Best practice for specifying column widths

["Peter Desjardins" <pdesjardins@supplyscape.com>]

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