MULTICOL specifies that all contained text will be displayed in
multi-column format. All columns will have the same width and data should
be spread evenly across each of the columns to achieve roughly equal
column heights.
Description:
This attribute indicates the number of columns the
contained data will be split into. The browser should try to evenly
distribute the content evenly across each of the columns in order to
achieve roughly the same column height.
Values: Positive integers - default is 1.
Gutter
2 | 3
| 3.2 | 4
| IE | M
| N3B5 | O
Required? No
Description:
This attribute controls the amount of pixel space between columns.
Values: Specified as positive
integers with the default being 10
Width
2 | 3
| 3.2 | 4
| IE | M
| N3B5 | O
Required? No
Description:
This optional attribute is supposed to control the width of
an individual column. All columns are always the same width, so the
overall width of a multi-column layout should be (as specified by Netscape):
(cols * width) + ((cols - 1) * gutter)
However.
Through direct experimentation, this attribute seems to control the
TOTAL width of the column apparatus, not the width of each individual
column. The multi-column apparatus will remain left-justified if a
width results in an amount less than the overall browser window size.
If no WIDTH is specified, the default width is 100% [full screen width]
Values: Positive integer pixel values
or a percentage of the overall screen width.
Example
<multicolCOLS=3
WIDTH=80%
GUTTER=20>
This is multi-column layout text that should be distributed evenly
across 3 columns
</multicol>
This is a brand new element and only supported by the latest Netscape
versions. It is not a part of any HTML standard or draft and its use
is not at all recommended until wider support occurs.
One has to wonder if Netscape will change its implementation of
the DIR list element to that which was originally intended by the HTML
2.0 specification (multi-column lists) now that their browsers have
this capability.
Using the WIDTH attribute the way Netscape specifies is incorrect.
Use the WIDTH attribute to specify the overall width of the
multi-column structure.
Robustness in layout does not seem very strong yet for this element.
Browser Peculiarities
Centering a MULTICOL structure does NOT work reliably yet. Using the
Center, Div, Heading, P or table cell elements in conjunction with MULTICOL
can have adverse effects on layout.
Using WIDTH attributes that are too small will result in a multi
column layout where text runs into each other, thus making it
unreadable.
MULTICOL structures are nestable, but this quickly becomes
unreadable.
Character level formatting can serve as the parent of MULTICOL in Netscape,
but I chose to model this element with other block-level elements. Block
elements generally do not serve as content of character level elements.