Csswg-drafts: [css-multicol] Referring to the multicol element / container

[rachelandrew]

In the current multicol Working Draft the element that has column-count or column-width applied is referred to as the multicol _element_. In the discussions at TPAC @fantasai noted there is some confusion around what we call this element.

I noted that people were often referring to it as the multicol _container_ in the meeting, which matches how we talk about flex and grid containers.

The current definition is here.

It seems that it would make sense to describe the multicol element/container in the same way as flex and grid, raising this issue for discussion of that.

[frivoal]

Makes sense. So something like this?

A multi-column container
(or multicol container for short)
is the box generated by an element whose 'column-width' or 'column-count'
property is not ''column-width/auto'' and therefore acts as a container for
multi-column layout.

[rachelandrew]

Yes, essentially editing mention of _element_ to _container_ where it is used in this context.

Is this something we need to bring to a meeting? If so I could add it to the agenda for the next call.

[FremyCompany]

+1

[jensimmons]

I’m all for this. “Container” is now the defacto word for a parent element where the formatting context / layout method is changed. Multicolumn element sounds old and out of date. Multicolumn container sounds like “hey maybe I should take a look at that thing again.”

+1

[astearns]

I'm happy to bring this up on a call and get a resolution for this, but I think in general a resolution should not be required for this kind of change. I'm assuming there is no normative requirement for implementations being modified here - it's just spec terms we're changing for clarity.

(and I'm +1 as long as well all agree never to coin a 'multicoltainer' term)

[css-meeting-bot]

The Working Group just discussed Referring to the multicol element / container, and agreed to the following resolutions:

• RESOLVED: Use multicolumn container in the draft

The full IRC log of that discussion

<dael> Topic: Referring to the multicol element / container

<dael> github: https://github.com/w3c/csswg-drafts/issues/1965

<rego> no interop at all on this last issue; checking edge, chrome and firefox each one has a different output

<dael> rachelandrew: This is...it poss doesn't need a resolution. When we disucssed at the F2F fantasai noted there's confusion as to what we call the element. I'm proposing we call it the multicol container which matches flexbox or grid.

<dael> rachelandrew: I wanted to check if there are problems.

<dael> fantasai: I think it's a necessary change. It's not an element, it's a box.

<dael> rachelandrew: Cool. If people are happy, I'm working through the spec so this seemed the right time.

<dael> astearns: Comments or concerns?

<dael> Rossen_: Sounds like a good change.

<tantek> +1

<dael> astearns: Objections to using multicolumn container in the draft?

<dael> RESOLVED: Use multicolumn container in the draft

<dael> fantasai: new topic...back to grid.

[fantasai]

Hi @rachelandrew, Tab and I made a couple changes to complete this issue (letting you know for future reference, if you need to change an exported term):

• We added an oldids attribute to the <dfn> for multi-column container so that old links to that definition won't break with the terminology change.
• We update all the other specs in the repository (except for css-box and css-template which are unmaintained and outdated) to refer to the new terms.