"Applebrown" <applebrown@gamebanshee.takethis.andthisout.com> wrote:[color=blue]
>"Steve Pugh" <steve@pugh.net> wrote in message
>news:id6ub0dvecstvgnnac674cjq8desukpq57@4ax.com.. .[color=green]
>> "Applebrown" <applebrown@gamebanshee.takethis.andthisout.com> wrote:[color=darkred]
>> >"Steve Pugh" <steve@pugh.net> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> This is normal behaviour in IE. If you click on a link and the go back
>> >> the link is still in the active state (hence any :active styles will
>> >> apply). At least some version of Opera behave the same way, Gecko and
>> >> other browsers do not.
>> >
>> >Is there a workaround for it? I'd rather that it works as intended.[/color]
>>
>> No. It is working as intended by the browser manufacturer. The only
>> way around is to not use IE or Opera as your browser. Users of those
>> browsers are presumably used to it working this way and don't have any
>> problem with it.[/color]
>
>You are implying that because it was intended there cannot be a workaround.[/color]
It is such a basic part of how the browser works, and completely
outside of the scope of CSS, that there will be no CSS workaround. You
may be able to do something with JavaScript (i.e. when the page loads,
put the focus on another element) but you need to be careful of making
the situation worse (i.e. substituting a real usability problem for a
trivial visual effect).
[color=blue]
>Are you saying they intended it that way merely because it's worked that way
>for a long time?[/color]
No. I'm saying that it was intended to work that way. Certainly in the
case of Opera this is true. Opera works on a 'fast' back functionality
which returns users to the page in exactly the same state it was in
when they left it. I wouldn't want to guess whether Microsoft's
reasoning is the same.
[color=blue]
>There are often, I dare say usually, workarounds or hacks,
>whether the manufacturer intends a behavior or not.[/color]
Set :active to be the same as :link. It is much more important to
ensure that :link and :visited are different (which you fail to do).
Or add onfocus="blur()" to the links. That way the :active style will
never be used and the dotted focus rectangle will never be seen. But
keyboard users will have a hard time using your site. Again you've
swapped a minor visual difference for a real problem. (The
non-standard hidefocus attribute is more accessible but only gets rid
of the focus rectangle, not the styles).
[color=blue]
>I'm a long-time user of
>IE and a) have not noticed this before (- perhaps as a user I did not think
>of it,[/color]
Exacty my point. Why do you think any of the visitors to your site
will notice it?
[color=blue]
>and as a designer I do), and b) I do have a problem with it on my
>website, so you presume incorrectly.[/color]
You can use Mozilla, then you no longer need be bothered by it.
Problem solved.
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>> >> You've set the line-height for the parent element to 1px. So there
>> >> links are only 1px tall. The spacer gifs you've included spill outside
>> >> of the line box but the background image is only applied to the <a>
>> >> element itself which is constrained to the line box.
>> >
>> >Thanks, I'm sure that explains it, but how do I fix it in FireFox and why
>> >does it work in IE?[/color]
>>
>> Not just Gecko, Opera also displays only part of the image (though
>> more than 1px, possibly due to my minimum font-size setting).
>>
>> Take out the line-height: 1px; and set the height of the <a> elements
>> to the height of the background image. You may need to tweak a few
>> other things as well.[/color]
>
>Thanks. Line-height wasn't the culprit though.
>I had to add "font-size: 35px" to all the links and it worked.[/color]
As line-height and font-size are both used in determining the height
of a line box (and in a rather complex fashion) it's not a simple case
of either/or.
Steve
--
"My theories appal you, my heresies outrage you,
I never answer letters and you don't like my tie." - The Doctor
Steve Pugh <steve@pugh.net> <http://steve.pugh.net/>
