Re: [xsl] FO: padding within list problem (really FOP)

["J.Pietschmann" <j3322ptm@xxxxxxxx>]

Ralph Holz wrote:
> I've got the following code snippet:
> <fo:list-item>
>   <fo:list-item-label>
>      <fo:block  padding-bottom="1.7mm">
>       <xsl:value-of ...
>     </fo:block>
...
> The padding properties were added in fo:block because FOP didn't use it 
> when it was within any of the parent elements. (If anyone knows a better 
> solution to this, please let me know.)
Padding (and most other block properties) isn't properly implemented
except for blocks.

> They are meant to ascertain a 
> certain distance between the list items. (is that the way to do it?)
Using padding for this is ... not the way padding was intended to
be used.
Try space-after. Use nested blocks if really necessary.
> The problem I'm facing is that if anyone of the <xsl:value-of> evaluates 
> to null (i.e. empty element in XML source tree), there is no padding 
> anymore in that line and the next item data overwrites that line (it 
> "moves up").
Well, apparently padding has more than a problem even for blocks.
One way to work around problems with empty blocks is to use a
white-on-white character or perhaps a NBSP (wont work in all contexts),
for example
  <xsl:variable name="my-content" value="... expression ..."/>
  <xsl:choose>
    <xsl:when test="$my-content">
      <!-- perhaps test="normalize-space($my-content)" -->
      <xsl:value-of select="$my-content"/>
    </xsl:when>
    <xsl:otherwise>
      <fo:wrapper color="$bg-color">i</fo:wrapper>
      <!-- or simply <xsl:text>&#160;</xsl:text>
    </xsl:otherwise>
  </xsl:choose>

J.Pietschmann