Link inside LI not covering whole LI - html

Question

I am trying to make a website but i stumbled upon a little problem i am using a snippet from the bootsnipp (a side menu) i can't get it working so the link will cover the whole LI instead that you have to press the text it self
if i change it so the will sit before the li it looks off
how can i fix this
Link to snip: http://bootsnipp.com/snippets/featured/responsive-navigation-menu
My code:
HTML:
<div class="nav-side-menu" style="float: left; position: fixed; width: 15.6%;">
<div class="brand"><img alt="Brand" src="includes/img/LogoTest1.png" width="10%"> <b>Craft-List.net</b></div>
<i class="fa fa-bars fa-2x toggle-btn" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#menu-content"></i>
<div class="menu-list">
<ul id="menu-content" class="menu-content collapse out">
<li class="active"><i class="glyphicon glyphicon-home"></i> Home</li>
<li class=""><i class="glyphicon glyphicon-user"></i> Members</li>
<li class=""><i class="glyphicon glyphicon-envelope"></i> Contact</li>
<li class=""><i class="glyphicon glyphicon-question-sign"></i> About</li>
<li class=""><i class="glyphicon glyphicon-plus"></i> Login/Register</li>
</ul>
</div>
CSS:
.nav-side-menu {
overflow: auto;
font-family: verdana;
font-size: 12px;
font-weight: 200;
background-color: #2e353d;
position: fixed;
top: 0px;
width: 300px;
height: 100%;
color: #e1ffff;
}
.nav-side-menu .brand {
background-color: #23282e;
line-height: 50px;
display: block;
text-align: center;
font-size: 14px;
}
.nav-side-menu .toggle-btn {
display: none;
}
.nav-side-menu ul,
.nav-side-menu li {
list-style: none;
padding: 0px;
margin: 0px;
line-height: 35px;
cursor: pointer;
/*
.collapsed{
.arrow:before{
font-family: FontAwesome;
content: "\f053";
display: inline-block;
padding-left:10px;
padding-right: 10px;
vertical-align: middle;
float:right;
}
}
*/
}
.nav-side-menu ul :not(collapsed) .arrow:before,
.nav-side-menu li :not(collapsed) .arrow:before {
font-family: FontAwesome;
content: "\f078";
display: inline-block;
padding-left: 10px;
padding-right: 10px;
vertical-align: middle;
float: right;
}
.nav-side-menu ul .active,
.nav-side-menu li .active {
border-left: 3px solid #d19b3d;
background-color: #4f5b69;
}
.nav-side-menu ul .sub-menu li.active,
.nav-side-menu li .sub-menu li.active {
color: #d19b3d;
}
.nav-side-menu ul .sub-menu li.active a,
.nav-side-menu li .sub-menu li.active a {
color: #d19b3d;
}
.nav-side-menu ul .sub-menu li,
.nav-side-menu li .sub-menu li {
background-color: #181c20;
border: none;
line-height: 28px;
border-bottom: 1px solid #23282e;
margin-left: 0px;
}
.nav-side-menu ul .sub-menu li:hover,
.nav-side-menu li .sub-menu li:hover {
background-color: #020203;
}
.nav-side-menu ul .sub-menu li:before,
.nav-side-menu li .sub-menu li:before {
font-family: FontAwesome;
content: "\f105";
display: inline-block;
padding-left: 10px;
padding-right: 10px;
vertical-align: middle;
}
.nav-side-menu li {
padding-left: 0px;
border-left: 3px solid #2e353d;
border-bottom: 1px solid #23282e;
}
.nav-side-menu li a {
text-decoration: none;
color: #e1ffff;
}
.nav-side-menu li a i {
padding-left: 10px;
width: 20px;
padding-right: 20px;
}
.nav-side-menu li:hover {
border-left: 3px solid #d19b3d;
background-color: #4f5b69;
-webkit-transition: all 1s ease;
-moz-transition: all 1s ease;
-o-transition: all 1s ease;
-ms-transition: all 1s ease;
transition: all 1s ease;
}
#media (max-width: 767px) {
.nav-side-menu {
position: relative;
width: 100%;
margin-bottom: 10px;
}
.nav-side-menu .toggle-btn {
display: block;
cursor: pointer;
position: absolute;
right: 10px;
top: 10px;
z-index: 10 !important;
padding: 3px;
background-color: #ffffff;
color: #000;
width: 40px;
text-align: center;
}
.brand {
text-align: left !important;
font-size: 22px;
padding-left: 20px;
line-height: 50px !important;
}
}
#media (min-width: 767px) {
.nav-side-menu .menu-list .menu-content {
display: block;
}
}
body {
margin: 0px;
padding: 0px;
}
The reason why i am asking it here is because that snip looked a bit dead and old lastest comment was 4 months ago.
also i am fairly new to css & html i code more php than design stuff :| anyhow i'd love to see something with a example if that's aksed too mutch plain text will work
Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

I think you will have to put a display: block; to the a element, wich has display: inline; as default.
.nav-side-menu li a {
display: block;
}

Answer 2

Your li elements have a very thick border of 3px colored #D19B3D. Just taking this border out and making the anchor tag 'display:block should help you achieve what you are looking for.
Just for the sake of clarity, I have added a hover effect on the anchor element to show you that the anchor does span the complete width of the li.
.nav-side-menu {
overflow: auto;
font-family: verdana;
font-size: 12px;
font-weight: 200;
background-color: #2e353d;
position: fixed;
top: 0px;
width: 300px;
height: 100%;
color: #e1ffff;
}
.nav-side-menu .brand {
background-color: #23282e;
line-height: 50px;
display: block;
text-align: center;
font-size: 14px;
}
.nav-side-menu .toggle-btn {
display: none;
}
.nav-side-menu ul,
.nav-side-menu li {
list-style: none;
padding: 0px;
margin: 0px;
line-height: 35px;
cursor: pointer;
/*
.collapsed{
.arrow:before{
font-family: FontAwesome;
content: "\f053";
display: inline-block;
padding-left:10px;
padding-right: 10px;
vertical-align: middle;
float:right;
}
}
*/
}
.nav-side-menu ul :not(collapsed) .arrow:before,
.nav-side-menu li :not(collapsed) .arrow:before {
font-family: FontAwesome;
content: "\f078";
display: inline-block;
padding-left: 10px;
padding-right: 10px;
vertical-align: middle;
float: right;
}
.nav-side-menu ul .active,
.nav-side-menu li .active {
background-color: #4f5b69;
}
.nav-side-menu ul .sub-menu li.active,
.nav-side-menu li .sub-menu li.active {
color: #d19b3d;
}
.nav-side-menu ul .sub-menu li.active a,
.nav-side-menu li .sub-menu li.active a {
color: #d19b3d;
}
.nav-side-menu ul .sub-menu li,
.nav-side-menu li .sub-menu li {
background-color: #181c20;
border: none;
line-height: 28px;
border-bottom: 1px solid #23282e;
margin-left: 0px;
}
.nav-side-menu ul .sub-menu li:hover,
.nav-side-menu li .sub-menu li:hover {
background-color: #020203;
}
.nav-side-menu ul .sub-menu li:before,
.nav-side-menu li .sub-menu li:before {
font-family: FontAwesome;
content: "\f105";
display: inline-block;
padding-left: 10px;
padding-right: 10px;
vertical-align: middle;
}
.nav-side-menu li {
padding-left: 0px;
border-bottom: 1px solid #23282e;
}
.nav-side-menu li a {
display: block;
text-decoration: none;
color: #e1ffff;
}
.nav-side-menu li a:hover {
background-color: orange;
}
.nav-side-menu li a i {
padding-left: 10px;
width: 20px;
padding-right: 20px;
}
.nav-side-menu li:hover {
background-color: #4f5b69;
-webkit-transition: all 1s ease;
-moz-transition: all 1s ease;
-o-transition: all 1s ease;
-ms-transition: all 1s ease;
transition: all 1s ease;
}
#media (max-width: 767px) {
.nav-side-menu {
position: relative;
width: 100%;
margin-bottom: 10px;
}
.nav-side-menu .toggle-btn {
display: block;
cursor: pointer;
position: absolute;
right: 10px;
top: 10px;
z-index: 10 !important;
padding: 3px;
background-color: #ffffff;
color: #000;
width: 40px;
text-align: center;
}
.brand {
text-align: left !important;
font-size: 22px;
padding-left: 20px;
line-height: 50px !important;
}
}
#media (min-width: 767px) {
.nav-side-menu .menu-list .menu-content {
display: block;
}
}
body {
margin: 0px;
padding: 0px;
}
<div class="nav-side-menu" style="float: left; position: fixed; width: 15.6%;">
<div class="brand"><img alt="Brand" src="includes/img/LogoTest1.png" width="10%"> <b>Craft-List.net</b></div>
<i class="fa fa-bars fa-2x toggle-btn" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#menu-content"></i>
<div class="menu-list">
<ul id="menu-content" class="menu-content collapse out">
<li class="active"><i class="glyphicon glyphicon-home"></i> Home</li>
<li class=""><i class="glyphicon glyphicon-user"></i> Members</li>
<li class=""><i class="glyphicon glyphicon-envelope"></i> Contact</li>
<li class=""><i class="glyphicon glyphicon-question-sign"></i> About</li>
<li class=""><i class="glyphicon glyphicon-plus"></i> Login/Register</li>
</ul>
</div>
Hope this helps!!!