The DIR element represents a list of short items, typically up to
20 characters each. Most browsers implement this element exactly the
same as an unordered list while a few others arrange the data
in columns across the screen. The only content of this list
structure is the <li> (list item)
element. As with other list elements, the closing
</li> tag is optional, as
it is implied by the subsequent <li>
or end </dir> tags.
Description:
This is a stand alone attribute flag that indicates a compact rendering be
used if possible, possibly because the list items are small or the
entire list is large.
Common implementation of this element is exactly the same as a UL
list. As such, there is little need for the DIR element.
No popular browsers have yet implemented the DIR list as a
multi-column listing in the way the specifications originally intended.
Netscape recently added an element called MULTICOL which is similar to the
"ideal" behavior for DIR. One wonders if Netscape may eventually
change their display of DIR to this method.
DTD Note: The HTML 3.0 DTD listed DIR and MENU as
deprecated elements (this is why the common attributes are missing
support in HTML 3.0), but later HTML specifications show no signs
of moving in this direction.
Browser Peculiarities
The three reviewed browsers make no distinction in display between
a UL and a DIR list.