Stylesheets - CSS for screenplays

Author

CSS for screenplays - perverse !

David J Patrick

2004-06-21, 7:16 pm

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 12:32:27 +0100, Alan J. Flavell wrote:

> However, in this special case it seems the author is trying to
> visually reproduce the appearance of a paper document. That's a
> special (and in some sense perverse - no offence intended) way of
> using HTML, with or without CSS.

None taken ! Your absolutely right !

> I'm not sure what to suggest - *any*
> choice is going to be a compromise.

Yeah, as I see it now (and it's a moving target) I'd like to create a CSS
with three profiles;

1. (media="screen") a smooth flowing, readable version, with light
formatting and the users choice of font/ size. This (least formal) could
also feature a pure CSS menu to navigate the script, etc. If possible,
page breaks will be indicated, but not forced, based on a rigid layout.

2. (media="screen-rigid") this layout gives a visual page field (like
ScreenplayCSSv2) and adheres strictly print formatting
conventions even so far as to put shadows where the tree-hole-punch goes.

3. (media="print") same as 2. .. only more so !

If this can only be done consistently using one browser (Mozilla) SO BE IT !
It's freely available for you platform!
I realize that a lot of this flies in the face of conventional web wisdom,
perhaps that's why it's never been done. That doesn't mean it CAN'T be
done !

I would also like to develop a reliable method of converting to PDF, but
that it outside of the CSS mission.

Thanks for your interest and insight,
djp

Chris Morris

2004-06-21, 7:16 pm

David J Patrick <davidjpatrick@sympatico.ca> writes:
> On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 12:32:27 +0100, Alan J. Flavell wrote:
>
>
> Yeah, as I see it now (and it's a moving target) I'd like to create a CSS
> with three profiles;
>
> 1. (media="screen") a smooth flowing, readable version, with light
> formatting and the users choice of font/ size. This (least formal) could
> also feature a pure CSS menu to navigate the script, etc. If possible,
> page breaks will be indicated, but not forced, based on a rigid layout.

Okay.

> 2. (media="screen-rigid") this layout gives a visual page field (like
> ScreenplayCSSv2) and adheres strictly print formatting
> conventions even so far as to put shadows where the tree-hole-punch goes.

"screen-rigid" isn't a recognised media type, though. So browser
support will be non-existent, I think.

> 3. (media="print") same as 2. .. only more so !

Okay.

> If this can only be done consistently using one browser (Mozilla) SO BE IT !
> It's freely available for you platform!
> I realize that a lot of this flies in the face of conventional web wisdom,
> perhaps that's why it's never been done. That doesn't mean it CAN'T be
> done !

Possibly what I'd suggest is:
Stylesheet 1: Media="screen"
Alternate Stylesheet 2: Media="screen"
Stylesheet 3: Media="print"

The alternate stylesheet implementation fails on page changes in every
browser I've seen that does it at all. But my impression of this is
that you intend it to be a single long file anyway, where that isn't a
problem.

Alternatively (and with more support in browsers) you could switch
between 1 and 2 using server-side scripting, which would be a better
solution, if you have server-side scripting available.

--
Chris

Darin McGrew

2004-06-21, 7:16 pm

David J Patrick <davidjpatrick@sympatico.ca> wrote:
> Yeah, as I see it now (and it's a moving target) I'd like to create a CSS
> with three profiles;
>
> 1. (media="screen") a smooth flowing, readable version, with light
> formatting and the users choice of font/ size. This (least formal) could
> also feature a pure CSS menu to navigate the script, etc. If possible,
> page breaks will be indicated, but not forced, based on a rigid layout.
>
> 2. (media="screen-rigid") this layout gives a visual page field (like
> ScreenplayCSSv2) and adheres strictly print formatting
> conventions even so far as to put shadows where the tree-hole-punch goes.
>
> 3. (media="print") same as 2. .. only more so !

It seems to me that the second case might just be an on-screen preview of
the third (media="print") case. If so, then current browsers can give you a
print preview, using the media="print" style sheet.
--
Darin McGrew, mcgrew@stanfordalumni.org, http://www.rahul.net/mcgrew/
Web Design Group, darin@htmlhelp.com, http://www.HTMLHelp.com/

"Shin: a device for finding furniture in the dark." - Steven Wright

David J Patrick

2004-06-21, 7:16 pm

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 17:57:59 +0000, Darin McGrew wrote:

> It seems to me that the second case might just be an on-screen preview of
> the third (media="print") case. If so, then current browsers can give you a
> print preview, using the media="print" style sheet.

Almost the same thing, but the "browsing" in a print preview is invariably
clunkier. The two should ve very similar, though.