Cool CSS But works only in Firefox?

[MarsdeNation]

Came across this the other day, is a simple and cool feature:

a [href $='.pdf'] {
padding-left: 23px;
background-image: url(images/pdf-small.gif);
background-repeat: no-repeat;
}

<a href="a-nice-speech.pdf">Link to PDF</a>

What it does is looks at 'href' code inside the 'a' tag, if the file name has '.pdf' at the end of the file name, it will apply the rest of the CSS code.

Only problem is, it works great in Firefox 2, but Not IE 7.

Any ideas why?
Thanks in advance.
.TM

[Dan Schulz]

IE doesn't understand it. Opera and Safari do, IIRC as does Firefox (obviously). Until IE can support it, you're best off just using a class on the selector and then style it that way.

[MarsdeNation]

Can you give me an example please?

[CaryD]

Can you give me an example please?

a.pdf {
padding-left: 23px;
background-image: url(images/pdf-small.gif);
background-repeat: no-repeat;
}

<a href="a-nice-speech.pdf" class="pdf">Link to PDF</a>

[Dan Schulz]

I like to put the class before the href attribute, but that's just me.

[CaryD]

Well, I was momentarily torn and hesitant in that decision.

[MarsdeNation]

Damn IE, When are they going to catch up?

the 'href' code is dynamically generated by a PHP application and thus I do not have access to the code to add a class like that. I can only change the style sheet.

It was a good idea while it lasted.

Thanks all.

[markbrown4]

Off Topic:

Well, I was momentarily torn and hesitant in that decision.

[markbrown4]

You would be able to script it,
get list of anchors in page,
get href attribute,
use string functions to see if ends in .pdf
add class

[Dan Schulz]

Ask the person responsible for the app to modify it so you can insert the class then.

[felgall]

The other alternative is to add the effect for those using modern web browsers and those using IE will not know what they are missing.

[MarsdeNation]

Not Good enough I am afraid **I wish
I might just write a letter to Microsoft:


Dear Microsoft,

Hurry up and Get with the program.

Many Thanks
.TM

[zcorpan]

IE7 does support [foo$=bar], but only in standards mode.

[Dan Schulz]

But don't forget about the insanely huge user base for IE 6 though - until it reaches IE5 or NN4 levels, using it is not something I would advise people to do.

[felgall]

But don't forget about the insanely huge user base for IE 6 though - until it reaches IE5 or NN4 levels, using it is not something I would advise people to do.

People with JavaScript disabled should get pages that still work even though it may require a round trip to the server to perform validation etc.

People with Stylesheets disabled should still be able to read the page content even though the formatting isn't as fancy as with it enabled.

People with antiquated browsers such as IE6 should still be able to use the web page even though some of the page appearance controlled by stylesheet commands that it doesn't understand are missing.

As long as the web page degrades gracefully when your visitor has JavaScript or stylesheets disabled or uses an antique browser such as IE6 what difference does it really make if the page isn't quitre the same for them as it is for people using a modern browser with CSS and avaScript enabled?

If it isn't critical to the page then by all means use stylesheet commands that IE6 doesn't understand but which modern browsers do. If it is critical to the page then it shouldn't be done via stylesheets in the first place - it should be in the HTML with the rest of the content.

[markbrown4]

If it isn't critical to the page then by all means use stylesheet commands that IE6 doesn't understand but which modern browsers do. If it is critical to the page then it shouldn't be done via stylesheets in the first place - it should be in the HTML with the rest of the content.

Your right, and progressive enhancement is a great model to keep in mind. BUT..

IE6 is the most popular browser on the planet!

Another method that doesn't use advanced CSS works in this crucial browser so Dan's suggestion to use a simple class name is good advice.

[felgall]

IE6 is only the third most popular browser amongst visitors to my site behind Firefox 2 and IE7. While I may get more Firefox users than a typical site I would expect the near equal split between IE6 and IE7 with IE6 slightly behind and falling would be fairly typical of most sites.

How can IE6 be the most popular browser on the planet when more people now use IE7? (and if that isn't completely true now, it will be soon)

[markbrown4]

I'll stick with Dan's response then - there's a large enough userbase to warrant your support.

[drhowarddrfine]

I wouldn't call it the most 'popular'. I'd call it the most 'used'.

progressive enhancement is a great model to keep in mind.

In the book "Transcending CSS", top web designers are doing the opposite, progessive 'degradation'. They are using all the tools available on the web and those browsers that can't use them, typically IE, are just fed the same information with less features, eg, features it can't handle.

[markbrown4]

I'll deliver the same style to IE6 as it's simple using another method, for something that IE6 simply can't do I would add features that only other browsers can use.
Firefox handles multi-columns perfectly - too bad for other browsers that are behind the times? No, I'll use floats that all browsers can understand.

[Dan Schulz]

And just because they're the top designers doesn't mean they're doing the right thing. All it means is that they've been recognized for their previous achievements, which says a lot of good things about them.

[drhowarddrfine]

Andy Clarke (Author), Molly E. Holzschlag (Author), Aaron Gustafson (Technical Editor), Mark Boulton (Technical Editor), Joe Clark (contributor), Eric Meyer (contributor) and a bunch of other know nothings.

[Dan Schulz]

Whoa, what happened here? What gives with the foul balls to left field Doc? Steve Bartman show up at another Cubs game?

I didn't say that they're know nothings just because they're considered by many to be the top Web designers in the world. I'm just saying that because they've been recognized for their achievements doens't mean they're always right 100&#37; of the time. Sorry Doc but I just don't give people free passes. Especially in an industry that moves and evolves as quickly as this one.

Yes, I respect them for their achievements, yes, I respect them for what they're doing now, but at the end of the day they're all human just like you and I are and the're bound to make mistakes once in a great while. Just like the rest of us.

Off Topic:

By the way, has anybody seen or heard from Molly in the past month or so? Her blog's been awfully silent as of late...

[drhowarddrfine]

If it was only one guy, I'd agree, but this is a flock of 'em saying the same thing.

Molly is now a paid shill for Microsoft now so I'm sure they pay for her silence, too.

Off Topic:

I'll be in Chicago on Friday where you can buy me dinner. Has to be Friday cause I'm meeting my son for lunch on Saturday.

[Dan Schulz]

Off Topic:

Come to Aurora, not Chicago - I can't make it out to Chi-town right now.