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Re: [xsl] Newspaper Style Columns

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On Fri, 2007-01-26 at 16:30 -0500, Mulberry Technologies List Owner
wrote:
> >I'm going from XML to PDF using an XSL.  I need two columns with a small
> >space in the middle.  Unfortunately I cannot use the column-count and
> >column-gap attribute of the fo:region-body element.
> 
> Why not? Did you try it and get a result you didn't like? Is there an 
> external constraint on your techniques? Are you using a tool that 
> doesn't know how to count?
Using those attributes breaks the whole document into two columns.
Since the area that I need to be broken up into columns is dynamic
within the entire doc, I can't use span = "all", or at least not with my
limited understanding of templates.

> 
> >I was originally
> >thinking of using tables, however that wont work.
> 
> Again, why not? If you don't tell the list more about your 
> requirements, what you have tried, and why you don't like the results 
> you have gotten you will not get much help.
> 
I need the text to be printed like a newspaper, where the text wraps to
the next column when the bottom of the page is reached.  The table I was
using simply put all the data in one column and did not wrap.  This
again may be due to my lack of understanding.


> You will improve the chances that you will receive prompt and helpful 
> responses by:
> 
>    - asking specific enough questions that answers are possible. Describe
>      what you are trying to do, how you approached it, what happened, and
>      why you don't like the result you got
I asked a vague question on purpose.  I am capable of doing my own leg
work in trying to figure out how something is supposed to work.  This
would also enable me to learn XSL more effectively.

> 
>    - supplying small samples of files that illustrate your question or
>      problem. For example, an XML file, an XSLT stylesheet, the result
>      you got, and the result you want - all in miniature (and remembering
>      that everything posted to XSL-List is archived in public)
As you've said, it is archived in public and I am working with
pre-published legal docs.  I can mock up a simple example for you
though.

<legaldoc>
	<law>
		<section>
			<para>
				...
			</para>
		</section>
		<source>
			<para>
				...
			</para>
		</source>
		<annotation>
			<header>
			</header>
			<para>
			</para>
		</annotation>
	</law>
</legaldoc>

The xsl is fairly simple

...
<flow>
	<xsl:apply-templates>
</flow>

<xsl:template match = section>
...
</xsl:template>
<xsl:template match = source>
...
</xsl:template>
<xsl:template match = annotation>
...
</xsl:template>
...

Note that this is only ONE legaldoc.  Eventually I will have ALL legal
docs combined into one legaldoc and then will run the xsl.  The
resulting pdf will amount to more then a dozen books.  This is why I
need a dynamic way to input where the two columns occur. :/

		
> 
>    - describing the topic of your question concisely in the subject line
>      Good subject lines - those that describe the subject matter of your
>      message - not only increase the chances that you will receive answers
>      to questions or responses to comments, they also make your message
>      and any replies to it accessible in the list archives.
I'm sorry -- this was the most descriptive way I could think of to get
my subject across.  Please under stand that I'm a lowly intern trying to
learn on the go.  If my questions seems elementary or poorly formulated
its due to the fact that I'm just getting my feet wet! :)
> 
> -- Tommie

Thank you for taking the time to help me out.  I hope this helps you
understand a little more what I'm trying to do.

Thanks,
Luke

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