefore be treated equally,
    >>but they aren't. It seems to me that for the first block, space-start and space-end
    >>semantics were applied.
    > 
    > 
    > margin="auto" means margin:=indent-border-padding
    > indent is 0 by default
    > thus for border="5mm" margin=-5mm
    > 
    > This issue had been discussed earlier on the list, please take a look at
    > 
    > http://xep.xattic.com/lists/xep-support/0127.html
    > 
    > and other messages in that thread.
    > 
    > David
    > 
    > 
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    -- 
    Werner Donné  --  Re BVBA
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    B-3300 Tienen
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