[CLUE-Tech] Using CSS to get an HTML table effect.

[Jed S. Baer]

On Tue, 28 Oct 2003 21:44:08 -0700
David Anselmi <anselmi at americanisp.net> wrote:

> You can also try enclosing both divs in another div and see how its 
> properties change the flow.  Can be tricky.

Yeah. I like using CSS, but sometimes getting it just right is tricky,
even when what I'm trying to do seems pretty mundane. So I do understand
the arguments for sticking with tables. But many useful (IMHO) effects,
such as borders, are so much easier to get with CSS, than with the
table-in-a-cell using a 1px table border, or whatever. I'd rather beat on
the CSS than the table tricks.

> Although CSS2 may be poorly implemented, I don't think that's a reason 
> to avoid it.  Just test what you do on your target browsers.
> 
> I also don't think it's useful to use browser detection javascript.  If 
> you're carefull with your CSS you can get something that works on both 
> IE and Mozilla the same way.  But I'm not terribly constrained by time 
> or layout so I'm not as sensitive as some might be.

Amen, Dave. I will point out that I've seen examples of stylesheets that
have tweaks in them for IE, done in a way that they don't wreck other
browsers (used at some Moveable Type weblogs). I admire the folks who go
to that level of effort. Not that using seperate stylesheets invoked by
browser detection isn't a lot of work either, but my default is JavaScript
disabled, so it leaves me with the wrong one if the default is the IE
flavor, or sometimes none at all.

jed
-- 
... it is poor civic hygiene to install technologies that could someday
facilitate a police state. -- Bruce Schneier