Very New Need Basic Definition of CSS

I'm extremely new. I need to know what Cascading Style Sheets means. Please use
terms in your description that a non-web person can understand. Please describe
in terms of (a) its purpose and (b) what its a solution to, as in "CSS as
opposed to what?". Please also answer why "cascading"? And what is a Style
Sheet (please define as per the above as well). I've looked everywhere but all
I can find are definitions which have confusing terms in the definitions
themselves. I need STUPID simple. Thank you!!

Here is a really, really easy description, with examples, which I found on the
web just today, to get you started. It has already helped me understand plenty:

http://www.thesitewizard.com/archive/css.shtml

Regards-
Mark

Thank you Mark, that's the perfect answer.

First, there's nothing really new about styles. I first encountered them in
MS Word v1.15. That was the MS-DOS version circa 1984. Here's a simple
example of a style versus direct styling. In the old days you had to define
the font (typeface, size, color, etc.) for each text element (paragraph, h1,
h2, etc.) Suppose you built a page with 20 paragraphs and made every
paragraph use Times Roman. Then your client says, "I want Arial for my
font". You would have to change the font definition 20 times. Enter
"Styles". Define your paragraph tag (p) as using Times Roman. Client wants
Arial? Just change that one definition or "Style" to Arial and every
paragraph now uses Arial instead of Times Roman. Viola!

Now move that style definition (actually called a rule) to an external style
sheet (a simple text file) and that single file can control multiple pages.

In fancy terms, the purpose of style sheets is to separate information
presentation (styles) from the structure or organization. Want to see the
real power of styles? Check this out: www.csszengarden.com.

As to the "Cascade", here's the Cliff Notes explanation: Styles can be
inherited from parent elements to their children. The body (an HTML ) tag is
essentially the highest level of parent. Slap a paragraph inside the body
and the paragraph is a child of the body. So now instead of defining the
font at the paragraph level you can define (or declare) it at the body
(parent) level and it will apply to EVERY child of that parent. That will
include paragraphs (p), all heading levels (h1, h2, etc.), lists,
definitions, blockquotes, etc.

Now the cascade has many more levels of complexity and power but that should
get you going in the right direction.

HTH

Keep trying and asking, it will all make sense someday. :-)

--

Walt


"Fugasi" <webforumsuser (AT) macromedia (DOT) com> wrote

I'm extremely new. I need to know what Cascading Style Sheets means.
Please use
terms in your description that a non-web person can understand. Please
describe
in terms of (a) its purpose and (b) what its a solution to, as in "CSS as
opposed to what?". Please also answer why "cascading"? And what is a Style
Sheet (please define as per the above as well). I've looked everywhere but
all
I can find are definitions which have confusing terms in the definitions
themselves. I need STUPID simple. Thank you!!

I think most people just pick up Word as they go and they use the font
type and size, centre, justify buttons etc..

I think you're right. Anytime I explain Word styles to even long-time Word
users their eyes get really big.

I only mentioned it because I think by establishing it as a longtime
technique it seems less daunting to newbies. Older things just seem more
comfortable to deal with sometimes.
--

Walt


"Malcolm _" <malcom (AT) mon (DOT) org> wrote

On Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:53:27 -0700, "Walt F. Schaefer"
walt (AT) waltswebworx (DOT) com> wrote:

First, there's nothing really new about styles. I first encountered them
in
MS Word v1.15. That was the MS-DOS version circa 1984. Here's a simple
example of a style versus direct styling. In the old days you had to
define
the font (typeface, size, color, etc.) for each text element (paragraph,
h1,
h2, etc.) Suppose you built a page with 20 paragraphs and made every
paragraph use Times Roman. Then your client says, "I want Arial for my
font". You would have to change the font definition 20 times. Enter
"Styles". Define your paragraph tag (p) as using Times Roman. Client wants
Arial? Just change that one definition or "Style" to Arial and every
paragraph now uses Arial instead of Times Roman. Viola!


here's another fairly readable article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascading_Style_Sheets


A very high proportion of MS Word document I look at from other people
do NOT use styles ! ? - .

I think most people just pick up Word as they go and they use the font
type and size, centre, justify buttons etc..
And just like so many books about Dreamweaver - books on Word don't
emphasise styles much in my experience.


So little wonder people find using styles in web authoring programs
rather alien too.

--

~Malcolm~*...
~*

That was extremely informative, thank you so much. I did check out the CSS site, very interesting. Its all making more and more sense as I go along.

You're welcome. Keep plugging away and post back here whenever you have a
problem or question. You will get the best and quickest help when you can
upload the page in question along with all its supporting files and give us
a clickable link.

Good luck!

--

Walt


"Fugasi" <webforumsuser (AT) macromedia (DOT) com> wrote

That was extremely informative, thank you so much. I did check out the CSS
site, very interesting. Its all making more and more sense as I go along.