character entity display in IE

[Luki_be]

Hi,

i'm using character entities on some links and just noticed IE7 and IE8 don't display them. Now, i could have sworn that they displayed it fine. Either i have gone bunkers or missed it in testing.

Could somebody take a peep or is it normal behavior for IE7 and IE8? IE6 however does seem to display it fine.

page

[Raffles]

If you mean the diagonal arrows, IE8 is displaying them just fine for me.

And BTW, it's "bonkers".

[Luki_be]

If you mean the diagonal arrows, IE8 is displaying them just fine for me.

And BTW, it's "bonkers".

So i guess IE7 also? Strange, on my box they don't show up: they are displayed as a small empty rectangular box.

Man, can't believe i wrote bunkers lol (even not being a native English/American lol)

[Raffles]

It could be because the symbols you're using aren't supposed to be supported by HTML4 (#x261E isn't in the list). Nevertheless, the fact they appear for me in IE8 would seem to make that point moot. I'm using Vista - maybe that makes a difference. What are you using?

Do all the symbols in this list appear for you? If not, then it's not to do with your webpage -- rather, with your computer. They all appear for me in IE8.

[Luki_be]

It could be because the symbols you're using aren't supposed to be supported by HTML4 (#x261E isn't in the list). Nevertheless, the fact they appear for me in IE8 would seem to make that point moot. I'm using Vista - maybe that makes a difference. What are you using?

Do all the symbols in this list appear for you? If not, then it's not to do with your webpage -- rather, with your computer. They all appear for me in IE8.

k, here's the sitrap:

i use IEtester for developing so i have IE7 installed on my box; otherwise IEtester does a bonker on me

Test results: IE7 live: most form the list don't show up. IE8 on IEtester: same result. OS:XP

But i could have sworn they did because i usually test each page. And the strangest thing is that IE6 seems to display them.

To be sure: i use them on the skipnav and the rest of the links (indicating e.g. external links like the sitepoint reference).

At my end they end up like small empty rectangular boxes

[gary.turner]

If you get the little square boxes, it's because the particular font you're using doesn't include the entity in its character set. Try setting a different font family.

cheers,

gary

[Mittineague]

Using Firefox 2 (I know, I'm stuck with an old OS for the time being), I see a hand with a pointing finger for ☞ which is OK. But what's NOT is, I see a question mark (not a box) for ➚

This makes the links look like

Worth reading

Gordon ➚
Paul ➚
Ryan ➚
Sitepoint Css Reference ➚

Not Good.

Maybe instead of using unicode for "special" characters that might not be displayed depending on what's available to the browser, you could use a small image instead?

[Luki_be]

If you get the little square boxes, it's because the particular font you're using doesn't include the entity in its character set. Try setting a different font family.

cheers,

gary

Though Opera, Chrome, Safari... displays them?

[Luki_be]

Using Firefox 2 (I know, I'm stuck with an old OS for the time being), I see a hand with a pointing finger for ☞ which is OK. But what's NOT is, I see a question mark (not a box) for ➚

This makes the links look like

Worth reading

Gordon ➚
Paul ➚
Ryan ➚
Sitepoint Css Reference ➚

Not Good.

Maybe instead of using unicode for "special" characters that might not be displayed depending on what's available to the browser, you could use a small image instead?

FF3 shows everything as intended on my box. About the image, yeah that's the usual solution but i wanted to try something different.

On the other hand, i got a PM saying that IE7/8 displays them fine on that members box.... so it's strange....

[AutisticCuckoo]

Though Opera, Chrome, Safari... displays them?

Opera, at least, will switch to a different font if the specified one doesn't contain a required glyph. You can customise which font(s) to use under Tools / Preferences / Advanced / Fonts / International Fonts.

I assume Chrome and Safari have similar algorithms, but I do think IE is somewhat lacking in this department. At least IE7 and older; I have no experience of IE8.