w3c / w3c/csswg-drafts

[css-align] [css-multicol] Baseline of multicol container

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css-align-3 css-multicol-2
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Description

https://drafts.csswg.org/css-align/#baseline-export

The first baseline set of a multi-column container is generated from the dominant first baseline of the first in-flow line box in the first column box, or is taken from the first in-flow block-level child that contributes a set of first baselines, whichever comes first.

The "first column box" thing here is a bit ambiguous. Is it the first column box in the multicol container, or the first column box in a multicol line/row [1]?

Also, when the spec says:

the first in-flow block-level child that contributes a set of first baselines

Does that apply in any column [2], or does it still apply to the "first column box" only? My guess is the latter.

What about a column spanner, if it has a baseline [3], but the previous column(s) didn't?

[1]

<div style="columns:3;">
  <div style="height:150px;"></div>
  <div style="column-span:all; height:50px;"></div>
  Baseline here? Probably?
</div>

[2]

<div style="columns:3;">
  <div style="height:150px;"></div>
  <div>baseline here? Probably not?</div>
</div>

[3]

<div style="columns:3;">
  <div style="height:150px;"></div>
  <div style="column-span:all;">baseline here? Probably?</div>
</div>

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the CSS Align baseline-export section and the CSS Multicol examples in this issue. Determine whether “first column box” refers to the container or a column row, how first baselines are selected across columns, and how column spanners participate; the wording is done when these cases are unambiguous in the specification.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
css
Domain
frontend
Issue type
Documentation
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
20/100

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