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jameschambers · 14-01-2006, 14:48

Further to advice I got yesterday I have re-coded this page so as to use floats rather than absolute positioning, as well as some other layout changes.

It works fine in safari and firefox, but it goes to pieces in Internet explorer.

Help!

jameschambers · 14-01-2006, 14:49

here is the link!

http://www.jameschambers.co.uk/Float/index.html

emil · 15-01-2006, 04:23

Internet explorer behaves quite erratically when you use paddings/combined with margins.
Anyway a trip to www.positioniseverything.net might set you on the right track

http://www.positioniseverything.net/ie-primer.html
http://www.positioniseverything.net/...loatmodel.html

jameschambers · 15-01-2006, 06:29

cheers mate, much appreciated

navi · 16-01-2006, 15:19

I remember in Zeldman's "Designing With Web Standards", his account of floats was far from positive.

What are the situations in which one would use absolute / relative positioning as opposed to floats?

I design largely floats and seldomly find a situation where absolute / relative positioning can accomplish something better than floats. What are the virtues of absolute / relative positioning?

emil · 17-01-2006, 03:10

Well, speaking from my own point of view, most of the time it's simpler to use floats.

Take for instance, my site. (I know it's not the best of sites, but it's simpler to demonstrate).
The bottom lists are floated left, with a single line of code #whateverContainer ul {float:left;}
If, for whatever reason I decide to change the order they display, all I have to do, is change "left" with "right".

If I had all of them absolutely positioned, I'd have to change four items
#whateverContainer ul#idOne {position:absolute; left:128px;}
#whateverContainer ul#idTwo {position:absolute; left:312px;}
etc.

On the same site I use absolute position to bring up the more link, which in the source is the last item, to the top, only for sylistic purposes, if you want.

Anyway, I know this is not much of an explanation, but I hope you understand what I mean.
Floats allow for the creation of a flexible structure, while absolute position generates a rigid grid for the elements of a page, which may not be always desirable.

Emil

Dusteh · 17-01-2006, 04:22

floats are fine in my experience... its absolute positioning that can be a sod.

http://www.bluerobot.com/web/layouts/

This site might help the thread starter... its the first one I stumbled across in my CSS favourites.

14-01-2006, 14:48	#1 (permalink)
jameschambers Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: London Posts: 31	3 column float CSS layout Further to advice I got yesterday I have re-coded this page so as to use floats rather than absolute positioning, as well as some other layout changes. It works fine in safari and firefox, but it goes to pieces in Internet explorer. Help!

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14-01-2006, 14:49	#2 (permalink)
jameschambers Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: London Posts: 31	here is the link! http://www.jameschambers.co.uk/Float/index.html

15-01-2006, 04:23	#3 (permalink)
emil dt immigrant Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bucharest - Romania Posts: 7,028	Internet explorer behaves quite erratically when you use paddings/combined with margins. Anyway a trip to www.positioniseverything.net might set you on the right track http://www.positioniseverything.net/ie-primer.html http://www.positioniseverything.net/...loatmodel.html

15-01-2006, 06:29	#4 (permalink)
jameschambers Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: London Posts: 31	cheers mate, much appreciated

16-01-2006, 15:19	#5 (permalink)
navi Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3	I remember in Zeldman's "Designing With Web Standards", his account of floats was far from positive. What are the situations in which one would use absolute / relative positioning as opposed to floats? I design largely floats and seldomly find a situation where absolute / relative positioning can accomplish something better than floats. What are the virtues of absolute / relative positioning?

17-01-2006, 03:10	#6 (permalink)
emil dt immigrant Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bucharest - Romania Posts: 7,028	Well, speaking from my own point of view, most of the time it's simpler to use floats. Take for instance, my site. (I know it's not the best of sites, but it's simpler to demonstrate). The bottom lists are floated left, with a single line of code #whateverContainer ul {float:left;} If, for whatever reason I decide to change the order they display, all I have to do, is change "left" with "right". If I had all of them absolutely positioned, I'd have to change four items #whateverContainer ul#idOne {position:absolute; left:128px;} #whateverContainer ul#idTwo {position:absolute; left:312px;} etc. On the same site I use absolute position to bring up the more link, which in the source is the last item, to the top, only for sylistic purposes, if you want. Anyway, I know this is not much of an explanation, but I hope you understand what I mean. Floats allow for the creation of a flexible structure, while absolute position generates a rigid grid for the elements of a page, which may not be always desirable. Emil

17-01-2006, 04:22	#7 (permalink)
Dusteh Sir digby chicken caesar Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 4,887	floats are fine in my experience... its absolute positioning that can be a sod. http://www.bluerobot.com/web/layouts/ This site might help the thread starter... its the first one I stumbled across in my CSS favourites.

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