declarative formatting language

Many specific tags and attributes even the short reference is over 20 pages

Extensibility is limited, but platform independence is high

translation to other formatters one implementation strategy

TeX, Lout, Troff

basic principles of xsl:fo

pages are defined by templates, that contain areas for input

These are like the arguments to the page function in Lilac

They are also like Lout's accepting tokens

They are also like the page templates used in graphic design programs.

Declaring page setups

fo:root

fo:layout-master-set

fo:simple-page-master

contains region descriptions for the page

attributes for page size, margins properties, orientation, writing system

fo:region{-body | -before | -after | -start | -end}

Borders, margins, colors, etc.

More interesting: columns column-count, column-gap

fo:page-sequence-master

List of references to page-masters

pattern for filling pages

contains fo:single-page-master-reference, fo:repeatable-page-master-reference, repeatable-page-master-alternatives

fo:single-conditional-page-master-alternatives

contains fo:conditional page-master-reference

conditions: page position, odd-or-even, blank-or-not-blank

Building pages

fo:page-sequence

contains static content, and one "flow"

fo:flow contains text objects to be laid out, into the page masters defined.

layout objects

block and inline elements: the MS-word model of documents (minus types)

fo:page-number-citation

uses ID/IDREF

fo:block, fo:inline, fo:list-block, fo:list-item

fo:footnote

tables...

fo:inline-container

turns a block into an inline item, with flow properties

fo:wrapper

Removes redundancy, specifies properties that are inherited.

fo:float

page makeup properties

absolute-position, relative-position

top, right, bottom, left

break/keep properties

{page-break -before, -after, -inside

break{-after, -before} = column page, even-page, odd-page, auto, inherit

keep-together, keep-with-next (weighted by priority)

widows, orphans