Discuss: Multi-Column Layouts Climb Out of the Box
by Alan Pearce
- Editorial Comments
132 aargh - sorry about the messed up formatting
The preview looked fine I swear! Here’s another try with code tagging:
Here’s an alternative way to use negative margins to get a three-column layout. I’ve used the example HTML from this article, but note the CSS methods used for layout are quite different, using padding on an “inner wrapper” div within the center rather than borders.
Three questions:
Do you see a problem with using this method as the basis for a fully fleshed out three-column layout?
Have you seen it used as such before, and if so, can you point to further examples or information on the technique? (side note, if not, I christen it the “Kapok” method since it uses padding <g>
andCan you point to “tried and true” three-column layout techniques robust enough for a CMS-driven site where users are contributing unpredictable content that may disrupt a fragile layout?
I’ve set the code up in three stages like a howto, so that newbies can easily see the logic behind it.
Stage 1:
[code]
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC “-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN”
“http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd”>
<html>
<head>
<title>3 columns, liquid center</title>
<style type=“text/css”>
body{
margin:0;
padding:0;
}
#container{
background-color:#0ff;
float:left;
width:100%;
display:inline; /* So IE plays nice */
}
#leftRail{
background-color:gray;
float:left;
width:150px;
position:relative;
height:300px;
}
#center{
background-color:yellow;
float:left;
width:100%;
height:300px;
}
#rightRail{
background-color:green;
float:right;
width:200px;
position:relative;
height:300px;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div id=“container”>
<div id=“center”>
<div id=“articles”>Center Column Content</div>
</div>
<div id=“leftRail”>Left
Rail</div>
<div id=“rightRail”>Right Rail</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
[/code]
Stage 2:
add:
[code]
#articles{
padding:0 200px 0 150px;
}
[/code]
Stage 3:
add:
[code]
margin-right:-100%;
[/code]
to the ruleset for the #center div
Here’s my explanation for how the negative margin works, please let me know if I’m off base:
By setting a negative margin equal to the width, the float rules act as if this div has no width at all, allowing the following floated boxes to overlap it.
Thanks for your time and attention, and hope someone finds this helpful, or at least interesting. . .
posted at 03:26 pm on July 8, 2008 by Hans Bangkok
133 it can't work in asp.net masterpage
first, thanks to help me climb out oft the box
————————————————————————
i try to use it in asp.net
in file MasterPage.master
it can’t work
it can’t display like you in design page but
it cant preview in ie 7.0+ only
help me pls.
posted at 01:58 pm on July 14, 2008 by ohyeah hussakum
134 Equal height column ok. But unequal column content
The solution is the multiple column proportional synchronized scrolling layout!
The SLIRK Layout.
posted at 01:24 am on July 26, 2008 by Angelo Amoroso
135 Thank you!
great article indeed!
I tested it with some odl browsers and yeah – it is not taht good but who cares? Just look at the recent stats of what users use and you’ll find that IE 6 is the oldest while IE 7 and FF are two equal leaders.
posted at 10:24 pm on August 12, 2008 by Mikele C
136 Untitled
Brilliant! I was trying to figure out how to do a three column, equal height layout just last night, and though I hacked out a decent idea, the one in this article is so much simpler. Thanks!
posted at 10:38 pm on August 13, 2008 by Joe Kent
137 Can't seem to get the colums right
Working on a website for our local volunteer fire department, and just can’t seem to get the columns right. Site looks okay in IE7 with the use of a few
‘s, etc., but not okay in Firefox and Opera. And Safari is way off. All I know about using this type layout came from your website.
Website url http://www.jwgmg.com/TSVFD/index1.html
CSS url http://www.jwgmg.com/TSVFD/styles/style.css
posted at 02:52 am on January 4, 2009 by John Grafflin
138 Centering the Output ?
I have found this solution useful in getting my site done the way I want. Now, the only thing left is to figure out how to center the entire layout in the middle of the screen, versus having it align to the left edge of the screen. Any thoughts?
posted at 04:23 pm on June 24, 2009 by Victor
139
You can have a look as well at [url=“http://www.extendstudio.com/product/tableless-css-layouts-for-dreamweaver.html”]Flexi CSS Layouts[/url] – a Dreamweaver Extension that help you create Css layouts in Dreaweaver without coding.
posted at 06:56 am on September 17, 2010 by cdorob
140 Works for me
Thanks for the article! I was really floundering in a sea of div’s, floats, and classes. I incorporated your model and got the alignment I needed.
posted at 10:14 am on April 10, 2012 by mjstelly
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131 Unnecessary rule?
In working my way through the code in the “Three-column liquid layouts” section, I can’t figure out what this rule is supposed to do, unless it’s to accommodate a particular browser:
#container{ margin-right:-200px; }
The layout doesn’t seem to change (at least visibly) if it’s taken out.
And the site I’m working on will need borders around the sidebars, can y’all recommend a solid “holy grail” alternative?
posted at 10:27 am on July 4, 2008 by Hans Bangkok