Re: investigation on multi row/col headers. An xml option

["Dave Pawson" <dave.pawson@gmail.com>]

First, a maximum markup option. The element names are not ODF, just suggestions.

<!-- xml example, non ODF markup, indicates possible grouping -->

<table border="1">
  <caption>Travel Expense Report 1. Maximum size groups</caption>
	<meta class='grouping' idrefs="group1 group2">Expenses for the named
city</meta>

  <tr>
    <th> </th>
    <th >Meals </th>
    <th >Hotels </th>
    <th >Transport </th>
    <td>subtotals</td>
  </tr>
<group >
  <tr>
    <th id="group1">San Jose</th>
    <th></th>
    <th> </th>
    <td> </td>
  </tr>

  <tr>
    <td >25-Aug-97 </td>
    <td>37.74 </td>
    <td>112.00 </td>
    <td >45.00 </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>26-Aug-97</td>
    <td >27.28 </td>
    <td>112.00</td>
    <td >45.00</td>
    <td></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>subtotals </td>
    <td>65.02 </td>
    <td>224.00 </td>
    <td>90.00 </td>
    <td>379.02</td>
  </tr>
</group>


<group>
  <tr>
    <th id="group2">Seattle</th>
    <th> </th>
    <th> </th>
    <th> </th>
    <td></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td >27-Aug-97 </td>
    <td >96.25 </td>
    <td >109.00 </td>
    <td >36.00</td>
    <td> </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td >28-Aug-97</td>
    <td >35.00</td>
    <td >109.00 </td>
    <td>36.00 </td>
    <td> </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>subtotals</td>
    <td>131.25 </td>
    <td>218.00 </td>
    <td>72.00 </td>
    <td>421.25</td>
  </tr>
</group>
  <tr>
    <th>Totals </th>
    <td>196.27</td>
    <td>442.00</td>
    <td>162.00 </td>
    <td>800.27</td>
  </tr>
</table>


Comments. This seems to work, for me.

Second. A number of smaller groups. This has the problem that I need
overlapping
markup to correctly group the row items.

<!-- xml example, non ODF markup, indicates possible grouping -->

<table border="1">
  <caption>Travel Expense Report 2. Minimum size groups</caption>
	<meta class='grouping' idrefs="group1 group2">Expenses for the named
city</meta>

<column>
<group>
  <th id="group1">San Jose</th>
  <td>25-Aug-97 </td>
  <td>26-Aug-97</td>
  <td>subtotals </td>
</group>

<group>
  <th id="group2">Seattle</th>
  <td>27-Aug-97 </td>
  <td>28-Aug-97</td>
  <td>subtotals</td>
  <th>Totals </th>
</group>
</column>
<column>

  <th>Meals </th>
  <group idref="group1">
    <td> </td>
    <td>37.74 </td>
    <td>27.28 </td>
    <td>65.02 </td>
  </group>
   <group idref="group2">
     <td></td>
     <td>96.25 </td>
     <td>35.00</td>
     <td>131.25 </td>
   </group>
  <td>196.27</td>
</column>
<column>
   <th>Hotels </th>
   <group idref="group1">
   <td> </td>
   <td>112.00</td>
   <td>112.00</td>
   <td>224.00 </td>
   </group>
   <group idref="group2">
     <td> </td>
     <td>109.00 </td>
     <td>109.00 </td>
     <td>218.00 </td>
   </group>
   <td>442.00</td><!-- An orphan? Which group does this belong to? -->
</column>
<column>
  <th>Transport </th>
  <group idref="group1">
    <td> </td>
    <td>45.00</td>
    <td>45.00</td>
    <td>90.00 </td>
  </group>
  <group idref="group2">
    <td> </td>
    <td>36.00</td>
    <td>36.00</td>
    <td>72.00 </td>
  </group>
  <td>162.00 </td>
</column>
<column>
  <td>subtotals</td>
   <td> </td>
   <td> </td>
   <td> </td>
   <td>379.02</td><!-- Another orphan. How to use overlapping markup -->
   <td> </td>
   <td> </td>
   <td> </td>
   <td>421.25</td>
   <td>800.27</td>
</column>


</table>



Note the orphans, which don't belong to any group.

regards

-- 
Dave Pawson
XSLT XSL-FO FAQ.
http://www.dpawson.co.uk