untitled

Table of Contents xvii

• Introduction ................................................................


• Part I: The ABCs of CSS .............................................


• Chapter 1: CSS Fulfills a Promise ...................................................................................


• Chapter 2: Getting Results with CSS ............................................................................


• Chapter 3: Up and Running with Selectors ..................................................................


• Part II: Looking Good with CSS ...................................


• Chapter 4: Taking a Position ..........................................................................................


• Chapter 5: All About Text ..............................................................................................


• Chapter 6: Managing Details in Style Sheets ..............................................................


• Chapter 7: Styling It Your Way .....................................................................................


• with CSS ................................................................. Part III: Adding Artistry: Design and Composition


• Chapter 8: Web Design Basics ......................................................................................


• Chapter 9: Spacing Out with Boxes .............................................................................


• Chapter 10: Organizing Your Web Pages Visually ....................................................


• Chapter 11: Designing with Auto and Inline Elements ..............................................
  
  
  • (And Doing Away with Tables) .................................................................................. Chapter 12: Handling Tables and Lists
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 13: Creating Dramatic Visual Effects ............................................................


• Part IV: Advanced CSS Techniques ............................


• Chapter 14: Specializing in Selection ..........................................................................


• Chapter 15: CSS Moves into the Future ......................................................................


• Chapter 16: Programmatic CSS ....................................................................................


• Chapter 17: Testing and Debugging ............................................................................


• Part V: The Part of Tens ...........................................


• Chapter 18: Ten Great CSS Tips and Tricks ................................................................
  
  
  • (But Are Important) .................................................................................................... Chapter 19: Ten Topics That Don’t Fit Elsewhere in the Book
  
  
  
  


• Index .......................................................................


• Introduction ..................................................................
  
  
  • Creating Compelling Designs .........................................................................
  
  
  • Separating Content from Style .......................................................................
  
  
  • Benefiting from the Cascade ..........................................................................
  
  
  • The End of the Browser Wars ........................................................................
  
  
  • Who Should Read This Book .........................................................................
    
    
    • and developers alike ......................................................................... For designers, would-be designers, programmers,
    
    
    • Making do in a shaky economy ...........................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Plain, Clear English .........................................................................................
  
  
  • How to Use This Book ....................................................................................
  
  
  • Foolish Assumptions ......................................................................................
  
  
  • How This Book Is Organized ..........................................................................
    
    
    • Part I: The ABCs of CSS .........................................................................
    
    
    • Part II: Looking Good with CSS ............................................................
    
    
    • Part III: Adding Artistry: Design and Composition with CSS ............
    
    
    • Part IV: Advanced CSS Techniques ...................................................
    
    
    • Part V: The Part of Tens ......................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Conventions Used in This Book ..................................................................
    
    
    • Special symbols ...................................................................................
    
    
    • Avoid typos: find all the code online ................................................
    
    
    • What you need to get started ............................................................
    
    
    • Icons used in this book .......................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Part I: The ABCs of CSS ..............................................
  
  
  • Chapter 1: CSS Fulfills a Promise.
    
    
    • Improving HTML ...........................................................................................
    
    
    • Getting Efficient with CSS .............................................................................
      
      
      • Changing Web design for the better .................................................
      
      
      • Being ready for anything ....................................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Designers Want to Design ............................................................................
    
    
    • Where CSS Fits with the Tools You Already Use .......................................
    
    
    • Getting Practical ............................................................................................
      
      
      • Look for CSS features in your current software ..............................
      
      
      • Resources on the Web ........................................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Avoiding Browser Compatibility Problems ................................................
    
    
    • Getting Dramatic with Filters .......................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Chapter 2: Getting Results with CSS.
    
    
    • Starting from Scratch ....................................................................................
    
    
    • Selectors and Such: CSS Syntax ...................................................................
      
      
      • Properties refer to attributes .............................................................
      
      
      • Grouping ...............................................................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Showing Some Class .....................................................................................
    
    
    • Specifying All-Purpose Properties ..............................................................
    
    
    • Using an ID Selector ......................................................................................
      
      
      • Specifying more than one class .........................................................
      
      
      • Capitalizing on case-sensitivity .........................................................
      
      
      • Just stay in lowercase .........................................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • When Styles Cascade ....................................................................................
      
      
      • Visualizing specificity .........................................................................
      
      
      • Understanding CSS specificity ...........................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Grasping Inheritance ....................................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Chapter 3: Up and Running with Selectors.
    
    
    • Working with Universal Selectors ...............................................................
    
    
    • Using Multiple Declarations .........................................................................
    
    
    • Using Attributes as Selectors ......................................................................
    
    
    • The Simplest Attribute Selector ..................................................................
      
      
      • Matching attribute selection types ...................................................
      
      
      • Matching partial attribute values ......................................................
      
      
      • Matching exact attribute values ........................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Building Your First Style Sheet ....................................................................
      
      
      • Transforming a Word document into a Web page ...........................
      
      
      • Visualizing levels of specificity ..........................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Creating an External Cascading Style Sheet ..............................................
      
      
      • The importance of !Important ...........................................................
      
      
      • The importance of being closest .......................................................
      
      
      • Omit semicolons ..................................................................................
      
      
      • Everything must be important ..........................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Adding New Selectors ...................................................................................
    
    
    • When Cascades Collide ................................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Part II: Looking Good with CSS ...................................
  
  
  • Chapter 4: Taking a Position.
    
    
    • Relativity Explained ......................................................................................
    
    
    • Flow Versus Positioning, Floating Versus Coordinates ............................
    
    
    • Controlling Layout with Offsetting .............................................................
    
    
    • Moving Deeper into Positioning ..................................................................
    
    
    • Stacking Elements on Top of Each Other with the Z-Axis ........................
    
    
    • Combining Stacking with Translucence .....................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 5: All About Text.
  
  
  • Thinking About User Interfaces ..................................................................
  
  
  • Substituting Fonts .........................................................................................
  
  
  • Types of Type ................................................................................................
    
    
    • Avoiding monospace ...........................................................................
    
    
    • Using system styles .............................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • All Roads Lead to Rome ...............................................................................
    
    
    • Simplicity above all .............................................................................
    
    
    • When you’re not too picky about typeface .....................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Using Font Variants .......................................................................................
  
  
  • Specifying Font Weight .................................................................................
  
  
  • Using the Font-Variant for Small Caps ........................................................
  
  
  • Simple Font-Style ...........................................................................................
  
  
  • Choosing the Right Typeface Size ...............................................................
    
    
    • Specifying relative sizes ......................................................................
    
    
    • Controlling font size with greater precision ....................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Specifying Absolute Measured Sizes ..........................................................
  
  
  • Font: The All-Purpose Property .................................................................
  
  
  • Adjusting Line Height .................................................................................
  
  
  • Decorating Text with Underlining and Strikethrough ............................
  
  
  • Transforming Text with Capitalization .....................................................
  
  
  • Shading with Drop-Shadowing ...................................................................
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 6: Managing Details in Style Sheets.
  
  
  • Specifying Size and Position ......................................................................
    
    
    • Measuring length ...............................................................................
    
    
    • Understanding little em ....................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Figuring the Percentages ............................................................................
  
  
  • Adding a Bit of Color ...................................................................................
    
    
    • Creating special paragraph styles ...................................................
    
    
    • Calculating color ...............................................................................
    
    
    • Using the color list ............................................................................
    
    
    • Coloring borders ...............................................................................
    
    
    • Using inset border colors .................................................................
    
    
    • Where does light come from? ..........................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Coloring the Background ...........................................................................
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 7: Styling It Your Way.
  
  
  • Kerning for Better Headlines .....................................................................
    
    
    • True kerning .......................................................................................
    
    
    • Ultra kerning ......................................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Vertical Tightening ......................................................................................
    
    
    • Adjusting percentages ......................................................................
    
    
    • Understanding baselines ..................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • CSS3 Introduces Kerning Mode .................................................................
    
    
    • Word spacing ...............................................................................................
    
    
    • Aligning Text ................................................................................................
      
      
      • Vertical aligning .................................................................................
      
      
      • Using descriptive values ..................................................................
      
      
      • Aligning by percentages ...................................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Horizontal Alignment ..................................................................................
    
    
    • Indenting Text ..............................................................................................
    
    
    • Texturing ......................................................................................................
    
    
    • Setting Individual Background Properties ...............................................
      
      
      • No background inheritance ..............................................................
      
      
      • Special repeats ...................................................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Background Positioning .............................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Composition with CSS ............................................... Part III: Adding Artistry: Design and
  
  
  • Chapter 8: Web Design Basics.
    
    
    • Organizing with White Space .....................................................................
      
      
      • Take a second look ............................................................................
      
      
      • Getting on balance ............................................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Emphasizing an Object with Silhouetting ................................................
    
    
    • Adding Drop Caps .......................................................................................
    
    
    • Trapping White Space ................................................................................
    
    
    • Following the Rule of Thirds ......................................................................
      
      
      • The four hot spots .............................................................................
      
      
      • Background image positioning ........................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Keeping It Appropriate ...............................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Chapter 9: Spacing Out with Boxes.
    
    
    • Getting a Grip on Boxes ..............................................................................
      
      
      • Adding a border .................................................................................
      
      
      • Adding padding .................................................................................
      
      
      • Adding a margin .................................................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Vertical Positioning .....................................................................................
    
    
    • Horizontal Positioning ................................................................................
    
    
    • Breaking Up Text with Horizontal Lines ...................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Chapter 10: Organizing Your Web Pages Visually.
    
    
    • Managing Borders .......................................................................................
      
      
      • Specifying a simple border ...............................................................
      
      
      • Choosing from lotsa border styles ..................................................
      
      
      • Mixing and matching styles .............................................................
      
      
      • Specifying border width ...................................................................
      
      
      • Coloring a border ..............................................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Floating About .............................................................................................
    
    
    • Canceling a Float with Clear ......................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Chapter 11: Designing with Auto and Inline Elements.
    
    
    • Employing Auto to Control Layout ...........................................................
      
      
      • Specifying margins ............................................................................
      
      
      • Centering ............................................................................................
      
      
      • Using !DOCTYPE to force IE to comply ...........................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Vertical Positioning with Auto ...................................................................
    
    
    • Handling Inline Elements ............................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Away with Tables). Chapter 12: Handling Tables and Lists (And Doing
    
    
    • List Styles O’ Plenty ....................................................................................
      
      
      • Getting exotic with the list-style-image property ..........................
      
      
      • Positioning lists .................................................................................
      
      
      • Putting it all together ........................................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Managing Tables ..........................................................................................
      
      
      • Stalking invisible .gifs ........................................................................
      
      
      • Employing the table-layout property .............................................
      
      
      • Avoiding properties not supported by IE .......................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Doing Without Tables .................................................................................
      
      
      • Positioning where you will ...............................................................
      
      
      • Placing content willy-nilly ................................................................
      
      
      • Loving your layout a little too much ...............................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Creating Columns that Resize with the Browser .....................................
    
    
    • Building Fixed Columns ..............................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Chapter 13: Creating Dramatic Visual Effects.
    
    
    • Impressing with Static Filters ...................................................................
    
    
    • Dazzling with Transition Filters ................................................................
    
    
    • Fading Between Images ..............................................................................
    
    
    • Transitions between Pages ........................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Part IV: Advanced CSS Techniques ............................
  
  
  • Chapter 14: Specializing in Selection.
    
    
    • Getting Specific with Inheritance ..............................................................
      
      
      • Grasping tree structure ....................................................................
      
      
      • Parents versus ancestors .................................................................
      
      
      • When a root sits above the tree ......................................................
      
      
      • The shaky tree ...................................................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Offspring Inheriting .....................................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Contextual Selectors ...................................................................................
    
    
    • Selecting by context rather than grouping ....................................
    
    
    • Descending deeper ............................................................................
    
    
    • Styling distant descendants .............................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Thwarting Descendant Selectors ..............................................................
  
  
  • Selectors Using Attributes .........................................................................
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 15: CSS Moves into the Future.
  
  
  • Getting to Know CSS3 .................................................................................
    
    
    • Working with Mozilla-supported CSS3 features .............................
    
    
    • Setting opacity ...................................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Discovering False Pseudo-Classes ............................................................
    
    
    • Hyperlink formatting with pseudo-classes ....................................
    
    
    • Hovering with pseudo-classes .........................................................
    
    
    • Adding your own class name to a pseudo-class ............................
    
    
    • Selecting first children ......................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Employing Fake Pseudo-Elements ............................................................
    
    
    • Creating quick drop caps with first-letter ......................................
    
    
    • Using the first-line element for special lines of text ......................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • The Future of Pseudo .................................................................................
    
    
    • Enabling, disabling ............................................................................
    
    
    • Checking radio buttons and check boxes ......................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Figuring Out Dubious Descendant Selectors ...........................................
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 16: Programmatic CSS.
  
  
  • Extending CSS with Scripting .....................................................................
  
  
  • Executing Scripts Automatically upon Loading ......................................
  
  
  • Using the Right Tools for the Job ..............................................................
  
  
  • Modifying CSS Styles through Programming ...........................................
    
    
    • Changing styles ..................................................................................
    
    
    • Changing the rules ............................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Timing Things Right ....................................................................................
    
    
    • Grasping countdown timers ............................................................
    
    
    • Employing metronome timers .........................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Chapter 17: Testing and Debugging.
  
  
  • Checking Punctuation .................................................................................
  
  
  • Validating Your Work ..................................................................................
  
  
  • Ignoring Fringe Browsers ...........................................................................
    
    
    • Going back in time .............................................................................
    
    
    • What if you must consider compatibility? .....................................
    
    
    • Checking compatibility charts .........................................................
    
    
    • Sniffing browsers ...............................................................................
    
    
    • Forcing users to upgrade ..................................................................
    
    
    • Trying Out the W3C Validator ...................................................................
      
      
      • Hoping for helpful error messages ..................................................
      
      
      • Identifying property value problems ..............................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Validating HTML ..........................................................................................
      
      
      • Meeting some requirements ............................................................
      
      
      • Finding a better bug trap ..................................................................
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Debugging Script .........................................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Part V: The Part of Tens ............................................
  
  
  • Chapter 18: Ten Great CSS Tips and Tricks.
    
    
    • Letting Users Control Font Size .................................................................
    
    
    • Making Sure Your Borders Show Up .........................................................
    
    
    • Watching Out for Color Clash ....................................................................
    
    
    • Centering for Everyone ..............................................................................
    
    
    • Timing Blurring and Other Effects ............................................................
    
    
    • Debugging Script .........................................................................................
    
    
    • Finding a List Apart (Get It?) .....................................................................
    
    
    • Using Your Own Bullets in Lists ................................................................
    
    
    • Specifying Graphics Locations ..................................................................
    
    
    • Combining Classes ......................................................................................
    
    
    • Aunt Mildred’s Glazed Carrots ..................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • (But Are Important). Chapter 19: Ten Topics That Don’t Fit Elsewhere in the Book
    
    
    • Keeping Current via the Internet ...............................................................
    
    
    • Upgrading HTML Web Pages to CSS .........................................................
    
    
    • Finding Good Tutorials and Reference Information ...............................
    
    
    • Remembering Inheritance ..........................................................................
    
    
    • The SelectORacle: Getting Explanations About Complicated Rules ....
    
    
    • Providing Alternatives ................................................................................
    
    
    • Letting the User Decide ..............................................................................
    
    
    • Exploring Visual Studio ..............................................................................
    
    
    • Rediscovering Columns ..............................................................................
    
    
    • Playing with Positions ................................................................................
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Index ........................................................................