| Title: | DOCUMENT T1.0 |
| Notice: | **New notesfile (DOCUMENT.NOTE) now available (see note 897)** |
| Moderator: | CLOSET::ADLER |
| Created: | Mon Feb 09 1987 |
| Last Modified: | Thu Oct 31 1991 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 897 |
| Total number of notes: | 4397 |
Given that tables and figures are conceptually similar document
elements, it is unfortunate that their specification tags are not
more consistent.
I ran into this problem when I tried to FLOAT a table -- that figure
feature is not supported for tables.
I then decided to compare the <FIGURE_ATTRIBUTES> and <TABLE_ATTRIBUTES>
arguments:
MULTIPAGE
This feature seems consistent, with minor differences because
figures and tables aren't precisely the same.
KEEP
Bind a figure to the preceding text (and if there isn't room,
then ???); keep a table together, moving it to a new page if
necessary.
FLOAT
Supported only for figures.
WIDE
This feature seems consistent.
MAXIMUM
Supported only for tables. Because I don't really understand
this feature, I don't know if there should be an analogous
feature for figures.
-- Ward
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 796.1 | even sorrow floats, but not tables | CLOSET::ANKLAM | Wed Aug 12 1987 17:58 | 15 | |
I disagree that figures and tables are conceptually similar, but
sympathize with users who confuse similarly named attributes that
have subtly different meanings. It wasn't until I did my final
thorough review of the documentation that I realized we should
have used NOFLOAT instead of KEEP for figures. That would have,
at least, avoided the assumption that since figures can either
float or be kept that it must also be true that tables can either
float or be kept.
I'm not sure it is possible to float tables; I mean, I know that
it is impossible in V1.0 as implemented, but I'm not sure how
difficult a programming task it would be to float a table.
pa
| |||||
| 796.2 | One more for the wish list | CASEE::CLARK | Ward Clark | Thu Aug 13 1987 05:00 | 21 |
.1> I disagree that figures and tables are conceptually similar,
My claim of conceptual similarity is based on my use of figures and
tables as extensions to text. That is, when the narrative gets dense
or complex, it helps to draw a simple picture or include a table that
summarizes the facts. Most times it's not necessary for the figure or
table to be bound to the text. That's why floating is such a useful
layout concept.
While I was writing the preceding paragraph, I realized that it
probably wouldn't be long before I want to float an example. I checked
the User Manual and was pleased to find that <EXAMPLE_ATTRIBUTES>
includes a FLOAT argument.
.1> I'm not sure how difficult a programming task it would be to float
.1> a table.
Let's put floating tables on the wish list and trust the developers to
find a way to do it.
-- Ward
| |||||