Posted by Chris Beall on 02/07/06 04:16

Nehmo Sergheyev wrote:

> After reading about text line length
> http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/72/columns.htm , I'm
> thinking about experimenting with columns of text on a page.
>
> Is it possible on an HTML page to
> have 2 columns of text where the text of one column flows to the next on
> the visible part of the page, and
> scrolling treats the 2 columns like the bottom of the right column is
> connected to the top of the left column? Scrolling down brings new text
> up from off the visible page to the bottom of the right column (just
> like on a regular page), but scrolling down makes the text on the top of
> the right column move to the bottom of the left column. The text
> disappears off the visible page going up and off from the top of the
> left column.
>
> Is there any way to do this with some dynamic HTML method? Perhaps there
> is a way to use 2 frames where scrolling in one affects the other?
>
> Or is there a possible JavaScript way of doing this?
>
Nehmo,

Perhaps it's just my mood, but I find it amusing that the study you cite
is written using a single column format and is styled in such a way that
reducing the window width creates a horizontal scroll bar rather than
reflowing the text into the available width (which would shorten the lines).

The New York Times site used to have a really spiffy way of doing what
you want: 1, 2 or 3 columns, selected by window size or user option,
font sizing. Godawful complex. Apparently they thought so too, 'cause
I can't find an example anymore.

Try adding this to your CSS:

p {max-width: 30em ; }

(Won't work on IE, but not much does)

Expect to hear complaints about taking control of the user's environment
by not letting your lines flow clear across their 1600px window...

I thought the most important sentence in the study was in the
conclusion: "The results of this study suggest that there is not one
best way to present text online."

Chris Beall

[Back to original message]