[WEB4LIB] hanging indents?

[Jennifer Geard]

> Is there any way to create a hanging indent on a web page?  We're 
> creating a page on citing in MLA style, and while I'm fairly sure 
> this can't be done, I thought I'd ask the experts.

I don't know any logical way to do it: I'm hoping someone else will know
one. What follow are some truly horrible kludges shared in a spirit of
morbid fascination.

It's possible to create something that looks like a hanging indent using the
definition list tags. The first line of text goes inside <dt> tags and
subsequent lines in <dd>. Similarly you can play with tables, colspanning
the top row so the indent hangs. The problem is that anything that re-sizes
the font, line-length or browser window width will cause ugly wraps or gaps.

It's also possible to create a hanging indent by wrapping text around an
image - perhaps a transparent .gif. The problem here is the height of the
image and the length of the indented text... and all the philosophical
debates about using shims to force page layout.

Does CSS provide a workable solution?

Cheers,
  Jennifer

Jennifer Geard
Electronic Services Librarian
Land Transport Safety Authority
PO Box 2840, Wellington, New Zealand
Ph. (04) 494-8655  Fax (04) 494-8601
E-Mail: jlg at ltsa.govt.nz
Web site: www.ltsa.govt.nz