Re: [css3-multicol] Clarification on column-fill

On Tue, Nov 1, 2011 at 10:37 AM, Robert O'Callahan <robert@ocallahan.org>wrote:

> On Mon, Oct 31, 2011 at 6:13 PM, Håkon Wium Lie <howcome@opera.com> wrote:
>
>> 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
>>  > automatically be balanced." Unfortunately "constrained" is completely
>>  > undefined :-(.
>>
>> It's a term that we have a habit of using in CSS. I think you
>> understand what is meant. Do you have suggestions for how to reword
>> it? This would be an editorial comment, so it should be possible to add.
>>
>
> I actually don't know what it means.
>
> Clearly an element whose computed height is non-auto is constrains the
> length of its columns.
>
> I assume an element whose computed max-height is not 'none' constrains the
> length of its columns, but that's not 100% clear.
>
> Is an element in a context which permits breaking in the block progression
> direction considered to have a constraint on the length of its columns? I
> honestly don't know.
>
> What about an element with an ancestor whose computed height or max-height
> is not auto/none? Probably doesn't constrain the lengths of columns in
> descendant elements, but I'm not sure.
>

Håkon, can you please at least fix this issue? It should be editorial so
shouldn't disrupt any W3C processes. I think at least 'height' not 'auto'
or 'max-height' not 'none' should be considered to constrain the length of
the columns of the element. (With appropriate generalization for vertical
writing.)

Rob
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