If you have been following along through Blazedent's tutorials you should have a good understanding and ability to create HTML documents. And if you are familiar with HTML then you should know that it lacks alot as far as creating very pretty sites. So we're going to talk about HTML's little brother, CSS.
CSS, cascading style sheets, are associated with HTML documents. A CSS document alone does nothing, but must be used along with some other language. It is very advantageous to use CSS for many reasons. The first is that it allows you change the look of your entire site just by editting one page. It is also alot more descriptive then HTML, this is very handy if your trying to keep the same template look of your site across many different browsers. So lets begin.
Like HTML, CSS is just a plain txt file that is saved with the .css attribute. To create CSS all you need is a text editor like Wordpad or Notepad.
The first thing you should know is the HTML code used to affiliate a cascading style sheet with it. While CSS has the option of being placed in individual pages, it is much easier to administrate if you affiliate a CSS file with it.
In the <head> section of your webpage(s) you should post the link tag. The example below would be used if you are associating a CSS file that is in the same directory as your HTML page and that is named common.css.
<link rel="stylesheet" href="common.css" type="text/css">
Unlike most web oriented languages, you do not need to tell the browser that the contents in your CSS file are CSS. (Like in an HTML file where you must use the <html> tags. Another aspect of CSS is that you can easily leave comments to help identify what is what. This is done by enclosing your comments in /* here are comments */ tags. To warn the beginning CSS creator, it is really best to comment on most things in CSS files because they will quickly grow overtime and begin to get jumbled and confusing.
So CSS helps HTML look better, right? Yes, so you need to begin affiliating certain HTML tags with CSS. This can be done in two different ways. The first is through general tags. For example, if you wanted every table (<table>) to be a certain color then you could place the following code in your CSS file:
table.A {
background-color: #E5E5E5;
}
Now lets say that you want some tables to be one color and other tables another color. Well obviously you can't use the above code. In this instance you would give all table CSS describers a different class. Let's say Tables A are black and Tables B are white. Well in you HTML you will have to define the class of your tables:
<table class="A">
<table class="B">
Now to use CSS in order to define what happens in those different classes.
table.B {
background-color: #000000;
}
table.B {
background-color: #FFFFFF;
}
As you can see, classes add alot of use for CSS and HTML. The next best thing, (since you should understand CSS, classes, and how HTML can call on CSS) if for you to know all of the possibilities for CSS.
With each CSS tag, (ie. background), their are many options. An example of this would be where you set the background color (background-color), and you could also set an image as the background (background-image: url(includes/argenblue.gif);). CSS is very user friendly and easy to customize. You can literally run an entire website with hundreds of different templates for HTML pages, and do it all with one CSS.
The main thing you should be thinking now is, what other CSS tags can I use? Well, below is a table of prominent CSS commands. The notes on the right side of the tables indicate what browsers the CSS tag works with, IE: Internet Explorer, F: Firefox, and N: Netscape. The numbers in the W3C column indicate what version of CSS the tag was introduced to (tags introduced in version 2 do not work in version 1 CSS files).
Background options
Border options
Classification options
Dimension options
Font options
List options
Margin options
Outline options
Padding options
Positioning options
Table options
Text options
| Property |
Description |
Values |
IE |
F |
N |
W3C |
| background |
A shorthand property for setting all background properties in one declaration |
background-color
background-image
background-repeat background-attachment background-position |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| background-attachment |
Sets whether a background image is fixed or scrolls with
the rest of the page |
scroll
fixed |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| background-color |
Sets the background color of an element |
color-rgb
color-hex
color-name
transparent |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| background-image |
Sets an image as the background |
url
none |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| background-position |
Sets the starting position of a background image |
top left
top center
top right
center left
center center
center right
bottom left
bottom center
bottom right
x-% y-%
x-pos y-pos |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| background-repeat |
Sets if/how a background image will be repeated |
repeat
repeat-x
repeat-y
no-repeat |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| Property |
Description |
Values |
IE |
F |
N |
W3C |
| border |
A shorthand property for setting all of the properties for the four borders in one declaration |
border-width
border-style
border-color |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| border-bottom |
A shorthand property for setting all of the properties for the bottom
border in one declaration |
border-bottom-width
border-style
border-color |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| border-bottom-color |
Sets the color of the bottom border |
border-color |
4 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| border-bottom-style |
Sets the style of the bottom border |
border-style |
4 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| border-bottom-width |
Sets the width of the bottom border |
thin
medium
thick
length |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| border-color |
Sets the color of the four borders, can have from one to four colors |
color |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| border-left |
A shorthand property for setting all of the properties for the left
border in one declaration |
border-left-width
border-style
border-color |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| border-left-color |
Sets the color of the left border |
border-color |
4 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| border-left-style |
Sets the style of the left border |
border-style |
4 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| border-left-width |
Sets the width of the left border |
thin
medium
thick
length |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| border-right |
A shorthand property for setting all of the properties for the right
border in one declaration |
border-right-width
border-style
border-color |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| border-right-color |
Sets the color of the right border |
border-color |
4 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| border-right-style |
Sets the style of the right border |
border-style |
4 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| border-right-width |
Sets the width of the right border |
thin
medium
thick
length |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| border-style |
Sets the style of the four borders, can have from one to four styles |
none
hidden
dotted
dashed
solid
double
groove
ridge
inset
outset |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| border-top |
A shorthand property for setting all of the properties for the top border in one declaration |
border-top-width
border-style
border-color |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| border-top-color |
Sets the color of the top border |
border-color |
4 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| border-top-style |
Sets the style of the top border |
border-style |
4 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| border-top-width |
Sets the width of the top border |
thin
medium
thick
length |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| border-width |
A shorthand property for setting the width of the
four borders in one declaration, can have from one to four values |
thin
medium
thick
length |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| Property |
Description |
Values |
IE |
F |
N |
W3C |
| clear |
Sets the sides of an element where other floating elements are not allowed |
left
right
both
none |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| cursor |
Specifies the type of cursor to be displayed |
url
auto
crosshair
default
pointer
move
e-resize
ne-resize
nw-resize
n-resize
se-resize
sw-resize
s-resize
w-resize
text
wait
help |
4 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| display |
Sets how/if an element is displayed |
none
inline
block
list-item
run-in
compact
marker
table
inline-table
table-row-group
table-header-group
table-footer-group
table-row
table-column-group
table-column
table-cell
table-caption |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| float |
Sets where an image or a text will appear in another element |
left
right
none |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| position |
Places an element in a static, relative, absolute or fixed position |
static
relative
absolute
fixed |
4 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
| visibility |
Sets if an element should be visible or invisible |
visible
hidden
collapse |
4 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| Property |
Description |
Values |
IE |
F |
N |
W3C |
| height |
Sets the height of an element |
auto
length
% |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| line-height |
Sets the distance between lines |
normal
number
length
% |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| max-height |
Sets the maximum height of an element |
none
length
% |
- |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| max-width |
Sets the maximum width of an element |
none
length
% |
- |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| min-height |
Sets the minimum height of an element |
length
% |
- |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| min-width |
Sets the minimum width of an element |
length
% |
- |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| width |
Sets the width of an element |
auto
%
length |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| Property |
Description |
Values |
IE |
F |
N |
W3C |
font
|
A shorthand property for setting all of the properties for
a font in one declaration |
font-style
font-variant
font-weight
font-size/line-height
font-family
caption
icon
menu
message-box
small-caption
status-bar |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
font-family
|
A prioritized list of font family names and/or generic
family names for an element |
family-name
generic-family |
3 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
font-size
|
Sets the size of a font |
xx-small
x-small
small
medium
large
x-large
xx-large
smaller
larger
length
% |
3 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| font-size-adjust
|
Specifies an aspect value for an element that will preserve
the x-height of the first-choice font |
none
number |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
| font-stretch
|
Condenses or expands the current font-family |
normal
wider
narrower
ultra-condensed
extra-condensed
condensed
semi-condensed
semi-expanded
expanded
extra-expanded
ultra-expanded |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
font-style
|
Sets the style of the font |
normal
italic
oblique |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
font-variant
|
Displays text in a small-caps font or a normal font |
normal
small-caps |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
font-weight
|
Sets the weight of a font |
normal
bold
bolder
lighter
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900 |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| Property |
Description |
Values |
IE |
F |
N |
W3C |
| list-style |
A shorthand property for setting all of the properties for
a list in one declaration |
list-style-type
list-style-position
list-style-image |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| list-style-image |
Sets an image as the list-item marker |
none
url |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| list-style-position |
Sets where the list-item marker is placed in the list |
inside
outside |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| list-style-type |
Sets the type of the list-item marker |
none
disc
circle
square
decimal
decimal-leading-zero
lower-roman
upper-roman
lower-alpha
upper-alpha
lower-greek
lower-latin
upper-latin
hebrew
armenian
georgian
cjk-ideographic
hiragana
katakana
hiragana-iroha
katakana-iroha |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| marker-offset |
|
auto
length |
|
1 |
7 |
2 |
| Property |
Description |
Values |
IE |
F |
N |
W3C |
| margin
|
A shorthand property for setting the margin properties in
one declaration |
margin-top
margin-right
margin-bottom
margin-left |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
|
margin-bottom
|
Sets the bottom margin of an element |
auto
length
% |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
|
margin-left
|
Sets the left margin of an element |
auto
length
% |
3 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
|
margin-right
|
Sets the right margin of an element |
auto
length
% |
3 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| margin-top
|
Sets the top margin of an element |
auto
length
% |
3 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| Property |
Description |
Values |
IE |
F |
N |
W3C |
| outline
|
A shorthand property for setting all the outline properties in
one declaration |
outline-color
outline-style
outline-width |
- |
1.5 |
- |
2 |
| outline-color
|
Sets the color of the outline around an element |
color
invert |
- |
1.5 |
- |
2 |
|
outline-style
|
Sets the style of the outline around an element |
none
dotted
dashed
solid
double
groove
ridge
inset
outset |
- |
1.5 |
- |
2 |
|
outline-width
|
Sets the width of the outline around an element |
thin
medium
thick
length |
- |
1.5 |
- |
2 |
| Property |
Description |
Values |
IE |
F |
N |
W3C |
| padding |
A shorthand property for setting all of the padding properties in
one declaration |
padding-top
padding-right
padding-bottom
padding-left |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
|
padding-bottom
|
Sets the bottom padding of an element |
length
% |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
|
padding-left
|
Sets the left padding of an element |
length
% |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
|
padding-right
|
Sets the right padding of an element |
length
% |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| padding-top |
Sets the top padding of an element |
length
% |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| Property |
Description |
Values |
IE |
F |
N |
W3C |
| bottom |
Sets how far the bottom edge of an element is above/below the
bottom edge of the parent element |
auto
%
length |
5 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| clip |
Sets the shape of an element. The element is clipped into
this shape, and displayed |
shape
auto |
4 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| left |
Sets how far the left edge of an element is to the right/left of
the left edge of the parent element |
auto
%
length |
4 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
overflow
|
Sets what happens if the content of an element overflow its
area |
visible
hidden
scroll
auto |
4 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| position |
Places an element in a static, relative, absolute or fixed position |
static
relative
absolute
fixed |
4 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
| right |
Sets how far the right edge of an element is to the left/right of
the right edge of the parent element |
auto
%
length |
5 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| top |
Sets how far the top edge of an element is above/below the
top edge of the parent element |
auto
%
length |
4 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
| vertical-align |
Sets the vertical alignment of an element |
baseline
sub
super
top
text-top
middle
bottom
text-bottom
length
% |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| z-index |
Sets the stack order of an element |
auto
number |
4 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| Property |
Description |
Values |
IE |
F |
N |
W3C |
| border-collapse |
Sets the border model of a table |
collapse
separate |
5 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
| border-spacing |
Sets the distance between the borders of adjacent cells
(only for the "separated borders" model) |
length length |
- |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| caption-side
|
Sets the position of the caption according to the table |
top
bottom
left
right |
- |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| empty-cells
|
Sets whether cells with no visible content should have borders or not (only
for the "separated borders" model) |
show
hide |
- |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| table-layout
|
Sets the algorithm used to lay out the table |
auto
fixed |
5 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| Property |
Description |
Values |
IE |
F |
N |
W3C |
| color |
Sets the color of a text |
color |
3 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| direction |
Sets the text direction |
ltr
rtl |
6 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
| letter-spacing |
Increase or decrease the space between characters |
normal
length |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
| text-align |
Aligns the text in an element |
left
right
center
justify |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| text-decoration |
Adds decoration to text |
none
underline
overline
line-through
blink |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| text-indent |
Indents the first line of text in an element |
length
% |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| text-shadow |
|
none
color
length |
|
|
|
|
| text-transform |
Controls the letters in an element |
none
capitalize
uppercase
lowercase |
4 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| unicode-bidi |
|
normal
embed
bidi-override |
5 |
|
|
2 |
| white-space |
Sets how white space inside an element is handled |
normal
pre
nowrap |
5 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| word-spacing |
Increase or decrease the space between words |
normal
length |
6 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
Remember that the above CSS commands can be used for alot more than just tables. They can be used in association with <a (href="index.html")>, <p> tags, <br>, <font>, etc. The best thing to do is begin playing with CSS and so that you can visually see what the different CSS tags can do. Have fun!
- Joseph Lookabaugh
