[TYPO3-content-rendering] CSS Styled Imgtext

[Torsten Schrade]

JoH wrote:

> Well - I always wanted to start a discussion about that, but I never did
> because I'm pretty sure this will lead to a flame war.
Since when have you been afraid of a flame war? :-)

>>I dont like it if there are divs floating everywhere...
+1

> Of course there is a way - and the name is <table>. :-P
> The only thing that made the original "oldschool" IMGTEXT "inaccessible" was
> the use of clear.gif for spacing. 

I think one of the basic problems is due to historical reasons: At the 
time the classic IMAGE Content Elements were developped, tables were the 
prime technique. Therefore, the IMGTEXT and its backend forms were 
implemented with all the easy functionality that tables can provide: 
several columns, borders, "frames", positioning by just aligning the 
table-imageblock etc.

Now css_styled_imgtext desperately tries to implement all this 
functionality 1:1 but has to use compeletely different technology: 
floating, clearing etc. And this is a WRONG concept in my opinion for 
three reasons:

1. Have you ever seen a website that features images/image-alignment in 
lots of rows and columns, just floated/positioned with pure css?

2. The concept of imitating table-layout with pure CSS it's very hard to 
achieve and very probably might never work in a crossbrowser environment.

3. Chances are that new posibilities, concepts, ideas for image Content 
Elements in TYPO3 that come through the usage of pure CSS might get lost 
because everybody expects all the old functionality.

I think we would fare far better if we didn't try any longer merging two 
different concept into one. A "third way" should be taken:

- The old IMGTEXT clearly needs polishing concerning techniques and 
accessibility (out with the spacers and <div><p> for captions, in with 
alt+title etc.)

- css_styled_imgtext should be a SEPERATE concept of using images in 
TYPO3 - therefore it should have its own specific backend forms for the 
images and the specific functionality that comes along by using pure CSS.

This might mean less flexibility with layouting text/images but could as 
well provide new IMAGE/TEXT Elements (like single images left AND right 
of text etc).

These two concept could come along as static templates, very much like 
it's done in tt_news where you can choose between table-based and css 
layout techniques in your template. Then admins/editors can choose: use 
images in an accessible table for a page where they need a gallery-like 
look, whereas on other pages where just a single image (left or right in 
text) is needed they can get clean css-divs.

OK, roast me if you like and cheers,
Torsten