Conference vaxuum::online_bookbuilding

80.0. "To pop or not to pop, that is the question" by CURIE::HARTSHORN () Wed Feb 08 1989 13:11

I think that we (writers) should be able to decide which tables should
pop-up and which should not without having to worry about whether a 
table is formal or informal.

Currently the BOOKREADER automatically pops-up a separate window for 
formal tables.  When the table window is popped-up it obscures the text 
that is associated with the table.  By obscuring the text the reader 
is then forced to move the table window out of the way so that he/she 
may go back to the text to reinforce anything that they might have 
read in the table.  In this scheme the natural segue from text to 
table is lost.

Most tables are short and fit very nicely onto a page with text.  
We should be able to give a table a header and table number without 
having to worry about the table being yanked out of the text and popped-up 
in a separate window.  We should keep tables with text and only pop-up table 
windows when it is absolutely necessary.

Rather than making decisions about what tables should be formal and 
informal we should decide what tables should pop-up and what should 
not.  To this end I propose that the BOOKREADER should be able to 
pop-up any table, formal or informal.  Perhaps the <TABLE_ATTRIBUTES>
tag could be given added capability by having a (POPUP) argument.

Ken
    

    I think this is a reasonable request and will put it on the list (the
    list is long...), unless further discussion argues persuasively against
    it. One of the reasons we implemented formal elements as popups
    was because we did not want to force writers to go into their files
    and add special codes for online output any more than was absolutely
    necessary. We try to do as much as possible 'behind the scenes'
    in the definitions of the standard tag set. 
    
    One thought that comes to mind with this option is that although a
    table (or figure or example) fits nicely within the margins of a
    hardcopy page, it may not fit nicely online within the narrower margins
    at larger type faces. (In fact, it's more likely that it won't fit
    nicely.) So you'll have to  look at every table (figure, example)
    online to decide whether it should pop up or not. (i.e., you can't use
    the hardcopy as a guide.) And then I wonder if this 'inconsistent'
    treatment of these elements (some pop up, some don't) might not be 
    irksome to users?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mary