Fixing text size

[Michael Laplante]

I've replaced a page title -- formerly a graphic to maintain text size --
with actual text. However, I don't want this title to re-size dramatically
should a user change the font size in their browser. A little is okay, a lot
no.

#Opagetitle
{position:absolute;z-index:6;visibility:visible;text-align:left;left:210px;top:175px;width:438px;height:24px;font-family:
sans-serif;font-size: 18px;font-style: normal;font-weight:bold;color:
#000080;}

The above is in my stylesheet. In FF though, changing the font size via ctrl
key causes pagetitle to change size dramatically. In IE, there is no change
in text size -- it seems to respect the fixed pixel size where FF won't.

What to do?

M

 

[Adrienne Boswell]

I've replaced a page title -- formerly a graphic to maintain text size
-- with actual text. However, I don't want this title to re-size
dramatically should a user change the font size in their browser. A
little is okay, a lot no.

#Opagetitle
{position:absolute;z-index:6;visibility:visible;text-align:left;left:21
0px;top:175px;width:438px;height:24px;font-family:
sans-serif;font-size: 18px;font-style: normal;font-weight:bold;color:
#000080;}

The above is in my stylesheet. In FF though, changing the font size
via ctrl key causes pagetitle to change size dramatically. In IE,
there is no change in text size -- it seems to respect the fixed pixel
size where FF won't.

What to do?

Correct, IE users cannot resize fixed type font size units. Most other
modern browsers can.

If you use a percentage, you might be better off:

h1 {font-size:135%}
h2 {font-size:130%}
h3 {font-size:125%}
h4 {font-size:120%}
..legalese {font-size:85%}
#Opagetitle
{position:absolute;z-index:6;visibility:visible;text-align:left;left:21
0px;top:175px;width:438px;height:24px;}
#Opagetitle h1 {font-size:130%; font-family:
sans-serif;font-style: normal;font-weight:bold;color:
#000080;}

 

[dorayme]

I've replaced a page title -- formerly a graphic to maintain text size --
with actual text. However, I don't want this title to re-size dramatically
should a user change the font size in their browser. A little is okay, a lot
no.

#Opagetitle
{position:absolute;z-index:6;visibility:visible;text-align:left;left:210px;top
:175px;width:438px;height:24px;font-family:
sans-serif;font-size: 18px;font-style: normal;font-weight:bold;color:
#000080;}

The above is in my stylesheet. In FF though, changing the font size via ctrl
key causes pagetitle to change size dramatically. In IE, there is no change
in text size -- it seems to respect the fixed pixel size where FF won't.

What to do?

M

If % or ems are not good enough, you might have to wait till CSS
4 for a logarithmic size-spec to font-size.

"Base 10 or e, with or without milk, anyone?

 

[Barbara de Zoete]

I've replaced a page title -- formerly a graphic to maintain text size --
with actual text. However, I don't want this title to re-size
dramatically should a user change the font size in their browser.
A little is okay, a lot no.

#Opagetitle
{position:absolute;z-index:6;visibility:visible;text-align:left;left:210px;top:175px;width:438px;height:24px;font-family:
sans-serif;font-size: 18px;font-style: normal;font-weight:bold;color:
#000080;}

The above is in my stylesheet. In FF though, changing the font size via
ctrl key causes pagetitle to change size dramatically. In IE, there is
no change in text size -- it seems to respect the fixed pixel size where
FF won't.

What to do?

Accept it? It may come as a surprise to you, but to many people the
ability to control font size in their browser is a blessing. Don't try to
set a fixed font at all.
BTW: you might rethink your use of #Opagetitle. It looks to me like you
really want that bit of text to be the main heading in your page. For that
you should use h1.

 

[Roy Schestowitz]

__/ [ Barbara de Zoete ] on Sunday 07 May 2006 05:48 \__


For Firefox: it's a feature, not a bug. the /USER/ is in charge.

For IE: it's a known bug, not a feature. Zooming in IE is notorious and a
friend of mine who is 77 moved to Firefox partly due to that factor.

Accept it? It may come as a surprise to you, but to many people the
ability to control font size in their browser is a blessing. Don't try to
set a fixed font at all.
BTW: you might rethink your use of #Opagetitle. It looks to me like you
really want that bit of text to be the main heading in your page. For that
you should use h1.

Taking zooming into account when designing Web page is a bad idea. What I
mean to say is this: assume nothing about font size, but *do* ensure that
increase in font size does not obstruct, e.g. text 'leaking' outside the
screen. Forget about aesthetics, which should not lead to accessibility
being compromised. Assume normal (unzoomed) fonts, which would probably
cover over 90% of the visitors (depending how big/miniscule your fonts
are, by default).

Best wishes,

Roy

 

[Neredbojias]

To further the education of mankind, Roy Schestowitz

For Firefox: it's a feature, not a bug. the /USER/ is in charge.

For IE: it's a known bug, not a feature. Zooming in IE is notorious
and a friend of mine who is 77 moved to Firefox partly due to that
factor.

When did you start hanging out with the younger crowd?

 

[Nije Nego]

#Opagetitle
{position:absolute;z-index:6;visibility:visible;text-align:left;left:210px;top:175px;width:438px;height:24px;font-family:
sans-serif;font-size: 18px;font-style: normal;font-weight:bold;color:
#000080;}

Some of the definitions here are noot needed, since they are set by
default, you can easily remove them:

visibility: visible;
text-align: left;
font-style: normal;

Font size should be empty, 100% or 1em.

Since this is a page title you should put all the text in between
<h1>text goes here</h1>
and define h1 in your css.

A standard h1 would render at 200% default font size (as defined in body or
otherwhere).
http://www.maxdesign.com.au/presentation/relative/

 

[Nije Nego]

I don't want this title to re-size dramatically
should a user change the font size in their browser. A little is okay, a lot
no.

Having default font-size empty (or at 100% or 1em), 99% of users will not
have to resize and adjust the font size - only if they are in control you
could be in control.

 

[Roy Schestowitz]

To further the education of mankind, Roy Schestowitz


When did you start hanging out with the younger crowd?

It's like life in reverse... I can't find that George Costanza cartoon which
illustrates this... it used to circulate around the Net quite heavily...

 

[Neredbojias]

To further the education of mankind, Roy Schestowitz

It's like life in reverse... I can't find that George Costanza cartoon
which illustrates this... it used to circulate around the Net quite
heavily...

At age 4 success is not peeing in your pants.
At age 12 success is having friends.
At age 16 success is having a drivers license.
At age 20 success is having sex.
At age 35 success is having money.
At age 50 success is having money.
At age 60 success is having sex.
At age 70 success is having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is having friends.
At age 80 success is not peeing in your pants.

 

[Roy Schestowitz]

__/ [ Neredbojias ] on Sunday 07 May 2006 11:08 \__

To further the education of mankind, Roy Schestowitz


At age 4 success is not peeing in your pants.
At age 12 success is having friends.
At age 16 success is having a drivers license.
At age 20 success is having sex.
At age 35 success is having money.
At age 50 success is having money.
At age 60 success is having sex.
At age 70 success is having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is having friends.
At age 80 success is not peeing in your pants.

Seen this before. *smile*

The one I thought about was a JPEG called "Life in Reverse. George explains
that a better life would have begun when we are frail and end up in a cozy
womb. It is pretty funny. Another one is this:

What changes occur in females at each 10 year interval in their lives,
beginning at age 8?

At 8? Before she falls asleep in her bed, you tell her a story.

At 18? You tell her a story and take her to bed.

At 28 ? You don't need to tell her a story to take her to bed.

At 38 - She tells you a story and takes you to bed.

At 48 ? She tells you a story to avoid going to bed.

At 58 ? You stay in bed to avoid her story.

At 68? If you take her to bed, that'll be a story!

At 78 ? What story??? What bed??? Who the hell are you???

Best wishes,

Roy

 

[JDS]

I've replaced a page title -- formerly a graphic to maintain text size --
with actual text. However, I don't want this title to re-size dramatically
should a user change the font size in their browser. A little is okay, a lot
no.

Then go back to the graphic

 

[Greg N.]

I've replaced a page title -- formerly a graphic to maintain text size --
with actual text. However, I don't want this title to re-size dramatically
should a user change the font size in their browser

I suggest you don't worry.

My vision is not what it used to be, and I use Firefox' text resize
function a lot. I accept very much that every other web site's layout
gets a bit out of whack when I do this, but I will not hold it against
the web site author.

When font sizes increase, a few extra line breaks and scroll bars is
nothing for you to get anal about. All you need to do is make sure all
parts of your site stay visible and readable.

Take pleasure in my happiness to be able to read your stuff.

 

[Neredbojias]

To further the education of mankind, Roy Schestowitz

Seen this before. *smile*

The one I thought about was a JPEG called "Life in Reverse. George
explains that a better life would have begun when we are frail and end
up in a cozy womb. It is pretty funny. Another one is this:

Doesn't ring any bells with me but sounds like it could be a riot.

What changes occur in females at each 10 year interval in their lives,
beginning at age 8?

At 8? Before she falls asleep in her bed, you tell her a story.

At 18? You tell her a story and take her to bed.

At 28 ? You don't need to tell her a story to take her to bed.

At 38 - She tells you a story and takes you to bed.

At 48 ? She tells you a story to avoid going to bed.

At 58 ? You stay in bed to avoid her story.

At 68? If you take her to bed, that'll be a story!

At 78 ? What story??? What bed??? Who the hell are you???

Best wishes,

Roy

<g> And it's true, too. You wouldn't believe how many girls thought I was
a g-man when I was, uh, younger.

 

[Andy Dingley]

I've replaced a page title -- formerly a graphic to maintain text size --
with actual text. However, I don't want this title to re-size dramatically
should a user change the font size in their browser.

Set the size in pixels and set the text sizes for the rest of the page
in ems or %. Make sure that body text remains at 1em and that "small
print" doesn't go smaller than 0.67em.

By this means, users should get good readability at their default text
sizes and don't need to go around re-sizing things. IE users will also
keep the pixel sizes constant (as they ought to), FF users will still
see variation in the pixel sized text. This isn't perfect, but it's the
best I know how to achieve.

I do use pixel sizes where I need to constrain text to fit into a
graphical design feature (such as breadcrumbs into a fixed height
stripe) but I don't do it for "page titles" - they get em sizes, same
as the other "content". As to usability, then I'm prepared to have the
breadcrumbs become unusable for size-sensitive graphical readers,
rather than break the page layout for everyone. They still work fine in
text mode or with a browser that specifically recognises nav menus.

You _might_ also use an IE conditional comment to reduce the body text
size below 100%. This is needed because IE screws up default handling
on large screen resolutions / not-so-large physical screens where users
have used the Windows display properties of "Large fonts" to keep
things readable. This is an IE 6 (and earlier) bug.