Inline CSS inside <div> tag to apply only to certain tags

[freedda]

I know I can use the "style" declaration within the <div> tag. However, I'm wondering if I can further refine or limit it so that this style would only applies to certain tags, such as <li>, but not more generally to others such as <p> or <hi>, etc. (all within the confines of the division).

Someone told me that you can't do this without using CSS <style></ style> tag in the header of the page or a separate CSS file which you reference.

But I thought I'd check here to make sure.



Thanks, David

[freedda]

PS - meant to add, this would be so I don't have to apply a style to each list item <li> within the division.

[tracknut]

You might apply the style to the <ul> or whatever starts your list. That's not a general solution to your question (which cannot be done) but might address this particular scenario.

Dave

[freedda]

a general solution to your question (which cannot be done) . . .

Thanks Dave. That's mainly what I needed to know, and I can try applying it to the <ul> tag as well. Best, David.

[auntnini]

You have many options for creating CSS style rules. See for instance http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS2/selector.html#type-selectors.

Three places you can set CSS style rules:
(1) Inline <div STYLE="property: value; property2: value;">...</div> as attribute inside opening element tag. Most "specific" but least efficient.
(2) Embedded in Head of page, encased within HTML tags
<STYLE type="text/css"> selector { property: value; property2: value;} </STYLE>
(3) Link to external text file (with no HTML <tags>)
<LINK REL="stylesheet" HREF="filename.css">. Least "specific" but most efficient.

The basic CSS selectors for style rules are the HTML elements (such as ul, li, p -- without the lesser-than < and > greater brackets, which create <tag>s). And you can create your own "independent" #ID and .CLASS style selectors.

Besides setting style rules for basic HTML elements, you can "contextually" set more specific rules for nested elements within certain sections -- such as #sidebar ul li {property: value; property2: value;} -- that differ from those in other sections. And there are all sorts of: Descendant selectors, Child selectors, Adjacent sibling selectors, Attribute selectors, etc. for setting specific style rules.

[auntnini]

Should emphasize that using numerous inline STYLE attributes (like Freedda seems to be inclined to do) is about as bad as using deprecated <FONT> tags</FONT>. CSS has freed us of that curse and eliminated the need to individually / manually format each tag.

The HTML tags are for "structure" of the document content; CSS style rules is for the appearance of the page.

Using the various CSS selector options, the HTML <tag>s can be very specifically styled.

[captainscall]

Hello,

Not that I know of. You're better off sticking with either an external stylesheet with a <link/> to it or an internal stylesheet in <style></style>.

Make the style rule to your particular <li>'s by giving them a class or id and define their styles in the stylesheet.

Doing inline style in the div is bad practice anyway