Some questions…
1.) Are there different techniques (using CSS) to right-align form labels and have the form text fields left-aligned?
2.) If I am using a 3-column, fixed-width page layout, does that change how I accomplish #1?
TomTees
All I saw was comments about Tables. (You are assuming I’m seeing everyone’s responses…)
I certainly don’t expect spoon-feeding.
I think that sometimes posters forget that those helping them are mostly doing it for free and in their own time and it is often quicker for them to post a link with the information an OP requests than it is for the helper to post a detailed explanation, especially if the helper is at the same time working on something that someone else is actually paying them to do.
Again, all I saw was comments debating Tables.
I found a long - though very good - article on SitePoint via Google and so I posted it here, and was just saying that was what my original question was asking about.
TomTees
It’s difficult at times in forums like this to correctly interpret the tone and “body language” of a post, but I agree with the others by saying that wording like that in red above could be interpreted by some that you expect to be spoon fed information.
I think that sometimes posters forget that those helping them are mostly doing it for free and in their own time and it is often quicker for them to post a link with the information an OP requests than it is for the helper to post a detailed explanation, especially if the helper is at the same time working on something that someone else is actually paying them to do.
Can we keep the tone friendly, please?
@TomTees, I’m sorry but I can understand noonnope’s reaction to this:
It can be interpreted as condescending and arrogant. That might not have been your intention, but I interpreted the post the same as he has.
Please keep the discussion on topic, everything should be taken to PM.
Sorry, I’m not following the conversation or response by Kalon.
My goal was a solution using CSS, not HTML tables.
Something like this without having to spend all day reading the entire article! 
Thanks,
TomTees
that could easily be fixed by limiting the number of smileys per post (something like in the case of ****).
i think though it’s time i restrain my self from using too many smileys. it’s starting to look like a bad habit. thanks for a helpful suggestion, Stevie D.
but seriously, letting aside the lengthy (?) article, ds60 gave the OP a wonderful and short solution/explanation in #2: 4 lines of text!!!, and the OP still wants somebody to do ALL the work for him. it’s a shame.
[ot]and it’s noonnope, with three n’s. double n in the middle. actually, there is a catch. using that name enables me to distinguish the native english from the rest. those that are ESL don’t have that problem, of not seeing the double n in the middle.
[/ot]
some/many - many/some :juggle: . I suppose it depends on what that some or many is relative to.
If by name-value pairs you mean datasets with any number of rows but only 2 columns, I don’t see why there can’t be cases where those datasets could be considered to be tabular data as well.
Like the ones you should already have in the form like fieldset, label and input…
As a website author, I find it incredibly frustrating when people spend longer typing out a question to me than it would take them to find the answer on my website if they bothered to look for it and think for a couple of seconds.
Tom - if you’ve read the article and there’s things in there that you don’t understand or aren’t sure about, we’ll be happy to help you with them. If you hadn’t been able to find a good article, we’d be happy to point you in the right direction. But when you say (to paraphrase) “I’ve found this article that someone has taken the time to write, but I can’t be bothered to read it”, sorry but that does come across as lazy, and disrespectful to the authors of the article and other contributors here.
Noonope - as you can tell, I don’t disagree with you, but I’m afraid your habit of dropping smiley faces all over the place when you’re making serious points does come across as a bit condescending and rude.
I would agree with “some” … not sure about “many” though … the vast majority of forms I’ve seen on the web are simple name–value pairs, and I can’t see any justification for considering that as tabular data, not when there are more appropriate elements to use.
A lot of people will slap them in tables or waste time abusing definition lists for something they don’t mean to do this, or incorrectly wrap paragraphs around everything or start playing with floats — That’s all nonsense.
Set the labels to inline-block; set a fixed width, text-align:right;
leave the INPUT tags alone, and put a <br /> after them.
DONE.
my issue is you expecting someone else to do your homework:
yes, there is. read the damn article already 
i’m far from condescending and rude. as i remember well you were being that when bombarding me with pm’s to “help” you learn
I NEVER said I expected anyone to come up with a complete solution for me.
I was simply looking for a condensed version of reading an entire article. This time, the response I got wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for, but at least there was a longer article covering this topic.
Your comments - which are out of left field - are condescending and rude.
Other people on here don’t have an issue helping me, because I am so appreciative of all of their time and help.
What your issue is, is beyond me, but there’s an easy way (for me) to fix that…
TomTees
helping is not the same with working for free you expect somebody to do your work (and homework), not to be helped.
if you didn’t pay attention enough, no one in these forums gets paid. so no one offering (or not offering) you solutions really cares if SP makes $$$ or not, it’s just out of their good will, they have no obligations towards you. the least you can do to respect that is to be prepared to work a little your self
also, don’t think SP has any kind of obligations towards you. SP is kind enough to provide the place where you can come and exchange ideas for free. that’s the forum about in the first place. then is can be about getting help also.
finally, what you think of as sarcasm is really help: that is what you’re looking for: text-align:right you should really take the time to read first the tone is merely to give you an edge on the fact that you are not entitled to a solution just by writing a cheeky post
We’re spinning circles.
The original questions in the opening post have been answered manifold, thus you should have the solution to your problem.
Thread closed.
“my attitude” reiterated an answer for you, an answer you didn’t get because you’re in the wrong place it seems. nobody needs to play by your rules, but you, you have to, if you hope for a free education and scot-free solutions.
but be sure and count on
It was that - as is often the case online - people never answered my Original Post.
from now on.
I didn’t say that.
I am saying that Deathshadow is on my ignore list because I’m tired of his profanities and abusive nature towards others on SitePoint.
So all I saw to a question asking about CSS and aligning labels was…
{Something about Tables}
{Blocked Message}
{Something about Tables}
{Blocked Message}
So I then went out spending an hour or two Googling trying to find an answer, and ironically was directed to a long SitePoint article.
I wouldn’t have posted if I wanted to read all day on the larger topic of CSS and Forms, but I knew it would be a good article and so I sucked it up and have been reading that all day. (Not my original goal, but I am becoming an expert on the topic.)
And that may explain any perceived “snippiness” in my message.
My issue was not that people didn’t spoon-feed me. It was that - as is often the case online - people never answered my Original Post.
Noonnope’s attitude didn’t exactly add any value to things…
If you haven’t got the time or inclination to read all the responses in your own thread that can only discourage potential helpers from trying to assist you
Ummm… see above.
especially in any detail, since there is a good chance you will not read their response.
I read everyone’s responses (assuming that I can see). All of them!
TomTees
The quickest way for SitePoint to lose visitors - and all of the Advertising $$$ we provide for free - would be if no one helped each other in the forums and so people just went off and read all day…
so
text-align: right
it is. you’re welcome
Helping with sarcasm isn’t much of a help.
TomTees
I don’t think my post qualifies. It was pretty short.
Tom - if you’ve read the article and there’s things in there that you don’t understand or aren’t sure about, we’ll be happy to help you with them.
It is an EXCELLENT article. I’m getting everything so far. Whoever wrote it did a good job!
If you hadn’t been able to find a good article, we’d be happy to point you in the right direction.
There is no shortage of good articles at SitePoint. (I just didn’t want to spend all day mastering CCS Forms. Turns out that is what I had to do.)
But when you say (to paraphrase) “I’ve found this article that someone has taken the time to write, but I can’t be bothered to read it”, sorry but that does come across as lazy, and disrespectful to the authors of the article and other contributors here.
I never said that!
I AM reading the ENTIRE article.
(It is a GREAT article on CSS Forms.)
All I was saying is that it was my goal to get a 2 minute answer to a 2 minute question and not have to read on the entire topic (i.e. all day) to get my 2 minute answer.
At any rate, I’m getting an answer to my question the hard way - all by myself by reading the entire topic.
Life isn’t always fair, now is it?!
Noonope - as you can tell, I don’t disagree with you, but I’m afraid your habit of dropping smiley faces all over the place when you’re making serious points does come across as a bit condescending and rude.
Thank you!!!
(Drop all your wink-winks and maybe this wouldn’t have turned into a 20-page thread…)
TomTees
hmmmm :scratch:
I’m not so sure - but we could play “posting tennis” all day and get no where on that one, so we’ll just have to agree to disagree.
What strengthens my suspicion further is that you imply you don’t read every response in your own thread.
If you haven’t got the time or inclination to read all the responses in your own thread that can only discourage potential helpers from trying to assist you, especially in any detail, since there is a good chance you will not read their response.