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
| Background 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 |
| Border options: |
|---|
| 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 |
| Classification options: |
|---|
| 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 |
| Dimension options: |
|---|
| 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 |
| Font options: |
|---|
| 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 |
| List options: |
|---|
| 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 |
| Margin options: |
|---|
| 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 |
| Outline options: |
|---|
| 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 |
| Padding options: |
|---|
| 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 |
| Positioning options: |
|---|
| 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 |
| Table options: |
|---|
| 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 |
| Text options: |
|---|
| 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!