negative indent for paragraph

[Xah Lee]

is there a way to do negative indent for paragraphs, as in a dialogues?
(i.e. in Microsoft word, drag the top margin triangle to the left,
bottom to the right, then press tab after each person's name)

here's a rather a hack after some 20 minutes diddling.

<style type="text/css">
p.dg {margin-top:5px; margin-bottom:5px;}
</style>

<div style="background-color:yellow; padding:1ex;">
<div style="text-indent:-7ex; margin-left:7ex;">
<p class="dg">Ursula: Have we got a deal?</p>
<p class="dg">Ariel: If I become human, I'll never be with my father or
sisters again.</p>
<p class="dg">Ursula: But you'll have your man. Life's full of tough
choices, isn't? Oh — and there is one more thing. We haven't
discussed the subject of payment.</p>
<p class="dg">Ariel: But I don't have any —</p>
<p class="dg">Ursula: I'm not asking much. Just a token, really, a
trifle. What I want from you is... your voice.</p>
<p class="dg">Ariel: But without my voice, how can I —</p>
<p class="dg">Ursula: You'll have your looks! Your pretty face! And
don't underestimate the importance of body language! Ha!</p>
</div>
</div>

Xah
xa*@xahlee.org
∑ http://xahlee.org/

[Els]

Xah Lee wrote:

is there a way to do negative indent for paragraphs, as in a dialogues?
(i.e. in Microsoft word, drag the top margin triangle to the left,
bottom to the right, then press tab after each person's name)

here's a rather a hack after some 20 minutes diddling.
I've never tried to do something like that, but it looks like a decent
method to me. Have you tried it cross browser?
<style type="text/css">
p.dg {margin-top:5px; margin-bottom:5px;}
</style>

<div style="background-color:yellow; padding:1ex;">
<div style="text-indent:-7ex; margin-left:7ex;">
<p class="dg">Ursula: Have we got a deal?</p>
<p class="dg">Ariel: If I become human, I'll never be with my father or
sisters again.</p>
<p class="dg">Ursula: But you'll have your man. Life's full of tough
choices, isn't? Oh — and there is one more thing. We haven't
discussed the subject of payment.</p>
<p class="dg">Ariel: But I don't have any —</p>
<p class="dg">Ursula: I'm not asking much. Just a token, really, a
trifle. What I want from you is... your voice.</p>
<p class="dg">Ariel: But without my voice, how can I —</p>
<p class="dg">Ursula: You'll have your looks! Your pretty face! And
don't underestimate the importance of body language! Ha!</p>
</div>
</div>

There is no need for those classes on the <p> elements.
Just transfer that inline style to the stylesheet, using a class, and
refer to the p elements thus:
div.dg{text-indent:-7ex; margin-left:7ex;}
div.dg p{margin-top:5px; margin-bottom:5px;}

A lot less code if you have many of those dialogues too.

--
Els http://locusmeus.com/
Sonhos vem. Sonhos vão. O resto é imperfeito.
- Renato Russo -
Now playing: Flash And The Pan - Midnight Man

[Els]

Els wrote:

Xah Lee wrote:

is there a way to do negative indent for paragraphs, as in a dialogues?
(i.e. in Microsoft word, drag the top margin triangle to the left,
bottom to the right, then press tab after each person's name)

here's a rather a hack after some 20 minutes diddling.
I've never tried to do something like that, but it looks like a decent
method to me. Have you tried it cross browser?

<style type="text/css">
p.dg {margin-top:5px; margin-bottom:5px;}
</style>

<div style="background-color:yellow; padding:1ex;">
<div style="text-indent:-7ex; margin-left:7ex;">
<p class="dg">Ursula: Have we got a deal?</p>
<p class="dg">Ariel: If I become human, I'll never be with my father or
sisters again.</p>
<p class="dg">Ursula: But you'll have your man. Life's full of tough
choices, isn't? Oh — and there is one more thing. We haven't
discussed the subject of payment.</p>
<p class="dg">Ariel: But I don't have any —</p>
<p class="dg">Ursula: I'm not asking much. Just a token, really, a
trifle. What I want from you is... your voice.</p>
<p class="dg">Ariel: But without my voice, how can I —</p>
<p class="dg">Ursula: You'll have your looks! Your pretty face! And
don't underestimate the importance of body language! Ha!</p>
</div>
</div>

There is no need for those classes on the <p> elements.
Just transfer that inline style

*on the div*. that inline style on the containing div I meant :\ to the stylesheet, using a class, and
refer to the p elements thus:
div.dg{text-indent:-7ex; margin-left:7ex;}
div.dg p{margin-top:5px; margin-bottom:5px;}

A lot less code if you have many of those dialogues too.

--
Els http://locusmeus.com/
Sonhos vem. Sonhos vão. O resto é imperfeito.
- Renato Russo -
Now playing: Falco - Jeanny