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Re: [docbook-apps] Best practice for specifying column widths
- From: "Bob Stayton" <bobs at sagehill dot net>
- To: "Peter Desjardins" <pdesjardins at supplyscape dot com>, <docbook-apps at lists dot oasis-open dot org>
- Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 00:14:23 -0800
- Subject: Re: [docbook-apps] Best practice for specifying column widths
- References: <22881E6B33A5C34896192F32CD5D5BD80CA39A@TWIKI.supplyscape.com>
Based on your requirements, I would suggest you purchase one of the
commerical XSL-FO processors, such as XEP or Antenna House. Both handle
proportional column widths, and both now support table-layout="auto".
You'll be much happier.
Bob Stayton
Sagehill Enterprises
DocBook Consulting
bobs@sagehill.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Desjardins" <pdesjardins@supplyscape.com>
To: <docbook-apps@lists.oasis-open.org>
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 8:24 AM
Subject: [docbook-apps] Best practice for specifying column widths
I am at the beginning stages of my first Docbook project using Windows
XP, version 1.68.1 of the Docbook XSL stylesheets, Saxon, and FOP. My
output format is PDF.
I would prefer to specify relative column widths but have found that FOP
does not support them (as documented by several postings). I was able
to get them to work using the extra transformation step described in
http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/docbook-apps/200207/msg00312.html
however there were some problems and many scary-sounding FOP errors so
before I invest time trying to make it work I want to make sure I am
heading in the right direction.
My project is going to include a very large number of tables so if I
specify fixed widths and then later change the page width I'll have a
lot of attributes to change. I suspect that this is a problem that many
others have encountered.
Is there a way to give Docbook table columns relative widths? Is an
intermediate processing solution such as the one I mentioned above a
good way to do this? Should I accept the maintenance liability and
enter fixed widths? Should I stop using FOP because of this?
Any input will be appreciated. Thank you for your help.
Peter Desjardins
SupplyScape Corporation
617-453-5760 x441
http://www.supplyscape.com