Forum Moderators: not2easy
I am trying to move towards all css driven layouts, and I am currently just a hack.
I know that the best way is to sit down and test, and read webpages, but I need to get away from the monitor at least a few hours a day ;)
What books would you suggest as "must haves" to come closer to completing my quest of pure css layouts?
Yes, there are a number of books, but for my "two cents," even the best of them contains more filler than real "meat." You are obviously advanced past the "style my hover" stage, so much of what is offered in book form would likely seem too elementary.
I'm serious about printing out the W3 specs... at least a section here and a section there. It may seem trite, but reading the actual source and devoting some time to grasp the core concepts, will do more for your CSS education than anything else with the exception of the "skinned knuckles" approach of "trial and error."
He takes a dozen or so existing, non-CSS, real-world webpages and works through how best to CSSify them.
That usually means a dozen or more stages as each page is progressively moved to a CSS solution.
But that, even in the end, doesn't always mean 100% pure CSS, so it is instructive to see the real-world compromises this CSS evangelist makes: it's a good way to not get too carried away by the "CSS or die" brigade.
All the exercises from the book are downladable from the web, so, you when you do get back to the monitor, no need for hours of endless typing to follow along.
Of course, it's not a text book. For that, the W3C specs are useful, though written in their usual impenetrable manner.
[w3.org...]
and I found this to be the most useful in the begining...
[w3schools.com...]
Also Prentice Hall are publishing (in June) the 2nd Edition of "Core CSS: Cascading Style Sheets" by Keith Schengili-Roberts.
Good luck!
I learnt a lot from Eric Meyer on CSS.
Me too! I also keep his Cascading Style Sheets Programmer's Reference next to my computer. It's actually very useful, amongst other times, when trying to follow a discussion in this forum.
Seriously, if you have to "get away from the monitor" then print out the W3 CSS 2.1 specs and study them intensely. It's all there.
I gave this same type of advice about a week ago to someone who wanted a book on SEO....haha...I can understand it is usually the best way. Sometimes it is nice just to have a nice reference book to throw on the shelf though.
The book by Eric Meyer sounds good. I like "Application" type books, and that is just the type of learning I think I need to step to the next level. It will be nice to see some "transition by example".
One thing I really want to learn about right now though is floating divs. Could someone point me to some good examples of this? I'll admit I haven't tried real hard lately to learn, but it always boggled me a bit.
LisaB
I've also been trying to lay my dirty paws on "Cascading Style Sheets: The Designer's Edge" by Molly E. Holzschlag, but the Borders I frequent doesn't seem to have it. "Order online," you say? But I'd have to wait to receive it. 'Sides, there's other bookstores I've yet to troll. :)
Sorry, can't recommend any resources on floating divs.
