[css-multicol-2] `columns` shorthand with `column-height` and `column-wrap`

[mstensho]

https://drafts.csswg.org/css-multicol-2/#columns

The value of columns is currently defined as:

Value: <'column-width'> || <'column-count'> || <'column-height'> || <'column-wrap'>

I.e. four longhand properties in any order.

This won't work, since there are two length values (column-width and column-height), so the order would have to be specified.

At the same time, ever since the introduction of multicol, we've been allowed to do column-count and column-width in any order, so this has to be kept.

Maybe we need a '/' in the syntax, and place column-height in the denominator? Or some sort of intricate syntax to allow column-width and column-height in any order (at least if they're the two first values), but not the rest. In any case, if the author only wants to specify column height, the shorthand will not be super-pretty. auto / <column-height>? auto auto auto <column-height>?

@rachelandrew

[rachelandrew]

This had occurred to me when I was doing the edits for the resolutions this week.

I'm not sure there's a great solution (that doesn't avoid the non-pretty things you suggest). I think if I just wanted column-height I'd use that property, but I am a long-term avoider of shorthands.

Given we're now saying that if you set column-height and not column-wrap, you get wrapping, maybe put both properties after the slash. So:

<column-width> || <column-count> / <column-height>? <column-wrap>?

[mstensho]

That should work.

Actually, as long as column-wrap alone doesn't enable multicol, I guess it doesn't need to be part of the shorthand. Otherwise we might just as well include things like column-fill too in the shorthand, in a sense?

[rachelandrew]

True, maybe we go with just the three multicol container creating properties. So:

<column-width> || <column-count> / <column-height>?

I'll add this to the agenda, and also put a note about this issue in the draft in case anyone is looking at the ED.

[Loirooriol]

Unlike commas, / isn't implicitly omissible. And juxtaposition is stronger than ||.
It should be [<column-width> || <column-count>] [/ <column-height>]?

[SebastianZ]

Unlike commas, / isn't implicitly omissible. And juxtaposition is stronger than ||. It should be [<column-width> || <column-count>] [/ <column-height>]?

But please with proper spacing! So it should be [ <column-width> || <column-count> ] [ / <column-height> ]?

Sebastian

[rachelandrew]

Added to the agenda to request a resolution on the columns shorthand now we have column-width and column-wrap. As discussed, we're proposing to go with the three properties that create a multicol container, so:

[ <column-width> || <column-count> ] [ / <column-height> ]?

[css-meeting-bot]

The CSS Working Group just discussed [css-multicol-2] `columns` shorthand with `column-height` and `column-wrap` , and agreed to the following:

• RESOLVED: Adopt syntax 'columns: [ <column-width> || <column-count> ] [ / <column-height> ]?
• RESOLVED: Shorthand 'columns' also resets column-wrap (if it exists)

The full IRC log of that discussion

<fantasai> rachelandrew: Need to decide what to do with 'columns' shorthand and new properties
<fantasai> rachelandrew: Syntax we're proposing is in my last comment on the issue -- should we add column-height, and how do we represent it unambiguously
<TabAtkins> Looks good to me. Always unhappy having to use a /, but it's needed here.
<astearns> ack fantasai
<fantasai> fantasai: LGTM, with Oriol's fixes
<fantasai> florian: Seems fine to me. If we need column-wrap property... probably should cascade together?
<TabAtkins> fantasai: we could say that if column-wrap exists, it's reset-only by the longhand
<fantasai> astearns: If it goes to the shorthand, can extend it later
<fantasai> rachelandrew: yes
<TabAtkins> astearns: if we do need it in the shorthand, we can put it in after column-height probably
<TabAtkins> florian: i don't think the proposal says you reset colum-wrap right now, is that okay?
<fantasai> fantasai: We can resolve on both.
<TabAtkins> rachelandrew: I'm okay for now, yes.
<fantasai> PROPOSED: Adopt syntax 'columns: [ <column-width> || <column-count> ] [ / <column-height> ]?
<TabAtkins> +1
<florian> +1
<kbabbitt> sgtm
<fantasai> PROPOSED: Shorthand 'columns' also resets column-wrap (if it exists)
<florian> +1
<fantasai> astearns: Any objections?
<fantasai> RESOLVED: Adopt syntax 'columns: [ <column-width> || <column-count> ] [ / <column-height> ]?
<fantasai> RESOLVED: Shorthand 'columns' also resets column-wrap (if it exists)

[Loirooriol]

Should columns also reset column-fill?