[roto]

Ok, I'll just get right into a question I'm sure is rather rudimentary...I have a td with a certain class defined (for this example, it is for the text contained within it) and I want to change one word to red (for this example)...

The classes are:
.text { font-family:verdana; color:#000000; }
.textred { font-family:verdana; color:#FF0000; }

Would the following be the best way to do it:

blah blah blah before code
<td class="text">
This text is black according to the "text" class...but I need this <span class="textred">word</span> to be red.
</td>
blah blah blah after code

I really don't want to use flash or read a book, and I also don't want annoying <span> tags everywhere in my code -- they remind too much of even more annoying <font> tags. This has always bothered me, but if this is the accepted way to do it, then so be it and I will let it rest.

[smallbeer]

If you're doing it to emphasis the text use the <em> tag and style it.

em {
color: red;
font-weight: normal;
}

[roto]

nope, just red...

[smallbeer]

Then just use a span.

[Bill Posters]

Nah, you were right first time, sb.

<span> tags may appear useful, but they are meaningless.
They're certainly not 'the best way' to achieve what you're after, oto.
Use styled <em> tag as sb suggested and it'll emphasise the red word in other circumstances too.

Whenever possible, use meaningful tags in your markup, not meaningless ones.
Why are you emphasising the word in the first place?

[roto]

It is just a theoretical question. I'm more after WHAT would be the best way to JUST make the text RED (not italic) and/or the best way to accomplish adding a different style within a style. If <span> tags are meaningless, I'm asking about substitutes, and IF they are meaningless...why do they exist? I'm curious...

[gwx]

Ermm... Do <span> Tags work in IE and NN7? I thought they only work in Netscape 4xx?

[Brown]

they work for all.

span tags are meaningless when taken away from a stylesheet. stylesheets are there to seperate style from content. take a look at your markup without the style sheet attached. if you use a styled <em> tag then your browser will still know to give emphasis to this word. if you're not wanting to put the word in red for emphasis then why is it highlighted in red? surely you are emphasising the word's existance on the page?

this can't be a theoretical question.

[smallbeer]

Originally Posted by ®oto

It is just a theoretical question. I'm more after WHAT would be the best way to JUST make the text RED (not italic) and/or the best way to accomplish adding a different style within a style. If <span> tags are meaningless, I'm asking about substitutes, and IF they are meaningless...why do they exist? I'm curious...

<em> is not <i>. It just so happens that <em>'s default weight is set to italics. The point that I, and Bill after me, was making is that by making a certain word within a paragraph red you ARE emphasising it, even if you don't realise, and therefore should us the proper markup.

[Brown]

must be something in the hat?

[smallbeer]

That wasn't you outside my window lastnight was it!?

[Brown]

shaking the tree

[Bill Posters]

jftr, <span> tags were devised with a 'structural' effect in mind, but will also support the 'presentational' effect you want.
Seeing as you are creating a presentational emphasis rather than a structural one, it is recommended that you use a semantic, presentational tag (i.e. <em>) as these tags can then be used to emphasise that text in alternative web reading/browing software (i.e. Lynx, Jaws, ...).

Or to put it another way...

ditto.


[edit]

That'll learn me to have breakfast mid-post

[/edit]

[gwx]

Should use <span> or <div>?

[Bill Posters]

Should read the thread properly.

> > Should use <em>

[smallbeer]

Originally Posted by gwx

Should use <span> or <div>?

should I use a fork or spoon? It depends what you're eating!

</wise monkey>

[smallbeer]

Or

div is for block level elements, span is for inline elements.

[roto]

Alright...it all makes more sense now...TA

(and it doesn't seem like such a basic/rudimentary question anymore)

[gwx]

smallbeer, u have a queer way with words

[Bill Posters]

gwx, 'smallbeer' is rhyming slang where sb comes from.
Right, sb?