[thelist] NS 4.x/CSS margin and background-color problems

Tyme nopun at bellsouth.net
Fri Nov 16 14:42:34 CST 2001


----- Original Message -----
From: Rob Oviatt <n6appweb at nb.aibn.com>
To: evolt <thelist at lists.evolt.org>
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2001 1:22 PM
Subject: [thelist] NS 4.x/CSS margin and background-color problems


> My boss and I want us to convert our company web  site to W3C compliance.
> And I've pretty much gotten a working copy of our site there, but I'm
> having difficulty getting NS 4.x on PC or MAC to play nice.
>
> Problem: background color
>
> .promotext {
>          color : #000000;
>          font-family : Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
>          font-size : 11px;
>          font-weight : normal;
> }
> .headingpromo {
>          color : #ff9933;
>          font-family : Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
>          font-size : 10px;
>          font-weight : bold;
> }

> transparent;', the table cells using these classes have a black
> backround.

TYME} In my experience, the black background is indicative of _some_ css
problem -- not necessarily the obvious background style (although, I have
not done a thorough test of this).  Basically, if I get a black background
in NN4.x (where I have not specified one), I know that the page is failing
because of css.

TYME} Moreover, I found that while NN4.x will accept background:transparent,
it does not like transparent set on a 'parent' container, or perhaps the TD
specifically.  For example, I removed the background:transparent style set
on a TD, and a NN4.x css problem seemed to be resolved.  Have a look, and
make sure that your main containers have a specific color if at all
possible.  See if that makes a difference.  At least try it with the TD to
test the hypothesis.

> Problem: body margins
>
TYME} _Suppose_ to work: http://richinstyle.com/bugs/netscape4.html

> The W3C validator doesn't like marginheight and marginwidth (any margin
> related attributes actually) in the body tag, and yet NS 4.x doesn't seem
> to pay much attention to the margin declarations in the above
> example.  I've also tried the same setup with the measurement units
> specified (ie margin-top:0px;), and using the shorthand (margin: 0 0 0 0;)

TYME} You might just end up with one of those trade-offs: A+ validation or
NN4.x workarounds.

> Web Developer / Typesetter

<RAMBLE>

TYME} Thereinlies the problem: "Typesetter".  You are use to having good
layout control.  I use to be a Typesetter back in the old days when they had
specific computer equipment just for that (before desktop publishing became
so popular).  My favorite command, that I have longed for in a HTML tag,
allowed you to account for the space of say a word, but not actually print
the word -- good for lining up text fluidly without requiring a table.
Cannot think of the actual command name -- it's been too long.  But
something like.

<p>
Web Developers: Tyme<br>
<hide>Web Developers: </hide>Rob Oviatt<br>
<hide>Web Developers: </hide>George Jetson<br>
...
</p>

Can do it with CSS, just not as compact.  XML gives good flexibility for
that though.

<p>
Web Developers: Tyme<br>
<span style="visibility:hidden">Web Developers: </span>Rob Oviatt<br>
<span style="visibility:hidden">Web Developers: </span>George Jetson<br>
...
</p>

</RAMBLE>










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