Well, how about if we can specify a token to repeat whatever html we include (for repeating items). 

This is essentially what I was getting at with the XML idea - one file that would contain all the code to render the gallery including the format to be repeated per item.

This really comes down to what Scott can/will do with the code.  I'm not a coder so I regret I can't offer any assistance here.

Referring to your one befor post

That's exactly what I want for about a year and a half.
It i's not about W3C validation at all. tables are valid.

The point is that if you use what you were describing (setting items per row) you have two main problems:
1. You can't use the property agent module inside a fluid content layout. it's true for types, latest, photos and other.
2. Insides the table you have Valign which causes problems.

The point is that we want to create something simpleas you said, that will replace the rows settings.
I think the wizard I was suggesting, can do exactly that.

the wizard will just render the "li" with the width measurs. the CSS (float:left;) is all is needed. and if something is missing it can be checked.
i don't think there should be any "hack" relating to :padding :10px;

How do people feel about this format and markup?

  http://duhaime.org/sample.html

The gray boxes show the bounding areas for the rows and columns.  Things like borders etc. would be contained inside these spaces with seperate markup.  One CSS class on the ul changes the layout.

I don't know enough about css layouts to contribute anything other than questions, but I've always had trouble with one thing:

The convenience with table cells is that the bottom borders of the cells are permanently aligned and it is also very simple to align the text and thumbnails to bottom or middle as well as top of each cell. Can this be done... and if it is cross-browser, then won't the templates have to be quite complex with all the nested divs (double for IE) and positioning?

A css template would have to be added to the template editor, unless the styles were all inline. My concern is that there would likely be a lot of funny code in the templates that most people won't have a clue how to modify and they'll probably just clear the template out and put a table in.

I'm getting away from the technicalities of the code and into the practicalities of using the module. Tables make good sense to anyone who wants to lay out a grid of images. Lists don't... so I'm wondering how non-techs are going to make basic layout choices... unless the module gains a handful of selectable and useful default templates. In fact, that might be the only way to keep it simple.

I'm also wondering.. where would the user-managed template end and where would the generated code begin? e.g. if there were nothing but an image token in the template, would the output be img img img and nothing else, or would it be a bulleted list with a thumb in each row. Currently one still gets a solid grid layout of thumbs in that case.

Does an asp:datalist even do this sort of output or would Scott have to develop something entirely different to support it?

Another thing with a table is that empty cells go all the way to the end of the grid. CSS layouts always seem to have blank gaps. Is there a way to have the grid completed even if there aren't enough thumbs to fill it?

Great thread this... don't get distracted by my questions.

Rob

Avi a, a wizard may indeed be needed - all really depends on what can change in the code. 

A fully adjustable repeater would need:

-- section head--
 --row head--
  --item head--
  --item (options)--
  --item foot--
 --row foot--
--section foot--

Those areas in a template would give all the control and freedom to the template designer. The row items would be doubled if "alt" styling was desired.

I think I got side tracked by the specifics of the UL method. 

Just adding my 2 cents in here:

Whenever a module uses an asp:datalist, dnn injects tables automatically, and this is because of asp itself in order to create lists with multiple columns. So, meaning any module that uses it will produce tables, thus getting away from standards compliant.

The only way I know how to correct this is here:

http://www.thinkofdesign.com/blog/ctl/articleview/mid/369/articleid/13/ten-html-tables-less-with-a-simple-code-tweak.aspx

But the problem I see with Vasili's solution, although will work in some modules, is that control for multiple columns is lost.

I'd searched everywhere to find out why DNN injects tables, and I think this is the reason. As far as being the rest of the way compliant, I've managed to create all my templates with div's and classes to control the attributes.

Hope this helps the Guru's (as I'm not) in figuring out how to get us that much closer to being compliant.............

Here are some more GOOD examples of CSS image styling and CSS image galleries:

http://www.webdesignerwall.com/tutorials/css-decorative-gallery/

I like the idea of being able to use one simple class name "gallery". Meaning a person could have multiple options for image styling simply by changing just that one class name to for instance "gallery2".

In reference to image dimensions, I'm finding out that it can be stripped from the CSS, and a little more configuring can do the trick.

With Scott's custom size tokens  in the img tag, and a little work to absolute positions, a lot of the templates still work. Of course aside from the flexibility of a gallery display and arrangement.

Though it seems Scott is getting ready to suprise us yet again...............

Edit:

I tried to qoute Lance about image dimensions in last post, however, by clicking "qoute" button, it didn't seem to work. Must have been a fluke.......