On 11/10/04 6:38 PM, "Kenneth Feldman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> I'm trying to convert a site ( laid out with tables and using points and >> pixels for font-sizing ) into full Web Standards. >> >> The old home page is at http://www.weedsbluemountains.org.au/index.htm >> This uses tables and absolute font sizes. >> >> The rebuilt home page is at http://www.weedsbluemountains.org.au/default.htm >> This uses CSS for layout and relative font sizes. >> >> I'm very pleased with the conversion which displays perfectly in IE6, Firefox >> 0.8 and Opera 7.23 on Windows as well as (reportedly) in both Safari and >> Internet Explorer on a Mac. Picture my horror, though, when the site's >> author >> reported not being able to read the main navigation menu, a side menu on >> another upgraded page and image captions on that other upgraded page, all >> because the font-size was far too small. >> >> I'd set the general style sheet's body font-size to 76% and used various >> relative font-sizes to style individual text. Why does it work on every >> browser I can find except the author's ??? >> >> Now I've had to reinstate the old non-standards home page so its author can >> read the main menu. Under the new design, she had to re-set her IE browser on >> an Emac to 120% before she could read it !! >> >> Seeking an answer I found on The Noodle Incident the following exposition of >> browsers delivering various font-size settings. I guess it's familiar to CSS >> gurus: >> http://www.thenoodleincident.com/tutorials/box_lesson/font/browser.html >> >> I simply cound not find any solution there to satisfy the need to set a >> suitable font-size for the main menu that would display adequately on the >> author's Emac. >> >> I've been reading the transcripts of Web Essentials 04 and after going >> through >> Bruce Maguire's presentation, I'm even more desperate to get the site to W3C >> accessibility level 1 - it MUST use relative not absolute font-sizing, right >> ?!! >> >> Now to the crunch line - I happened to use the Australian Business Register >> web site this morning http://www.abr.gov.au and thought I'd check out its >> stylesheet - no stylesheet on the home page, but a JavaScript browser >> sniffer. >> >> Then I went to the help page >> http://www.help.abr.gov.au/default.asp?usertype=BC and looked for its >> stylesheet http://www.help.abr.gov.au/css/ABRHelp.css where every size is >> absolute - either points or pixels- and tables for layout. >> >> I thought Australian Government sites were supposed to observe Web >> Accessibility standards - or have I got it all wrong? >> >> I'm still trying to find a way to re-code my upgraded page >> http://www.weedsbluemountains.org.au/default.htm to display adequately in its >> author's browser. Looks like we'll have to truncate the main navigation menu >> to do it. >> >> Perhaps someone out there has a solution to this font-sizing hell I've >> entered >> by "upgrading" the site. The author also reports the same problem on a >> Macromedia site she visited. The author is using an appropriate IE for her >> Emac. >> >> Thanks to the many on this list whose experience has proved invaluable to me >> in the past 12 months. >> >> Best regards >> >> John Penlington >> >> > > I've been doing this lately, and it seems to work quite consistently across > browsers and platforms. > > body {font-size: 62.5%;} Sets base font size to 10px (because 62.5% of 16px > [default browser font size] = 10px) > > Then, I do this for example, > > #content {font-size: 1.3em;} Sets base font size for Content Div to 13px > (because 1.3 x 10=13) > > Now 1.3em=13px, 1.7em=17px -- very easy to "see" exactly what the font size > is in pixels, while retaining relative sizing. > > Just be careful about inheriting font sizes if you put a font in a container > that has a "master" font size other than 62.5%. > > > > Regards, > Kenneth Feldman Okay, the above is a real interesting way of thinking, but I have a feeling the problem lies within the author's eMac. So, before changing any code, you may need to see if the problem is a local one. Your site looks fine on a very old G3 running OS 9.2.2/IE 5.1.7 and on my G4 OSX IE 5.2. Check the author's preferences first. w ****************************************************** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list & getting help ******************************************************
