Re: [docbook] [db5] HTML tables vs. CALS tables

["Bob Stayton" <bobs@sagehill.net>]

Hi Christian,
Actually, HTML markup for tables was introduced in DocBook 4.3 a couple of 
years ago.  Since DocBook 4.x is DTD-based, a separate namespace was not an 
option then.

But they are not actually HTML tables, which would allow HTML elements 
inside the content models of the td and th elements. Rather, they are 
DocBook tables that borrow HTML element names. The content models of td and 
th in the DocBook schemas are DocBook elements, not HTML elements.   So you 
cannot cut and paste an HTML table into a DocBook document and have it 
validate as DocBook because it would most likely contain in its table cells 
some HTML elements that are not declared in DocBook.  The HTML element 
names for tables were added to DocBook (after much discussion in the 
DocBook TC) as a convenience for authors who are familiar with HTML table 
markup but not CALS table markup.

So these really are DocBook elements and belong in the DocBook namespace. 
They just happen to have the same local names as the corresponding HTML 
elements.  Adding the XHTML table module would also require the addition of 
all the HTML elements that are permitted inside HTML table cells.

The deciding factor in whether a table is a CALS-markup table or an 
HTML-markup table is whether it has a tgroup element.  CALS-markup requires 
tgroup, and HTML-markup doesn't permit it.

Bob Stayton
Sagehill Enterprises
DocBook Consulting
bobs@sagehill.net


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Christian Roth" <roth@infinity-loop.de>
To: "DocBook Mailing List" <docbook@lists.oasis-open.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 3:27 AM
Subject: [docbook] [db5] HTML tables vs. CALS tables


> Hello,
>
> I have tried using the archives, but didn't (yet?) find the answer to my
> question.
>
> DocBook 5 allows both HTML and CALS tables, yet their elements seem to
> be in the same namespace. How does one decide at a table element, which
> type of table (HTML or CALS) it is? Or can this only be determined by
> looking down onto its children?
>
> If the latter, what was the reason for not including e.g. the XHTML
> table module into DocBook 5, with the elements being in the HTML 
> namespace?
>
>
> Best regards
> Christian Roth
>
>
>
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