CSS for Aligning TextBox and Label - html

I'm trying to take my Form layout away from tables and entering the world of div's and css.
I'm having difficulty though in my layout. I'd like to order the elements where a label is positioned directly above an input.
Here's what it currently looks like:
I'd like the District Label and Textbox to be vertically aligned, but they seem to be forming a stair pattern.
Here's the css:
#content
{
position: absolute;
top: 110px;
left: 350px;
width: 775px;
height: 605px;
}
#content label
{
display:inline;
margin-right:4px;
vertical-align:top;
}
#content input
{
float:left;
margin:1px 20px 1px 1px;
}
and the HTML:
<div id="content">
<label for="txt_RequestId">Request Id</label>
<input id="txt_RequestId" type="text" />
<label for="txt_District">District</label>
<input id="txt_District" type="text" />
</div>

nest the input elements in the labels so the text label and field are grouped.
this usage is specified in the HTML4 spec:
To associate a label with another control implicitly, the control element must be within the contents of the LABEL element. In this case, the LABEL may only contain one control element. The label itself may be positioned before or after the associated control.
<div id="content">
<label>
Request Id<br />
<input id="txt_RequestId" type="text" />
</label>
<label>
District<br />
<input id="txt_District" type="text" />
</label>
</div>
CSS:
#content
{
position: absolute;
top: 110px;
left: 350px;
width: 775px;
height: 605px;
}
#content label
{
display:inline;
float:left;
margin-right:4px;
vertical-align:top;
}
example
Then apply display:inline and float:left to the <label>s (or use display:inline-block instead if you don't have to worry about older browsers example)

Change this
#content input
{
float:left;
margin:1px 20px 1px 1px;
}
to this
#content input
{
display:inline;
margin:1px 20px 1px 1px;
}
That is remove the float:left and replace with display:inline;.
Example: http://jsfiddle.net/jasongennaro/ptKEh/
EDIT
#mdmullinax pointed out that the question also requested the text be above the input field
Missed that ;-)
In that case, remove the display rules and use three brs
<div id="content">
<label for="txt_RequestId">Request Id</label><br />
<input id="txt_RequestId" type="text" />
<br />
<label for="txt_District">District</label><br />
<input id="txt_District" type="text" />
</div>
Revised example: http://jsfiddle.net/jasongennaro/ptKEh/2/

I generally use tables for forms that are laid out like this. They are much easier to work with than CSS (IMO) and the structure is much more clear.
<table>
<tr>
<td>
<label for="txt_RequestId">Request Id</label>
<br /><input id="txt_RequestId" type="text" />
</td>
<td>
<label for="txt_District">District</label>
<br /><input id="txt_District" type="text" />
</td>
</tr>
</table>
CSS is very good for moving elements around with respect to their container. However when you want things to be positioned in a very regular way, dependent on other elements, it can really obfuscate the logic. <table>s are much more explicit about this.

Related

html form css positioning

I am trying to make an html form and I have to replicate the following image:
I've done almost everything right but I can't get the positioning just right, specially on the submit button. What is the best to do this? and also how do I reposition the "message" caption next to the text box?
<style type="text/css">
form {
background-color: gray;
-moz-border-radius: 10px;
border-radius: 10px;
padding: 20px;
width: 400px;
text-align:right;
}
#formElements{
width: 60%;
}
</style>
<body>
<form>
<div>
Name: <input type="text" name="name" id="formElements">
<p>
Email: <input type="email" name="email" id="formElements">
<p>
Message: <textarea name="message" id="formElements"> </textarea>
<p>
<input type="submit" id="button" value="send your message">
</div>
</form>
</body>
A few problems here:
1. Broken HTML
You have several places where the HTML is broken. Remember to always close your <p> tags, and close the <input> tags with a soft closing /> just for good practice.
2. Never use IDs in place of class
IDs are only ever meant to be assigned to one element. They are to be unique. If you want to assign some CSS to multiple elements, use a class:
.class
//Not
#id
3. Use Labels for text in forms
Not only can you style them independently, but you can use the for attribute to link them to your inputs.
4. Repaired CSS
I used some different CSS tricks, such as block-style display for the button to allow me to position it in the right spot.
form {
background-color: gray;
-moz-border-radius: 10px;
border-radius: 10px;
padding: 20px;
width: 400px;
text-align:right;
}
.formElements {
width: 300px;
}
label {
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;
}
input[type="submit"] {
display: block;
margin-left: 95px;
}
5. Repaired HTML
Here it is. Always always always write proper HTML. It will save you a bunch of headaches.
<form>
<div>
<label>Name:</label>
<input type="text" name="name" class="formElements" />
<p>
<label>Email:</label>
<input type="email" name="email" class="formElements" />
</p>
<p>
<label>Message:</label>
<textarea name="message" class="formElements" rows="4"></textarea>
</p>
<p>
<input type="submit" id="button" value="send your message" />
</p>
</div>
</form>
Here is a JSFiddle that demo's the form for you.
I hope this helps.
Take a look at this.
There are a few things you should consider in your code:
Do Not use an ID more than once in a page, it must be specific to 1 element. Use classes instead to style multiple elements at once.
Use label tag to explain the form elements
Don't forget to close a container tag like p after opening it.
I would almost put it in a two columns table with the text on the left and the text boxes and button on the right.
I should look like this
<style type="text/css">
form {
background-color: gray;
-moz-border-radius: 10px;
border-radius: 10px;
padding: 20px;
width: 400px;
text-align:right;
}
#formElements{
width: 100%;
}
.right {
text-align:right;
}
.wide {
width:300px;
}
</style>
<body>
<form>
<div>
<table>
<tr>
<td class="right">Name:</td>
<td class="wide"><input class = "wide" type="text" name="name" id="formElements"></td>
</tr> <tr>
<td class="right">Email:</td>
<td class="wide"> <input class="wide" type="email" name="email" id="formElements"></td>
</tr> <tr>
<td class="right">Message:</td>
<td class="wide"> <textarea class="wide" name="message" id="formElements"> </textarea></td>
</tr> <tr>
<td></td><td class="wide"><input type="submit" id="button" value="send your message"></td>
</tr>
</div>
</form>
</body>

Aligning input boxes on a form side by side

I am trying to align to input text boxes of a form side by side but i not able to do so. Please help.
Fiddle: here
HTML:
<p>Your Name
<br>
<span class="wpcf7-form-control-wrap your-name">
<input type="text" name="your-name" value="" size="40" class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-required" aria-required="true"
</span>
</p>
<p>Your Email
<br>
<span class="wpcf7-form-control-wrap your-email">
<input type="email" name="your-email" value="" size="40" class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text wpcf7-email wpcf7-validates-as-required wpcf7- validates-as-email" aria-required="true">
</span>
</p>
CSS:
.wpcf7 input[type="text"], .wpcf7 input[type="email"] {
background-color: #fff;
color: #000;
width: 50%;
}
http://jsfiddle.net/rHh3w/12/show
Just need to set your p element to "display:inline;" by default they are block elements and will not align next to each other.
also deleted two br tags
p {display:inline;}
How about display them like a table.
.myForm {
width:100%;
display:table;
}
.myForm div {
margin:0;
padding:0;
display:table-cell;
}
.myForm div:last-of-type{
text-align:right;
}
.myForm div:last-of-type Align text to the right side.
Check it on http://jsfiddle.net/463QF/
Remove <br /> from your HTML markup.
Write:
p{
display:inline-block;
width:50%;
}
.wpcf7-form-control-wrap input[type="text"],.wpcf7-form-control-wrap input[type="email"] {
background-color: #fff;
color: #000;
width: 50%;
}
Note:
inline-block leaves white space between elements. Write elements on same line to avoid it.
Like write
</p><p>
(on same line)
rather than
</p>
<p>
(on different lines)
Fiddle.
Try this
What I have done is added the following:
p {
float: left;
}
That's all you need to do, it also means that if your container width goes below the fixed width of the two input boxes together, they will float down over two lines rather than breaking and spilling out of their container.
While you're at it, it might be worth changing the text labels to actual labels, this will allow the user to click on the label and still highlight the form, which is growing increasingly important due to the rise in mobile use.
Also, you missed a closing > of your first input box.
Try below CSS for p tag
p
{
width:auto;
float:left;
margin-right:10px;
}
If you need some space between text box then u can set margin-right to the same.
Just add this to your CSS code : p{width:40%;border:1px solid #000;float:left}
Fiddle :http://jsfiddle.net/logintomyk/PSQ7u/
HTML example:
<div class="myForm">
<div>
<label for="name">Your name</label>
<input name="name" id="name" type="text" />
</div>
<div>
<label for="email">your email</label>
<input name="email" id="email" type="text" />
</div>
</div>
CSS:
.myForm div {
width: 47%;
margin:0;
padding:0;
float:left;
}
.myForm div label
{
display:block;
}
fiddle

Any way to force two elements to stay next to each other on the same row with JQuery Mobile?

I want to have two elements stay on the same row.
Right now I have this code:
<fieldset data-role="controlgroup" data-type="horizontal">
<label for="textinput">Text:</label>
<input type="text" id="textinput"/>
<input type="button" id="searchbutton" data-icon="search" data-iconpos="notext" onclick="function()"/>
</fieldset>
This works. The label, the input field and the button will all be on the same row as long as you view it in fullscreen in your computer browser. But if we make the window smaller, all three elements will be shown on one row each. Is there any way to make the label appear on one row, and the input field + button on the row below?
You need to override the jQM enhancements:
http://jsfiddle.net/E4EVT/10/
http://jsfiddle.net/E4EVT/36/ (Using the grid layout)
http://jsfiddle.net/E4EVT/42/ (Using the table layout)
JS
$('#textinput2').css('width','60%').css('display','inline');
HTML
<div>
<!-- use span instead of label -->
<span>Text:</span>
<input type="text" id="textinput2"/>
<br />
<input type="button" id="searchbutton2" data-icon="search" data-iconpos="notext" onclick="function()"/>
</div>
I think you might want to look into the grid layout jQM offers
http://jquerymobile.com/demos/1.0rc1/docs/content/content-grids.html
For Jquery Mobile 1.2.0
<div class="ui-grid-a" >
<div class="ui-block-a"><input type="text" /></div>
<div class="ui-block-b"><input type="text" /></div>
</div>
you need to add attribute data-inline="true" to the input elements.
CSS:
label {
display: block;
}
input {
padding: 2px;
width: 100px;
}
.wrap {
width: 212px; /* the width of twice your input (plus borders) */
}
And your HTML:
<fieldset data-role="controlgroup" data-type="horizontal">
<label for="textinput">Text:</label>
<div class="wrap">
<input type="text" id="textinput"/>
<input type="button" id="searchbutton" data-icon="search" data-iconpos="notext" onclick="function()"/>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://jsfiddle.net/ahallicks/BWsdk/
Edit:
Sorry, misread your question! If you want them all on the same line to start with use the following CSS:
label {
float: left;
margin-right: 12px;
}
input {
padding: 2px;
width: 100px;
}
.wrap {
float: left;
width: 212px; /* the width of twice your input (plus borders) */
}
http://jsfiddle.net/ahallicks/E4EVT/

Style input element to fill remaining width of its container

Let's say I have an html snippet like this:
<div style="width:300px;">
<label for="MyInput">label text</label>
<input type="text" id="MyInput" />
</div>
This isn't my exact code, but the important thing is there's a label and a text input on the same line in a fixed-width container. How can I style the input to fill the remaining width of the container without wrapping and without knowing the size of the label?
Here is a simple and clean solution without using JavaScript or table layout hacks. It is similar to this answer: Input text auto width filling 100% with other elements floating
It is important to wrap the input field with a span which is display:block. Next thing is that the button has to come first and the the input field second.
Then you can float the button to the right and the input field fills the remaining space.
form {
width: 500px;
overflow: hidden;
background-color: yellow;
}
input {
width: 100%;
}
span {
display: block;
overflow: hidden;
padding-right:10px;
}
button {
float: right;
}
<form method="post">
<button>Search</button>
<span><input type="text" title="Search" /></span>
</form>
A simple fiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/v7YTT/90/
Update 1: If your website is targeted towards modern browsers only, I suggest using flexible boxes. Here you can see the current support.
Update 2: This even works with multiple buttons or other elements that share the full with with the input field. Here is an example.
as much as everyone hates tables for layout, they do help with stuff like this, either using explicit table tags or using display:table-cell
<div style="width:300px; display:table">
<label for="MyInput" style="display:table-cell; width:1px">label text</label>
<input type="text" id="MyInput" style="display:table-cell; width:100%" />
</div>
I suggest using Flexbox:
Be sure to add the proper vendor prefixes though!
form {
width: 400px;
border: 1px solid black;
display: flex;
}
input {
flex: 2;
}
input, label {
margin: 5px;
}
<form method="post">
<label for="myInput">Sample label</label>
<input type="text" id="myInput" placeholder="Sample Input"/>
</form>
Please use flexbox for this. You have a container that is going to flex its children into a row. The first child takes its space as needed. The second one flexes to take all the remaining space:
<div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row">
<label for="MyInput">label text</label>
<input type="text" id="MyInput" style="flex:1" />
</div>
Easiest way to achieve this would be :
CSS :
label{ float: left; }
span
{
display: block;
overflow: hidden;
padding-right: 5px;
padding-left: 10px;
}
span > input{ width: 100%; }
HTML :
<fieldset>
<label>label</label><span><input type="text" /></span>
<label>longer label</label><span><input type="text" /></span>
</fieldset>
Looks like : http://jsfiddle.net/JwfRX/
Very easy trick is using a CSS calc formula. All modern browsers, IE9, wide range of mobile browsers should support this.
<div style='white-space:nowrap'>
<span style='display:inline-block;width:80px;font-weight:bold'>
<label for='field1'>Field1</label>
</span>
<input id='field1' name='field1' type='text' value='Some text' size='30' style='width:calc(100% - 80px)' />
</div>
you can try this :
div#panel {
border:solid;
width:500px;
height:300px;
}
div#content {
height:90%;
background-color:#1ea8d1; /*light blue*/
}
div#panel input {
width:100%;
height:10%;
/*make input doesnt overflow inside div*/
-webkit-box-sizing: border-box;
-moz-box-sizing: border-box;
box-sizing: border-box;
/*make input doesnt overflow inside div*/
}
<div id="panel">
<div id="content"></div>
<input type="text" placeholder="write here..."/>
</div>
The answers given here are a bit outdated. So, here I'm with the easiest solution using modern flexbox.
.input-container{
display:flex;
}
input{
flex-grow: 1;
margin-left: 5px;
}
<div style="width:300px;">
<div class="input-container">
<label for="MyInput">label text: </label>
<input type="text" id="MyInput"/>
</div>
<div class="input-container">
<label for="MyInput2">Long label text: </label>
<input type="text" id="MyInput2" />
</div>
</div>
If you're using Bootstrap 4:
<form class="d-flex">
<label for="myInput" class="align-items-center">Sample label</label>
<input type="text" id="myInput" placeholder="Sample Input" class="flex-grow-1"/>
</form>
Better yet, use what's built into Bootstrap:
<form>
<div class="input-group">
<div class="input-group-prepend">
<label for="myInput" class="input-group-text">Default</label>
</div>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="myInput">
</div>
</form>
https://jsfiddle.net/nap1ykbr/

How to style and align forms without tables?

I've gotten used to using <table>s for aligning my form fields perfectly. This is how I commonly write my forms:
<table border="0">
<tr>
<td><label for="f_name">First name:</label></td>
<td><input type='text' id='f_name' name='f_name' /></td>
<td class='error'><?=form_error('f_name');?></td>
</tr>
</table>
I know this is bad practice, and I want to use CSS, <label>s, <div>s, or a cleaner method. However, the fact is, <table>s work extremely well for the forms. Everything is aligned exactly right, the spacing is perfect, all errors exactly below each other, etc.
I recently tried using <dt> and <dd> tags for a form, but I ended up reverting back to tables just because they looked so much better.
How can I get this kind of aligned table layout without using <table>s?
This might not get a lot of support but here's my two cents:
In some situations tables are easier for layout; such as three columns or forms (albeit there are some great suggestions here for doing a pure css form layout so don't ignore those either.)
Processes and methodologies can make good servants but are poor masters.
- Mark Dowd, John McDonald & Justin Schuh
in "The Art of Software Security Assessment"
I believe that this quote very strongly applies to this situation. If your table layout is working for you, not causing accessibility issues and isn't broken - then don't fix it.
Phrases like: "you should", "must", "always" - make me scared, because one-size-doesn't-fit-all! Take zealots with a grain of salt.
Yes, use labels and CSS:
<label class='FBLabel' for="FName">First Name</label>
<input value="something" name="FName" type="text" class='FBInput'>
<br>
css:
.FBLabel, .FBInput {
display:block;
width:150px;
float:left;
margin-bottom:10px;
}
See: http://www.alistapart.com/articles/prettyaccessibleforms
If you don't use tables you need to know the width of your labels upfront. This can often be a problem for multi-language sites (i18n).
With tables, they stretch to fit labels of differing sizes. CSS alone can't do that yet in a well-supported way.
Why do you not want to use tables? It sounds like they are working perfectly for you now. Are you worried about accessibility issues? Just because it is a table doesn't mean that accessibility will suffer.
I want to caution you from creating a new solution to a solved problem for nothing other than purity's sake. Even if you are worried about semantics, what kind of semantics describe a form anyway?
Most of the non-table based answers here rely on pre-determined fixed widths, which can be a pain for internationalisation, or any other scenario where you can't be certain of the required width for labels.
But CSS has display: table for this very reason:
HTML
<div class="form-fields">
<div class="form-field">
<label class="form-field-label" for="firstNameInput">First Name</label>
<div class="form-field-control"><input type="text" id="firstNameInput"></div>
<div class="form-field-comment">Required</div>
</div>
<div class="form-field">
<label class="form-field-label" for="lastNameInput">Last Name</label>
<div class="form-field-control"><input type="text" id="lastNameInput"></div>
<div class="form-field-comment">Required</div>
</div>
</div>
CSS
.form-fields {
display: table;
}
.form-field {
display: table-row;
}
.form-field-label,
.form-field-control,
.form-field-comment {
display: table-cell;
padding: 3px 10px;
}
Simple.
I use the following method most of the time and it allows me to get all my alignment set up exactly how I like it. As you can see, it gives me a great number of hooks for CSS and JS.
<form id="login-form" action="#" method="post">
<fieldset>
<label id="for-email" for="email">
<span class="label-title">Email Address <em class="required">*</em></span>
<input id="email" name="email" type="text" class="text-input" />
</label>
<label id="for-password" for="password">
<span class="label-title">Password <em class="required">*</em></span>
<input id="password" name="password" type="password" class="text-input" />
</label>
</fieldset>
<ul class="form-buttons">
<li><input type="submit" value="Log In" /></li>
</ul>
</form><!-- /#login-form -->
Really depends on who you talk to. The purists say use CSS because the table element was not meant for layout. But for me, if it works, why change it? I do use CSS now for layout, but I still have plenty of legacy code I have not and will not change.
There are tons of ways out there to do it without tables. Once you get the basic format down it's as easy to work with as tables are, it's just the initial playing around that can be a pain. So, just look to others that have already done the work of figuring it all out for you:
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/prettyaccessibleforms
http://woork.blogspot.com/2008/06/clean-and-pure-css-form-design.html
I also documented the method I've settled on last week (a snippet):
<form action="/signup" method="post">
<fieldset>
<legend>Basic Information</legend>
<ol>
<li><label for="name">Name <span class="error">*</span>
</label><input type="text" id="name" name="name" size="30" /></li>
<li><label for="dob">Date of Birth <span class="error">*</span></label>
<div class="inputWrapper">
<input type="text" id="dob" name="dob" size="10" />
<span class="note">YYYY-MM-DD</span></div></li>
<li><label for="gender">Gender <span class="error">*</span></label>
<select id="gender" name="gender">
<option value=""></option>
<option value="female">Female</option>
<option value="male">Male</option>
</select></li>
</ol>
</fieldset>
</form>
And the CSS:
fieldset {
margin: 0 0 20px 0; }
fieldset legend {
font-weight: bold;
font-size: 16px;
padding: 0 0 10px 0;
color: #214062; }
fieldset label {
width: 170px;
float: left;
margin-right:10px;
vertical-align: top; }
fieldset ol {
list-style:none;
margin: 0;
padding: 0;}
fieldset ol li {
float:left;
width:100%;
padding-bottom:7px;
padding-left: 0;
margin-left: 0; }
fieldset ol li input,
fieldset ol li select,
fieldset ol li textarea {
margin-bottom: 5px; }
form fieldset div.inputWrapper {
margin-left: 180px; }
.note {
font-size: 0.9em; color: #666; }
.error{
color: #d00; }
jsFiddle
There's no one-size-fits-all for this. The table example you used can be improved on, though:
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th scope="row"><label for="f_name">First name:</label></th>
<td>
<input type='text' id='f_name' name='f_name' />
<?php form_error('f_name'); ?>
</td>
</tr>
<!-- ... -->
</tbody>
</table>
Not too sure about the error part; I think it makes more sense putting it next to the input than having a separate column for it.
I have used this in the past fairly effectively:
HTML:
<fieldset>
<p>
<label for="myTextBox">Name</label>
<span class="field"><input type="text" name="myTextBox" id="myTextBox" /></span>
<span class="error">This a message place</span>
</p>
</fieldset>
CSS:
<style type="text/css">
fieldset label, fieldset .field, fieldset .error { display: -moz-inline-box; display: inline-block; zoom: 1; vertical-align: top; }
fieldset p { margin: .5em 0; }
fieldset label { width: 10em; text-align: right; line-height: 1.1; }
fieldset .field { width: 20em; }
</style>
The only really gotcha is Firefox 2 which gracefully degrades. (see the -moz-inline-box which is a bit of hack, but not too bad)
I had this problem too, but with the cocidil that I had a menu in the left (also with float:left in it).
So. My solution was:
html
<div class="new">
<form>
<label class="newlabel">Name</label>
<input type="text" name="myTextBox" id="myTextBox" />
</form>
</div>
css
.new {
display:block;
}
.newlabel {
min-width: 200px;
float: left;
}
I think, it would work in the form class too, but in reality I had more forms in the 'new' class.