IE6 and XHTML problems - new member here

[KosmosLight]

Hi everyone..

I am at my wits end with IE6 and XHTML.

I have a nice looking page that works well in Opera, Firefox, Mozilla, and IE7.

It sucks in IE6.

The code AND css has passed validation at w3c.

can someone PLEASE help me find out the problems and what has to be done to make it IE6 compatible... (short of forcing all IE6 users to upgrade their browser)

the site address is http://www.kaqelectronics.dyndns.org/~admin/

I know there is no information on it. I am trying to get layout to work first before adding information. If you view it in IE6 and then Firefox you will clearly see the problems which are with alignment of the boxes, the missing scroll in the middle, size of the div boxes etc .....

I have already tried changing the HEAD tag in xhtml to accommodate IE6 quirks mode. That has not solved the problem.

thank you in advance

Kosmos

[the tree]

Put something in those empty dividers, anything, even just a  

While your at it, why are you using xHTML and why on earth are you using transitional?

[KosmosLight]

I am using strict not transitional.

I am studying this at uni, but our tutor is useless. the uni is done online so no campus contact, therefore no one else I can go see as I am not near the campus.

she has not specified whether she expects transitional or strict.... though I have asked her to let us know but she can't be bothered

it HAS to be done in xhtml. and we are NOT allowed to use tables for layout.

our textbook is not explaining things well to me... not enough info.

The textbook is html for the WWW 5th edition by Elizabeth Castro.

I have added the nbsp's to the divs as requested..

am I meant to put enough in to get the box size where I want it? because that would be a real hack solution to me. I am hoping to get a design that resizes happily in most common browser and screen sizes from 600x800 to 1000 ish x 1200 ish without losing too much of the effect.

Surely it shouldn't be this hard and frustrating...

I have read the textbook back and forth and CANNOT see where to specify the div sizes in a manner that works for IE6. I can maybe think of a few work arounds but I am not keen on having to mess up a nice design to make IE6 happy. Surely this can be done in css and coding ... otherwise I think a way that might work is to make a gif or jpg of the background colour, and then use css to tile the image / resize the image within each div to the size i want the boxes. I have not tried this yet as it seems to be a sucky way of making the display work just coz Microsoft's browser cant seem to understand what all the other browsers can.

the css specifies {overflow:scroll} in the text box in the middle yet that does not work and the book claims that it should ...even in IE6

or am i missing something very basic here and its simple?

thanks again

Kosmos

[KosmosLight]

if you want to view the css and dont have a toolbar that does it,

it can be viewed here

http://www.kaqelectronics.dyndns.org/~admin/css.html

thanks

Kosmos