tables or grids ?

[David Carlisle <davidc@xxxxxxxxx>]

As far as I understand it table flow objects are always displayed,
(which seems to be the case, seeing as 12.6.27.1 says:
  A table flow object can only be displayed.)

So even if I don't use the table-part class and just specify a table
body as a sequence of rows, then it seems that this is not really
suitable for, say, typesetting a matrix in a mathematical expression.

Well that's probably OK as a couple of pages before that I see:

NOTE 124 A matrix is handled by enclosing a grid flow object in a fence
         flow object. 

And grids have some useful looking characteristics like
math-display-mode:

However as far as I can see grids don't have any concept of spanning
cells. I could try to  span by just putting oversize entries
in one cell and empty entries in the next, but I don't see how I can
calculate the required amount of spacing given that I can't measure
anything in dsssl.

So basically I am stuck: Has anyone got any idea what to do with MathML
tables which allow cells to span any number of rows or columns.

David

PS that was supposed to be the easy bit, before getting on to <malignmark/>....


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