Absolute positioning controls

[Tom Szabo]

Hi,

Just wondering if there are any disadvantage in absolute positioning
controls on a page?

In example instead of putting the text fields into a table to align
properly, one would absolute position them.

I understand the issue with resize, that is not a problem.

Is there compatibility problem? ...like some browsers don't handle it well?

TIA,

Tom

[Theo]

Re: Absolute positioning controls

"Tom Szabo" <tom@intersoft. net.au> wrote in
news:418d5a40$1 @dnews.tpgi.com .au:
[color=blue]
> Hi,
>
> Just wondering if there are any disadvantage in absolute positioning
> controls on a page?
>
> In example instead of putting the text fields into a table to align
> properly, one would absolute position them.
>
> I understand the issue with resize, that is not a problem.
>
> Is there compatibility problem? ...like some browsers don't handle it
> well?
>
> TIA,
>
> Tom[/color]

Sounds like you are talking about CSS instead of PHP. If so, most
browsers handle it differently, with some ignoring standards or using
them incorrectly, or some using styles that others dont at all. Plus,
tables have been around a long time so you really wont have compatability
problems while CSS is highly dependent on browser type and version. There
is nothing wrong with using a table if it will get the job done, and is
often much easier to use. Stick to CSS for common text styles, borders,
links, colors, and page formatting (headers, menu bars, footers).

2 cents

[JAS]

Re: Absolute positioning controls

Tom Szabo wrote:[color=blue]
> Hi,
>
> Just wondering if there are any disadvantage in absolute positioning
> controls on a page?
>
> In example instead of putting the text fields into a table to align
> properly, one would absolute position them.[/color]

CSS is great, I love it - but there are times when using it just makes
no sense. There is a big movement on-line toward using CSS to layout
pages without tables, and I am an advocate of it however using CSS to
position individual form elements is nothing I would ever be inclined to
do. Sometimes a table is just the way to go, and that more than
anything is why there are CSS elements that are designed to work with
tables.

You'll get headaches and little satisfaction trying to get it right ...

J

[Tom Szabo]

Re: Absolute positioning controls

Thanks Jas and theo,

What I need to find out is what is the most compatible (with browsers) way
of absolute positioning a TEXT field on a page?

If I have no choice but have to absolute position a text field, should I
assign the style to the field itself or wrap it with a DIV, Table or
something else?

what is likely to cause the least problem?

TIA,

Tom


"JAS" <dubyadubyaduby a@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:418d6ab8$1 _1@newspeer2.td s.net...[color=blue]
> Tom Szabo wrote:[color=green]
> > Hi,
> >
> > Just wondering if there are any disadvantage in absolute positioning
> > controls on a page?
> >
> > In example instead of putting the text fields into a table to align
> > properly, one would absolute position them.[/color]
>
> CSS is great, I love it - but there are times when using it just makes
> no sense. There is a big movement on-line toward using CSS to layout
> pages without tables, and I am an advocate of it however using CSS to
> position individual form elements is nothing I would ever be inclined to
> do. Sometimes a table is just the way to go, and that more than
> anything is why there are CSS elements that are designed to work with
> tables.
>
> You'll get headaches and little satisfaction trying to get it right ...
>
> J[/color]

[JAS]

Re: Absolute positioning controls

Tom Szabo wrote:[color=blue]
> Thanks Jas and theo,
>
> What I need to find out is what is the most compatible (with browsers) way
> of absolute positioning a TEXT field on a page?
>
> If I have no choice but have to absolute position a text field, should I
> assign the style to the field itself or wrap it with a DIV, Table or
> something else?
>
> what is likely to cause the least problem?
>
> TIA,
>
> Tom[/color]

If its just one field then there would be no need for DIV or a table,
just pop an ID="yadayada" in the actual input tag. I have never tried
it on a form element before and so I can't offer much in the way of
advice as far as the different browsers however I can't see why it would
not work. It should work for the form tag as well but I am assuming
that might be treated differently by the differing browsers.

I'd seek the council of a CSS related group.

J

[Theo]

Re: Absolute positioning controls

JAS <dubyadubyaduby a@gmail.com> wrote in
news:418d7588$1 _3@newspeer2.td s.net:
[color=blue]
> Tom Szabo wrote:[color=green]
>> Thanks Jas and theo,
>>
>> What I need to find out is what is the most compatible (with
>> browsers) way of absolute positioning a TEXT field on a page?
>>
>> If I have no choice but have to absolute position a text field,
>> should I assign the style to the field itself or wrap it with a DIV,
>> Table or something else?
>>
>> what is likely to cause the least problem?
>>
>> TIA,
>>
>> Tom[/color]
>
> If its just one field then there would be no need for DIV or a table,
> just pop an ID="yadayada" in the actual input tag. I have never tried
> it on a form element before and so I can't offer much in the way of
> advice as far as the different browsers however I can't see why it
> would not work. It should work for the form tag as well but I am
> assuming that might be treated differently by the differing browsers.
>
> I'd seek the council of a CSS related group.
>[/color]
Are there CSS only usenet groups?

Also, CSS is supposed to make webpages closer to a printed page. But its
only partially successful. With alot of work... and everyone following
agreed upon standards... it could happen. But browsers can be so
unforgiving.

Ex: one uses PNG transparency just fine, another is horrible (a problem
if used in a box with absolute positioning over other content). One
browser will not allow text with a specific size from ever being changed
by those using 'increase' and 'decrease'. Whereas another ignores
specific sizes and it can really mess up your page. One browser puts
borders on the inside of the box, the other on the outside. Different
browsers also can interpret CSS positioning differently. Kinda fustrating
and while CSS is great, it wont be ready for prime time until these guys
start following the same standards.

And people ask why web designers often make pages with only msie in
mind.....

[Warren Oates]

Re: Absolute positioning controls

In article <Xns9599BFCA4AE 24densnews123@2 16.168.3.44>,
Theo <invalid@noemai l.com> wrote:

: Different
:browsers also can interpret CSS positioning differently. Kinda fustrating
:and while CSS is great, it wont be ready for prime

If you're going to use absolute positioning, you should set your <body>
padding and margins to 0 first, then everyone's working from the same
reference point.
--
Looks like more of Texas to me.
.... Arizona, where the nights are warm and the roads are straight.

[Geoff Berrow]

Re: Absolute positioning controls

I noticed that Message-ID: <Xns9599BFCA4AE 24densnews123@2 16.168.3.44>
from Theo contained the following:
[color=blue]
>Also, CSS is supposed to make webpages closer to a printed page. But its
>only partially successful.[/color]

What? If you want a web page to look like a printed page use a .pdf

Web is NOT print and CSS is supposed to encourage that, not the other
way round

Check out the web accessibility guidelines.
--
Geoff Berrow (put thecat out to email)
It's only Usenet, no one dies.
My opinions, not the committee's, mine.
Simple RFDs http://www.ckdog.co.uk/rfdmaker/

[Tony Marston]

Re: Absolute positioning controls

Although it is generally considered *bad* to use tables where other CSS
features can provide the same (or equivalent) functionality, if you are
displaying tabular data, such as rows and columns from a database which is
what HTML tables were originally designed for, then *not* using tables is
considered to be masochistic. It is also sadistic from an accessibility
point of view when a vision-impaired visitor to your site has a browser
which renders the layout in a vocal way. How do you think such browsers
would describe tabular data which is not in a table?

Just my $0.02 worth.

--
Tony Marston

http://www.tonymarston.net

"Tom Szabo" <tom@intersoft. net.au> wrote in message
news:418d5a40$1 @dnews.tpgi.com .au...[color=blue]
> Hi,
>
> Just wondering if there are any disadvantage in absolute positioning
> controls on a page?
>
> In example instead of putting the text fields into a table to align
> properly, one would absolute position them.
>
> I understand the issue with resize, that is not a problem.
>
> Is there compatibility problem? ...like some browsers don't handle it
> well?
>
> TIA,
>
> Tom
>
>
>[/color]

[Tony Marston]

Re: Absolute positioning controls


"Theo" <invalid@noemai l.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9599BFC A4AE24densnews1 23@216.168.3.44 ...[color=blue]
> JAS <dubyadubyaduby a@gmail.com> wrote in
> news:418d7588$1 _3@newspeer2.td s.net:
>[color=green]
>> Tom Szabo wrote:[color=darkred]
>>> Thanks Jas and theo,
>>>
>>> What I need to find out is what is the most compatible (with
>>> browsers) way of absolute positioning a TEXT field on a page?
>>>
>>> If I have no choice but have to absolute position a text field,
>>> should I assign the style to the field itself or wrap it with a DIV,
>>> Table or something else?
>>>
>>> what is likely to cause the least problem?
>>>
>>> TIA,
>>>
>>> Tom[/color]
>>
>> If its just one field then there would be no need for DIV or a table,
>> just pop an ID="yadayada" in the actual input tag. I have never tried
>> it on a form element before and so I can't offer much in the way of
>> advice as far as the different browsers however I can't see why it
>> would not work. It should work for the form tag as well but I am
>> assuming that might be treated differently by the differing browsers.
>>
>> I'd seek the council of a CSS related group.
>>[/color]
> Are there CSS only usenet groups?[/color]

Yes. Check out news:comp.infos ystems.www.authoring.stylesheets

--
Tony Marston

http://www.tonymarston.net

[Theo]

Re: Absolute positioning controls

Geoff Berrow <blthecat@ckdog .co.uk> wrote in
news:s30so09t1v 842qfcejc6t8vtg hjb906l51@4ax.c om:
[color=blue]
> I noticed that Message-ID: <Xns9599BFCA4AE 24densnews123@2 16.168.3.44>
> from Theo contained the following:
>[color=green]
>>Also, CSS is supposed to make webpages closer to a printed page. But
>>its only partially successful.[/color]
>
> What? If you want a web page to look like a printed page use a .pdf
>
> Web is NOT print and CSS is supposed to encourage that, not the other
> way round
>
> Check out the web accessibility guidelines.[/color]

you are right, not a printed page, but closer to one in layout and
style. not a book or newspaper, more like a magazine with alot of
web-specific features. to me, some sites use stylesheets and go
overboard with all the bells and whistles, while others use them to make
great looking pages that have a more familiar feel to them. ;o)

[Tim Roberts]

Re: Absolute positioning controls

Geoff Berrow <blthecat@ckdog .co.uk> wrote:
[color=blue]
>I noticed that Message-ID: <Xns9599BFCA4AE 24densnews123@2 16.168.3.44>
>from Theo contained the following:
>[color=green]
>>Also, CSS is supposed to make webpages closer to a printed page. But its
>>only partially successful.[/color]
>
>What? If you want a web page to look like a printed page use a .pdf
>
>Web is NOT print and CSS is supposed to encourage that, not the other
>way round[/color]

That's just religion. HTML is about publishing. Whether the page is being
rendered to a screen or paper should be nearly irrelevant.

HTML plus CSS is probably 90% of the way to being the most flexible
general-purpose report writer ever created. With just a little more
effort, you could replace Crystal Reports with a completely open
standard-based solution.
--
- Tim Roberts, timr@probo.com
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.

[Ilija Studen]

Re: Absolute positioning controls

HTML is about content and structure
CSS is about styling
JS is about making pages interactive

CSS may be frustating in the beggining, but soon you learn all browser
problems and small hacks that helps you fix them (or avoid them).

Still, when I create a control panel with lot of forms I use tables, but
when I have some forms on front side I use pure CSS. Floating, labels
and absolute positioning do the great job when you learn a few tricks ;)

Sorry 4 poor english.