Rollovers for multiple-line text links

[lbud]

I have a $$$ bet with a Dreamweaver friend of mine, about a common web task she is convinced Xara DP cannot handle in the normal way: rollovers for multiple-line text links. So here’s a challenge for the Xara experts on this board:
1. Draw a text box.
2. Fill it with text.
3. Select more than one line of text and turn it into a text link.
4. Export site.

Then look at the rollovers Xara made for you. When you mouse over the text link, does the whole link change color--or does the rollover work for only the single line of text your cursor is on?

After studying the HTML source, she says it’s because XDP puts each line of text in a separate container by excessive and unnecessary use of <div> tags, whatever that means. Sounds like gibberish to me, but on the other hand, I’ve tried a million ways to get this to work, and Xara has failed the test every time. For example, if the text link spans three lines, the rollover is “broken” into three distinct pieces.

In case my explanation is unclear, I’ve attached a PNG to illustrate the problem, showing what happens to my rollovers when I attempt a three-line text link.

I bragged to her that Xara can do anything, and that you guys can figure anything out.

So who wins this bet?

[Soquili]

Xara Web Design software uses the <div> tags to create truely What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) web pages.

The div tags ensure that the text will display on the web the same way as within your project. No changes in text formatting or line breaks from your design, exactly what you see in your layout.

Because the text is in multiple div tags only the line your cursor is on will respond to the mouse over.

Your friend may see this as a flaw, but it is the only way that strict conformace to WYSIWYG can be achieved. Anything else is Almost What You See Is What You Get (Sometimes).

[gwpriester]

I think the answer to your challenge is to name the text area (yellow name tag icon) HTMLBlockText (see http://www.xaraxone.com/webxealot/wo...orkbook_5.html). This causes the text to export as a block of text and not individual lines of text. But the linked two lines of text will still act as two separate links. But you can select the entire paragraph of text.

Your friend, as far as I know, wins the bet.

[bjornkn]

Not really a big deal/turnoff I guess?
If you absolutely want to do that in Xara, and HTMLBlockText doesn't work, you could always insert the entire paragraph of text as HTMLplaceholder, and then write a <p> with <a> that wraps as many lines as you want to.

So IMO - you win

[gwpriester]

Brilliant.

Can you give me an example of how that would look (with the <p> and <a> tags?)

[bjornkn]

Like this

<p>Non cillum irure qui ut ipsum ut proident lorem ea consequat enim. 
<a href="#">Ut est do nostrud et duis do sed ullamco labore ut. Cupidatat non irure ullamco aliquip, eu id, proident ut. </a>
Mollit dolore tempor voluptate laboris in tempor laboris, culpa minim do cillum ut labore ex ut consequat. Amet ullamco elit enim in dolore. 
</p>