Re: [office] Data Grid Size element proposal

[Warren Turkal <turkal@google.com>]

On Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 08:51, Doug Mahugh <Doug.Mahugh@microsoft.com> wrote:
> By heuristics, are you referring to client code like this?
>
>    if (number-columns-repeated == col-max) then
>
>        {extend or shrink formatting to current client's maximum columns}

sure

> I'd call that deterministic myself, but what would you prefer?
>
> As Florian said, something like table:number-columns-repeated="MAX_COLS"
> would not be backwards compatible with existing ODF 1.1 readers.

We could have an attribute that indicates that the formatting applies
to the whole row. That attribute should make the reader supporting the
1.2 (or whatever version this proposal affects) version of the ODF
spec ignore the table:number-columns-repeated. You could then still
have the table:number-columns-repeated attribute set to MAX_COLS. If
an older reader discards the new attribute, you have the information
you want. If you have a newer spec reader, it will have the correct
information (that being that the formatting should apply to all rows).
Further, you can then say if the file is a <1.2 compliant file, you
apply your proposed logic. With 1.2+ compliant files, only read the
table:number-columns-repeated when the new attribute doesn't exist.

> I'm open to anything that addresses the issue, preferably without
> introducing a breaking change.

What do you think of the above?

wt