Re: [xsl] Placing an element in a very specific position

[<Anders.Svensson@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for your help, I'll look into your suggestion just out of
curiosity, but the confirmation of my suspicions from several sources
tell me I should really tell the client to accept that they have to live
without this.

Sorry I can't say hi to Mats for you, he's no longer with Sorman.

Regards,

Anders
 PS: I'm new to this list... Am I replying to posts correctly by cutting
out everything but the message I'm replying to and then pasting the
subject of that message into the subject line when replying to a digest
mail?

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Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:39:59 -0400
To: <xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: "G. Ken Holman" <gkholman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [xsl] Placing an element in a very specific position
Message-Id: <7.0.1.0.2.20090428202827.02505178@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

I regret to confirm your suspicions, unless perhaps there is an out
that you have not described.

The column geometry in XSL-FO does not allow you to key out a hole at
the top of the third column and flow around it.

But, I can give you a fixed size box at the top of what looks like
the third column, into which you flow your element.  But the box
cannot grow, so I don't know if you can use it.

And you have to use XSL-FO 1.1.

Create three body regions, each with one column (or two body regions,
the first with two columns and the second with one column).  Create a
flow map such that the region on the right flows after the other.

Size this right-most body region shorter than the other, leaving the
hole at the top.  This gives the appearance of a third column when,
technically, it is a different region.

Into this hole you can place an absolutely-positioned block
container.  If this is only on the first page, then your
absolutely-positioned block container can be flowed at the start of
the flow.  If this is on every page then you can flow that
absolutely-positioned block container in one of the static content
areas.  Whether the content in that hole changes or not might be an
issue, but you may be able to use markers to make it vary.

I hope this helps!

. . . . . . . . . . . Ken

p.s. if Mats Hultemark is still with Sorman, please pass on my
regards (but I know it is a big company and you may not know him).

At 2009-04-29 00:42 +0200, Anders.Svensson@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>Hi,
>
>I have a problem where I have been asked if I can put an element in the
>top of the third column in a three-column page. My initial thought is
>that this can't be done. I have tried to investigate
>absolute-positioning and floats, but cannot find anything that would
>seem to do this. I have no idea how it would be possible to decide that
>it should end up in the top of the third column specifically. In the
>first column would be easy, and if I could put it in the header that
>should be easy too, but unfortunately the header is not an option due
to
>the fact that there are space requirements so that each column needs to
>be utilized completely.
>
>Is there any way to do this, or do I need to tell my client that it
>can't be done?
>
>Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
>
>Regards,
>
>Anders

--
XSLT/XSL-FO/XQuery hands-on training - Los Angeles, USA 2009-06-08
Crane Softwrights Ltd.          http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/s/
Training tools: Comprehensive interactive XSLT/XPath 1.0/2.0 video
Video lesson:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrNjJCh7Ppg&fmt=18
Video overview:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTiodiij6gE&fmt=18
G. Ken Holman                 mailto:gkholman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Male Cancer Awareness Nov'07  http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/s/bc
Legal business disclaimers:  http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/legal

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