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UniqueDataFlag for United States of America

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css div within div - newbie

In trying to understand positioning of divs, I put together a little test page.  The first example seems to work fine, but the second example in my code does not have the 'More Info' in the correct place.  It is currently covering the text within the div.  I tried putting some floats, spans, and clears, but I am just guessing at where they belong because I still do not understand exactly how they work.  I am thinking one of my problems is that while the image in 'topLeft' is positioned relative to the outer div correctly, the 'More Info' div is positioned relative to the text, not the outer div, right??

<style>

    .mainBox {
        position:relative;
        border:1px solid black;
        display:inline-block;
		width: 200px;
		height: 100px;
		clear:left;
    }
        
    .clickForMore {
        position:absolute;
		display:inline-block;
        bottom:0;
        right:0;
        width:100px;
        heigth: 10px;
        display:block;
        background-color: red;
		text-align: center;
    }
    
	.clearLeft {
		clear:left;
	}
    
	.topLeft {
        position:absolute;
        top:0;
        left:0;       
		float: left;		
    }

</style>

Example #1 - image takes whole block and link in bottom right</br>
<div class="mainBox">
   <img src="images\MentalHealthAmerica.gif" width="200px" height="100px"  />
   <div class="clickForMore"><a href="#">More info</a></div> 
    
</div>    
<br/><br/><br/><br/>

Example #2 - image on top left, text in the middle, and link in bottom right</br>
<div class="mainBox" >
   <div class="topLeft">
        <img src="images\MentalHealthAmerica.gif" width="50px" height="50px"  />
        <div class="clickForMore"><a href="#">More info</a></div>
		<span class="clearLeft">Here you would put some text to give features, description, etc.</span>
		 
   </div>
</div>    

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Avatar of Dave Baldwin
Dave Baldwin
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so in example two, how would I get the text to start immediately to the right of the image in the top left, then make sure the text does not get covered by the 'More Info'? Does the text need to be within another div instead of span?

I found a nice tutorial but not exactly what I am looking for:
      http://www.webdevdoor.com/html-css/css-position-child-div-parent/
I see that I mistakenly nested the text inside of the 'topLeft' div.  I am getting closer:

<style>

    .mainBox {
        position:relative;
        border:1px solid black;
        display:inline-block;
		width: 200px;
		height: 100px;
		clear:left;
    }
        
    .clickForMore {
        position:absolute;
		display:block;
        bottom:0;
        right:0;
        width:100px;
        heigth: 10px;
        display:block;
        background-color: red;
		text-align: center;
    }
        
	.topLeft {
        position:absolute;
		display:inline-block;
        top:0;
        left:0;       		
    }

</style>

Example #1 - image takes whole block and link in bottom right</br>
<div class="mainBox">
   <img src="images\MentalHealthAmerica.gif" width="200px" height="100px"  />
   <div class="clickForMore"><a href="#">More info</a></div> 
    
</div>    
<br/><br/><br/><br/>

Example #2 - image on top left, text in the middle, and link in bottom right</br>
<div class="mainBox" >
	   <div class="topLeft">
			<img src="images\MentalHealthAmerica.gif" width="50px" height="50px"  />
		</div>
		<div>Here you would put some text to give features, description, etc.</div>
		<div class="clickForMore"><a href="#">More info</a></div>
</div>    

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I might write it like this but it is up to you to see that the 'More Info' is positioned where it doesn't cover anything.  I'm not sure that "clearLeft" does anything with an inline element.
Example #2 - image on top left, text in the middle, and link in bottom right</br>
<div class="mainBox" >
   <div class="topLeft"><div class="clickForMore"><a href="#">More info</a></div>
        <img src="images\MentalHealthAmerica.gif" width="50px" height="50px" /><span class="clearLeft">Here you would put some text to give features, description, etc.</span>
   </div>
</div>    

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now I understand what you mean by absolute taking the element out of the flow.  So for .topLeft I didn't use absolute, but instead changed it to float.  Then the text would start to the right of it automatically.

I also think I understand what you mean by needing to make sure the 'more info' doesn't cover anything.  I would need to make the outer div taller if needed since it needs to be absolute which would take it out of the flow.

The code below seems to give me exactly what I am looking for, but is it correct or just a fluke that it works?

<style>

    .mainBox {
        position:relative;
        border:1px solid black;
        display:inline-block;
		width: 200px;
		height: 100px;
    }
        
    .clickForMore {
        position:absolute;
		display:block;
        bottom:0;
        right:0;
        width:100px;
        heigth: 10px;
        display:block;
        background-color: red;
		text-align: center;
    }
        
	.topLeft {
		display:inline-block;
		float:left;
    }

</style>

Example #1 - image takes whole block and link in bottom right</br>
<div class="mainBox">
   <img src="images\MentalHealthAmerica.gif" width="200px" height="100px"  />
   <div class="clickForMore"><a href="#">More info</a></div> 
    
</div>    
<br/><br/><br/><br/>

Example #2 - image on top left, text in the middle, and link in bottom right</br>
<div class="mainBox" >
	   <div class="topLeft">
			<img src="images\MentalHealthAmerica.gif" width="50px" height="50px"  />
		</div>
		<div >Here you would put some text to give features, description, etc.</div>
		<div class="clickForMore"><a href="#">More info</a></div>
</div>    

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I also noticed I can take out the lines with inline-block and block and nothing changes, so they were not needed (that is my next thing to research then)
A little of both.  A 'floated' div normally needs a specific width for the next div to 'float' properly against it.  Note also that 'float's depend on there being enough room for them to float.  If there isn't, they will move to the space under the first floated element and no longer be 'inline' with each other.
Ok, thanks.  Wow..how are you suppose to remember all these rules???  :)

so here is my final code taking everything you suggested:

<style>

    .mainBox {
        position:relative;
        border:1px solid black;
		width: 200px;
		height: 100px;
    }
        
    .clickForMore {
        position:absolute;
        bottom:0;
        right:0;
        width:100px;
        background-color: red;
		text-align: center;
    }

	.innerText {
		padding-left:10px;
		padding-top: 10px;
	}
	
	.topLeft {
		float:left;
		width:50px;
		height:50px;
		padding-right: 10px;
    }

</style>

Example #1 - image takes whole block and link in bottom right</br>
<div class="mainBox">
   <img src="images\MentalHealthAmerica.gif" width="200px" height="100px"  />
   <div class="clickForMore"><a href="#">More info</a></div> 
</div>    
<br/><br/><br/><br/>

Example #2 - image on top left, text in the middle, and link in bottom right</br>
<div class="mainBox" >
		<img class="topLeft" src="images\MentalHealthAmerica.gif" />
		<div class="innerText">Here you would put some text to give features, description, etc.</div>
		<div class="clickForMore"><a href="#">More info</a></div>
</div>    

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I don't remember them all, I look them up when something doesn't work.  'Official' standards here:  http://www.w3.org/standards/webdesign/htmlcss   Easier to understand examples and tutorials here:  http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp
in case another newbie stumbles across this, just added some cool effects:

<style>

    .mainBox {
        position:relative;
        border:1px solid black;
		width: 200px;
		height: 100px;
    }
        
	.clickForMore:link {
        position:absolute;
        bottom:0;
        right:0;
        width:100px;
		text-align: center;
		text-decoration : none;
		color : #000000; /* black text color */
		background-color : #3399FF; 
		border-top : 1px solid #ccffcc; /* highlight color */
		border-left : 1px solid #ccffcc; /* highlight color */
		border-bottom : 1px solid #003300; /* shadow color */
		border-right : 1px solid #003300; /* shadow color */
	}

	.clickForMore:hover {
		color : #000000; /* black text color */
		background-color : #99cc99; /* desaturated color */
		border-top : 2px solid #003300; /* shadow color */
		border-left : 2px solid #003300; /* shadow color */
		border-bottom : 2px solid #ccffcc; /* highlight color */
		border-right : 2px solid #ccffcc; /* highlight color */
	}

	.clickForMore:focus {
		padding : 4px;
		text-decoration : none;
		color : #000000; /* black text color */
		background-color : #ffff99; /* set to a pastel yellow */
		border-top : 2px solid #ffffcc; /* highlight color */
		border-left : 2px solid #ffffcc; /* highlight color */
		border-bottom : 2px solid #666633; /* shadow color */
		border-right : 2px solid #666633; /* shadow color */
	}	 
	
	.innerText {
		padding-left:10px;
		padding-top: 10px;
	}
	
	.topLeft {
		float:left;
		width:50px;
		height:50px;
		padding-right: 10px;
    }

</style>

Example #1 - image takes whole block and link in bottom right</br>
<div class="mainBox">
   <img src="images\MentalHealthAmerica.gif" width="200px" height="100px"  />
   <a href="#" class="clickForMore">More info</a>
</div>    
<br/><br/><br/><br/>

Example #2 - image on top left, text in the middle, and link in bottom right</br>
<div class="mainBox" >
		<img class="topLeft" src="images\MentalHealthAmerica.gif" />
		<div class="innerText">Here you would put some text to give features, description, etc.</div>
		<a href="#" class="clickForMore" >More info</a>
</div>    

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