[Javascript] aligning table columns

[David Lovering]

I am also of the "fixed" column width school. After all, it is the variation
between browsers that causes "creep" and border boundaries to wiggle about
when viewing tables of variable content.  Also, this approach neatly
dispenses with the ghastly "splines" that packages like Fireworks/FrontPage
churn out, requiring literally thousands of niggly files to complete a web
page.  (Ugh!)  The only caution I would care to add is to make sure that the
physical dimensions of an element are sufficient to house the largest
allowable content for it.  [This is where validation can serve two
purposes].

-- Dave Lovering

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Novitski" <paul at dandemutande.org>
To: "[JavaScript List]" <javascript at LaTech.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 10:07 AM
Subject: Re: [Javascript] aligning table columns


> Thanks, Tim.
>
> The CliPower table control is neatly written.  Its approach to table
> formatting appears to rest on two foundations:  creating a new table
object
> in the document, and setting the columns to pre-determined widths when
> they're created.  I'll have to think about that; my current goal is to let
> the browser figure the column widths based on content as usual, then to
use
> those found widths when matching column heads to data columns.
>
> Ordinarily, I prefer to let the browser do as much of the rendering as
> possible, writing code to deal flexibly with found values.  The more
> controlling I am, the more time I have to spend giving and changing
> instructions...  But I'll think about this; perhaps being forced to
control
> column widths isn't as onerous as it seems initially.
>
> Whose work is CliPower, yours?  Very nice & clean.
>
> Cheers,
> Paul
>
>
>
> At 04:43 AM 2/11/2004, you wrote:
> ><http://www.geocities.com/clipower/>http://www.geocities.com/clipower/
> >click on 'Table Control'
> >
> >Tim in Ireland.
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: <mailto:paul at dandemutande.org>Paul Novitski
> >To: <mailto:javascript at LaTech.edu>[JavaScript List]
> >Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 9:51 AM
> >Subject: [Javascript] aligning table columns
> >Friends,
> >By groping in the dark, I've been partially successful at setting the
> >column widths of two tables equal to one another.  My goal is to have the
> >data rows in a scrolling div (overflow: auto;) beneath stationary column
> >heads.
> >Apparently I don't yet understand the differences between the various
> >object widths --  obj.offsetWidth, obj.style.width, and
> >obj.style.pixelWidth -- because what should have been a simple routine
jest
> >ain't.
> >See the attached demo (for IE, not Netscape).  For each of my nine
columns,
> >I compare the offsetWidth of the colummn head and the data cell, and set
> >the style.pixelWidth of both columns to the greater width.
> >However, these two kinds of width are apparently different, as can be
seen
> >when the alignment routine is run a second time -- the column widths
grow,
> >therefore a table cell's offsetWidth must be greater than its
> >style.pixelWidth.  The difference seems to be 9 pixels, which might? have
> >something to do with the 10 pixels of right + left stylesheet padding in
> >each of the cells.
> >A second problem is that the alignment routine fails if I define the
width
> >of either table.  I want the data row table to fill the width of its
> >containing div, but haven't found a way to set it's width without
> >discombobulating the alignment routine.
> >My Javascript and DHTML references simply define pixelWidth and
offsetWidth
> >as being "the width" of an object and don't detail their differences.
> >Can anyone help illuminate this dark corner for me?
> >Thanks!
> >Paul
> >
> >
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