Re: textured backgrounds

Joe English (joe@trystero.art.com)
Tue, 17 Jan 95 20:53:21 EST

Eric Bina <ebina@storm.mcom.com> wrote:

> What do people think of an HTML tag in the HEAD that would specify
> a background image to be used as a texture behind the current document?
> Any interest in having a tag like this in HTML 2.X or 3.0?
> I think it would be really cool.

(-: If it means I'll finally be able to get Netscape to use
a white background, this would have my whole-hearted support :-)

This is more properly a style sheet issue, but lacking style sheets,
the <LINK> element could be used for this purpose:

<LINK REL=BACKGROUND-IMAGE SRC="http://www.foo.com/allwhite.pbf">

The HTML specs are currently unclear as to whether
link relations (REL and REV attribute values) should
be standardized, in the user's namespace, or fair game;
I'd guess they're up for grabs. If you use an unambiguous
name (like "BACKGROUND-IMAGE" to specify a background image),
you should be on safe ground standards-wise.

I can't think of any reasons for a whole new element.
If there are other display options to be specified, these
could go in processing instructions (which are definitely
up for grabs, though it's a good idea to use a unique
prefix to avoid nameclashes with other implementations):

<LINK REL=BACKGROUND-IMAGE SRC="http://www.foo.com/picture.pbf">

<?Netscape BACKGROUND-IMAGE DISPLAY=CENTERED>
<!-- or -->
<?Netscape BACKGROUND-IMAGE DISPLAY=TILED MARGINS=10pct>

I wouldn't recommend PIs for *every* style option,
but they should be OK as a stopgap measure for
specifying document-wide parameters until style sheets
get deployed (this looks like it's still a long way
away, sadly).

--Joe English

joe@trystero.art.com