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Tables are one of the most elaborate substructures provided by the software application. However, manipulating them is very easy just like the other features.
A table complex is a substructure of a table object with all its rows and columns, and all the composites and nested table complexes, including all contributory feature composite complexes of composites under such table. The complex is found under any generic composite objects.
Please note, however, that owing to the restrictions imposed by the WinHelp Compiler, the tables nested in other tables are stripped when compiled by the BBSI WinHelp Writer. The text within those tables are still compiled and presented in the order from top to bottom rows; and for each row, from left to right columns.
The table is constructed in row-first-then-column layout. Row objects are placed directly under a table object. There are four types of rows, three of them reflecting current conventions, and another supplied by the software application. The three are: (1) Header Row; (2) Footer Row, and; (3) Body Row. These are typically defined in an html or xhtml page.
The fourth added is the SubHeader Row. This is a Body Row which may have a different span and style from the rest of the ordinary body rows for added emphasis on the logical grouping of rows.
Columns are defined under each row. The compiler will try to balance the number of columns required to construct the table based on the dimensions provided in the table object. It will ignore extra columns including the substructures found under them. It will also add empty columns where needed.
At present, there are no special classification of columns as there are of rows. If this is required, then spans and style overrides may be resorted to. In the future versions, however, first-column, last-column and special-column types will be added. Additions will provide easy handling features similar to what is provided by the SubHeader Row.
Spanning is available only for HtmlHelp and WebHelp. This is a feature found in html or xhtml columns and rows. By default, all cells, defined by a column object, have a row span and column span both equal to one. This may be increased.
The compiler will balance the final number of rows and columns required to construct the table. It will ignore those coulmns which are in excess of the table dimension as provided in the table object. All substructures under those ignored will be disregarded as well.
Please note, however, that there are situations or combinations of spans which browsers cannot properly render. In general, browsers cannot display, without error, one row of columns where each would be spanning more than one. In other words for every row constructed, whether explicitly or as a result of row spanning, one column must have a row span equal to one.
In the future version, the problem will be dealt with automatically by the software application.
4/13/2006, 1:19:05 PM
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