Re: lynx-dev lynx and tables, looking for more information...

[Duncan Simpson]

<lots of good stuff snipped>
> 
>  Does your code handle col spans and row spans well? That could be a tricky
> thing in pathological cases, that could require 3rd pass.
>  Anyway, at least I will be glad to see the code (even C++) - I guess
> understanding algorithm implemented in C++ will be easier, than reading
> existing code of w3m or 'links' or gecko where the logic is spread over
> thousands of lines.

<reads his code>
column spans: Apparently not, but it should not be a major extension to the 
logic that determines the actual widths after the first pass. The obvious 
thing is to check the desired widths and increase them to meet the spans, if 
they need it. Pass the results of this step to the existing column squeezing 
code.

row spans: These are not covered but it a little tweaking of the output 
generation engine would fix that moderately easily. The theory for this is to 
keep contents, line wrapped, number of columns spanned and eat it line by line 
as the rest of the table demands. (Things with one column remaining determine 
the amount of a multiple row entry eaten).


If you want vertical alignment support then that would take some verical 
calculations that are not hard work. The contents generated in the second pass 
could be kept and used verbatim for the final layout. There is a good chance 
the enhanced code would find it's way back into word2x but this is in 
accordance with the GPL :-)

-- 
Duncan (-:
"software industry, the: unique industry where selling substandard goods is
legal and you can charge extra for fixing the problems."