CSS - Firefox Ignoring Element Absolute Positioning

I was under the understanding that an element positioned absolutely is positioned in context to the closest parent object that has positioning of absolute or relative, and barring that, the body.

I have quite simple code:

html4strict Code:
Original - html4strict Code <div style="position:relative; height:50px; width:250px; background:#69c;"> <input type="text" style="position:absolute; top:5px; left:0; right:0;"> </div>

  

  


 <div style="position:relative; height:50px; width:250px; background:#69c;">


     <input type="text" style="position:absolute; top:5px; left:0; right:0;">


 </div> 

I would expect this to be top-aligned with 5 pixels of blue showing, and stretched the width of the containing div, but it's not. It's the correct height from the div but not the sides of the container - can anyone tell me why that is, or what should be done ( short of width:100%; )?

Thanks,

Brett

I am desperate. I think I found a bug in Firefox, and I'm not sure how to work around it.

The following code works in everything (IE 8, Chrome, Safari, Opera) except Firefox (version 3.6.3). Am I doing something wrong, or is this a bug in Firefox?

You can look what happens to the drop-down menu's on Menu 2 and 3 live by going to my site (deenfoxx dot com slash firefox-bug dot html).

css Code:
Original - css Code #main-nav { background-color: black; height: 40px; } #nav { position: relative; margin: 0; padding: 0; } #nav li { position: relative; float: left; display: table; width: 99px; height: 40px; border-right: 1px solid white; text-align: center; font-size: 10px; } #nav li:hover { background-color: darkred; } #nav a { display: table-cell; vertical-align: middle; line-height: 11px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; color: #fff; } #nav li ul { position: absolute; padding: 0; background-color: gray; top: 40px; left: 0px; } #nav li ul li { width: 98px; border: 0; border-top: 1px solid white; }

  

 #main-nav


 {


     background-color: black;


     height: 40px;


 }


 #nav


 {


     position: relative;


     margin: 0;


     padding: 0;


 }


 #nav li


 {


     position: relative;


     float: left;


     display: table;


     width: 99px;


     height: 40px;


     border-right: 1px solid white;


     text-align: center;


     font-size: 10px;


 }


 #nav li:hover


 {


     background-color: darkred;


 }


 #nav a


 {


     display: table-cell;


     vertical-align: middle;


     line-height: 11px;


     font-weight: bold;


     text-decoration: none;


     color: #fff;


 }


 #nav li ul


 {


     position: absolute;


     padding: 0;


     background-color: gray;


     top: 40px;


     left: 0px;


 }


 #nav li ul li


 {


     width: 98px;


     border: 0;


     border-top: 1px solid white;


 } 

html4strict Code:
Original - html4strict Code <div id="main-nav"> <ul id="nav"> <li id="m1"><a href="#1">Main Menu 1</a></li> <li> <a href="#2">Main Menu 2</a> <ul> <li><a href="#2a">Sub-Category 1</a></li> <li><a href="#2b">Sub-Category<br/>with multiple lines</a></li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="#3">Main Menu 3 with multiple lines</a> <ul> <li><a href="#3a">Sub-Category 2</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="#4">Main Menu item which has a really long name on it</a></li> </ul> </div>

  

 <div id="main-nav">


     <ul id="nav">


         <li id="m1"><a href="#1">Main Menu 1</a></li>


         <li>


             <a href="#2">Main Menu 2</a>


             <ul>


                 <li><a href="#2a">Sub-Category 1</a></li>


                 <li><a href="#2b">Sub-Category<br/>with multiple lines</a></li>


             </ul>


         </li>


         <li>


             <a href="#3">Main Menu 3 with multiple lines</a>


             <ul>


                 <li><a href="#3a">Sub-Category 2</a></li>


             </ul>


         </li>


         <li><a href="#4">Main Menu item which has a really long name on it</a></li>


     </ul>


 </div> 

The problem appears to be that "#nav li" happens to have position:relative; and a display:table; and "#nav li ul" is position:absolute;. Normally, absolute positioning requires its parent or ancestor position to be set, but when used with the table display, it doesn't work normally on Firefox--but it does on other browsers.

Can someone help me with a workaround that does not involve altering the HTML? If I must, I will accept a workaround that requires changing the HTML, but I'll have to do some heavy duty recoding of Magento's core menu generation. Anyone that knows Magento knows I want to avoid that like the plague--my example is a very simplified version of the problem.

Has anyone heard of Firefox 4 or Firefox 3.5 positioning a Div 3 pixels higher on a web page than all other A-Grade browsers?

If you want to see what I mean, go to baampblue . asystechonline . com / ReconstructIndex.php. Sorry I could not insert a link. I'm a new member. I password protected this to keep bots from scanning it. The username is the word demo. The password is also the word demo. Look for "Carl Gohm" on the right side of the page, under "BAAMP Honors Lifetime Members". Click on the Carl Gohm link. A new rounded corner box will open up in the "Featured Projects" display with a picture and information about Carl. If you look at the new box in IE 8, Opera 11, Chrome 11, or Safari 5.0.5 the new box fits perfectly inside of the Featured Projects display. If you look at the new box in Firefox 4 or 3.5, you should notice that the new box is shifted up 3 pixels too high.

The HTML and CSS validate with no errors on the W3C validators.

I'm using jQuery to generate the new box for Carl Gohm. I have ruled out the jQuery as the cause of the problem by creating a minimal test case that doesn't involve jQuery.

I tried using a clean version of Firefox from Spoon.net, because I thought maybe one of the Add-Ons in Firefox was causing the problem. That didn't make any difference.

I tried viewing this on another computer that is running Firefox 4 on Windows XP, but the problem was still there.

I used Firebug to disable and then re-enable each line of CSS one at a time to see if there was a CSS problem. I didn't notice an improvement.

I just need to know if I am wasting my time trying to troubleshoot something that is not correctable.

Thank you in advance for your time.

Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 2

Firefox bug combining absolute and fixed positioning
Hey helpful people.

I am designing a site which has a floating toolbar (position: fixed) with popup menus. The popup menus are using nested lists and position: absolute to display.
JavaScript is dealing with the transition.

The problem is that in firefox alone the fixed toolbar jumps when the popup menus show and hide. Removing either position: fixed or the offset (bottom: 27px) removes this problem. However these need to be present in the design.

Anyone know a workaround? (webpage and css below)

Code:

<div class="toolbar_O">
  <div class="toolbar_I">
    <!-- top page info -->
    <div class="pageInformation cf">
      <!-- Page Status Info Start -->
      <div class="pageStatus">
        <h4 class="statusLabel">Status: </h4>
        <span class="status">Live</span> </div>
      <!-- Page Status Info End -->
      <div class="RHS cf">
        <div class="toolbarMenu">
          <ul>
            <li class="publicationDates"><a href="#" title="Publication dates">Publication dates<span class="moreArrow"><span class="wai">^</span></span>
              <!--[if gte IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
              <ul class="popup">
                <li>
                  <form>
                    <p>
                      <label for="email" class="expiryDate">Set expiry date</label>
                    </p>
                    <input type="text" class="inputTextbox" name="expiryDate" id="expiryDate"/>
                    <p>
                      <label for="email" class="liveDate">Set live date</label>
                    </p>
                    <input type="text" class="inputTextbox" name="liveDate" id="liveDate"/>
                  </form>
                </li>
              </ul>
            </li>
            <li class="dateAction"><a href="#" title="Last published">Last published 29/01/08<span class="moreArrow"><span class="wai">^</span></span>
              <!--[if gte IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
              <ul class="popup">
                <li>
                  <p class="cf"><span class="label">Author:</span><span class="value">Anne Light</span></p>
                  <p class="cf"><span class="label">Approver:</span><span class="value">John Smith</span></p>
                  <p class="cf"><span class="label">Review date:</span><span class="value">21/06/07</span></p>
                </li>
              </ul>
            </li>
            <li class="versions"><a href="#" title="Other versions">Other versions (#)<span class="moreArrow"><span class="wai">^</span></span>
              <!--[if gte IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
             <ul class="popup">
                <li>
                  <p>Ann Light's version sent for approval on 24/12/07 at 10.03am</p>
                </li>
              </ul>
            </li>
          </ul>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <!-- bottom user functions -->
    <div class="userFunctions cf">
      <!--Left Hand Side Buttons Start -->
      <div class="btnLHS"> <a id="#" class="btnHelp" title="Help" href="#">Help</a>
        <div class="toolbarMenu pageActions">
          <ul>
            <li class="otherPageActions"><a href="#" title="Other page actions">Other page actions<span class="moreArrow"><span class="wai">^</span></span>
              <!--[if gte IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
              <ul class="popup">
                <li>
                  <ol>
                    <li><a href="pa001a_delete_page.html" class="lbOn modal:{width:450}" title="Delete page">Delete this page</a></li>
                    <li><a href="pa002_set_date.html" class="lbOn" title="Set date">Set publication/expiry date</a></li>
                    <li><a href="pa003_page_permissions.html" class="lbOn modal:{width:450}" title="See page permissions">See page permissions</a></li>
                    <li><a href="pa004_add_subpage.html" class="lbOn" title="Create sub page">Create sub page</a></li>
                    <li><a href="pa005_page_history.html" class="lbOn modal:{width:450}" title="See page history">See page history</a></li>
                    <li><a href="#">Preview</a></li>
                    <li><a href="link_1d.html" class="lbOn modal:{width:450}" title="Save a copy">Save a copy</a></li>
                  </ol>
                </li>
              </ul>
            </li>
          </ul>
        </div>
      </div>
      <!-- Left Hand Side Buttons End -->
      <!-- Right Hand Side Buttons Start -->
      <div class="btnRHS"><a href="st016_page_notes.html" class="lbOn pageNotes" title="page notes">See page notes</a> <a id="#" class="btnReject" title="Do Not Approve" href="#"><span class="buttonText">Don't Approve</span></a> <a id="#" class="btnApprove" title="Approve" href="#"><span class="buttonText">Approve</span></a> </div>
      <!-- Right Hand Side Buttons End -->
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

Code:

div.toolbar_O { 
	background: #eaf1f9 url(../images/interface/toolbar_bg.gif) 0 0 repeat-x;
	border: 1px solid #3a8ea8;
	padding: 9px 0px;
	width: 729px;
	color: #0a3b3f;
	font-size: 0.9em;
	position: fixed;
	bottom: 20px;
	left: 100px;
	height: 82px;
	}
body.editMode div.toolbar_O {
	position: relative;
	left:0;
	bottom: 0;
	float:right;
}	
	
.toolbar_O .toolbar_I {
	border: 1px solid #073f58;
	background: url(../images/interface/toolbarinner_bg.gif) #54b4cc;
	margin: 0px 9px;
}


.toolbarMenu ul li a, 
.toolbarMenu ul li a:visited {
	font-weight: bold;
	color: #77aeb5;
	border: 1px solid #287e95;
	text-decoration: none;
	padding: 4px 5px 6px 5px;
	background: #e6f4f5;
	color: #0a3b3f !important;
	display: -moz-inline-box;
	display: inline-block;
	height: 13px;
}

.toolbarMenu ul {
	padding:0;
	margin:0;
	list-style-type: none;
	margin: 0;
}

.toolbarMenu ul li {
	float:left;
	position:relative;
	margin: 0 0 0 10px;
}
.toolbarMenu ul li ul li {
	margin: 0;
	font-size: 0.9em;
}
.toolbarMenu ul li ul {
	visibility: hidden;
	position:absolute;
	bottom: 27px;
	left:0;
	padding: 5px;
	background: #ebf6f8; 
	border: 1px solid #2e869c;
	margin: 0;
	z-index: 1000;
	font-size: 1em;
	text-align: left;
}

.toolbarMenu ul .moreArrow {
	display: -moz-inline-box;
	display: inline-block;
	padding: 6px 8px;
	width: 1px;
	margin-left: 10px;
	border-left: 1px solid #89abb7;
	background: url(../images/interface/morearrow.gif) 3px 0 no-repeat
}
.toolbarMenu ul li.open ul {
	visibility: visible;
	
}

.toolbarMenu ul li.versions.open ul {
	width: 250px;
}

div.toolbar_O .toolbarMenu ul li.open a {
	color: #4594A5 !important;
}
div.toolbar_O .toolbarMenu ul li.open .moreArrow{
	background: url(../images/interface/closearrow.gif) 3px 0 no-repeat;
}
/* top part of toolbar */
.toolbar_O .pageInformation {
	padding: 6px;
	height: 25px;
}
 
.toolbar_O .pageInformation .pageStatus {
	color: #FFF;
	font-size: 1.3em;
	width: 170px;
	float: left;
}
.toolbar_O .pageInformation .RHS {
	float: right;
}
h4.statusLabel {
	height: 100%;
	display: inline;
	text-transform: uppercase;
}
div.toolbar_O div.pageInformation .label, 
div.toolbar	_O div.userFunctions .label {
	width: 75px;
	float: left;
	text-align: left;
}
div.toolbar_O div.pageInformation .value, 
div.toolbar	_O div.userFunctions .value {
	font-weight: bold;
	text-align: left;
	float: right;
	vertical-align: top;
	width: 75px;
}
div.toolbar_O div.pageInformation .inputTextbox {
	width: 80%;
}

/* bootom part of toolbar */
.toolbar_O .userFunctions {
	padding: 8px 0;
	height: 25px;
}
div.toolbar_O div.userFunctions div.btnRHS {
	float: right;
	margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;
}
div.toolbar_O div.userFunctions .btnLHS {
	float: left;
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;
}
div.toolbar_O div.userFunctions div.btnLHS a.btnHelp, 
div.toolbar_O div.userFunctions div.btnLHS a.btnHelp:hover {
	padding: 5px 5px 5px 25px;
	margin: 1px 5px 0 0;
	background: #e6f4f5 url(../images/interface/icon_help.gif) 3px 3px no-repeat !important;
	float: left;
	border: 1px solid #287e95;
	text-decoration: none;
	font-weight: bold;
	color: #0a3b3f;
	height: 12px
	
}
.toolbarMenu.pageActions {
	float: left;
}
.toolbarMenu ol {
	margin: 0;
	padding: 0;
	width: 320px;
	height: 60px;
	list-style: none;
}
.toolbarMenu ol li,
.toolbarMenu ol li a {
	margin: 0;
	padding: 0;
	float: left;
	width: 150px;
	min-height: 8px;
	display: inline-block;
	border: none !important;
	color: #0a3b3f !important;
	font-size: 1.2em;
	background: none;
	}
div.toolbar_O div.toolbar_I a.pageNotes {
	font-weight: bold;
	color: #0a3b3f;
}
div.toolbar_O div.toolbar_I a.pageNotes:hover {
	color: #FFF;
}

/* approve/reject btns */
div.toolbar_O div.userFunctions div.btnRHS a.btnApprove,  
div.toolbar_O div.userFunctions div.btnRHS a.btnReject {
	border: 1px solid #287e95;
	border-bottom: 2px solid #06465f;
	border-right: 2px solid #06465f;
	text-decoration: none;
	height: 12px;
	padding: 5px 15px 5px 0;
	background: #fffeff url(../images/interface/icon_approve.gif) 95% 3px no-repeat;
	display: -moz-inline-box;
	display: inline-block;
	color: #0a3b3f;
}
div.toolbar_O div.userFunctions div.btnRHS a.btnApprove:hover,  
div.toolbar_O div.userFunctions div.btnRHS a.btnReject:hover {
	background-color: #135d82;
	border: 1px solid #FFF;
	border-bottom: 2px solid #06465f;
	border-right: 2px solid #06465f;
	color: #FFF;
}
div.toolbar_O div.userFunctions div.btnRHS a.btnReject {
	background: #fffeff url(../images/interface/icon_reject.gif) 95% 3px no-repeat;
}



li.otherPageActions ul,
li.otherPageActions ul li{
	margin: 0;
	padding: 0;
	list-style: none;
}

I've build a little nav that seems to work perfectly in IE, but is hated by FireFox. Specifically it seems like firefox is ignoring my margin and padding settings. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Thank you.

Code:

<html>
<head>
	<title>Untitled</title>

<style type="text/css">  
  <!--
DIV{-moz-box-sizing:border-box;box-sizing:border-box;margin:0;padding: 0;}
.NavContainer {
	position:relative;
	padding:0em;
	width: 930px;
	height: 27px;
	margin:0em;
	background-image: url(images/nav/navBg.gif);
	background-repeat: no-repeat;
}
.NavLeftPad {
	position:relative;
	padding:0em;
	width: 87px;
	height: 27px;
	margin:0em;
	float:left;
	background-image: url(images/nav/spacer.gif);
	background-repeat: no-repeat;
}
.NavRightPad {
	position:relative;
	padding:0em;
	width: 87px;
	height: 27px;
	margin:0em;
	float:left;
	background-image: url(images/nav/spacer.gif);
	background-repeat: no-repeat;
}
.Nav2pxPad {
	position:relative;
	padding:0em;
	width: 2px;
	height: 26px;
	margin: 1px,0px,0px,0px;
	float:left;
	background-color:#54636D;
}
.NavLink {
  	font-size:12px;
  	color:#FFFFFF;
  	font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;
  	text-decoration:none;
  	font-weight:normal;
  	line-height: normal;
}
.NavBlock {
	position:relative;
  	padding: 7px,3px,0px,0px;
  	height:26px;
  	margin: 1px,0px,0px,0px;
  	float:left;
  	background-color:#54636D;
	text-align: right;
}
.NavWhatIsDermalounge {width:126px;}
.NavOurTreatments {width:125px;}
.NavOurClinicians {width:115px;}
.NavLocations {width:92px;}
.NavTechnology {width:96px;}
.NavAboutUs {width:94px;}
.NavMakeover {width:96px;}
  -->
  </style>	

<script language="JavaScript">
// On/Over state color #E46804 orange
// Off state color #54636D nav-gray

var theNavState = 'NavWhatIsDermalounge';
apAddLoadEvent(NavInit);
function apAddLoadEvent(aponfunc) {
  var apoldonload = window.onload;
  if (typeof window.onload != 'function') {
    window.onload = aponfunc;
  } else {
    window.onload = function() {
      apoldonload();
      aponfunc();
    }
  }
}
function NavInit(){
	if (theNavState != '') {
		document.getElementById(theNavState).style.backgroundColor = "#E46804";
	}
}
function NavRollOver(theElement){
document.getElementById(theElement).style.backgroundColor = "#E46804";
}
function NavRollBack(theElement){
	if (theElement != theNavState) {
		document.getElementById(theElement).style.backgroundColor = "#54636D";
	} else {
		document.getElementById(theElement).style.backgroundColor = "#E46804";
	}
}
</script>
  
</head>
<body>

<div id="NavContainer" class="NavContainer">
	<div id="NavLeftPad" class="NavLeftPad"></div>
	<div id="NavWhatIsDermalounge" class="NavBlock NavWhatIsDermalounge"><a href="what_is.html" onMouseOver="NavRollOver('NavWhatIsDermalounge');" onMouseOut="NavRollBack('NavWhatIsDermalounge');" class="NavLink">What is dermalounge</a></div>
	<div id="Nav2pxPad" class="Nav2pxPad"></div>
	<div id="NavOurTreatments" class="NavBlock NavOurTreatments"><a href="treatments.html" onMouseOver="NavRollOver('NavOurTreatments');" onMouseOut="NavRollBack('NavOurTreatments');" class="NavLink">Our treatments</a></div>
	<div id="Nav2pxPad" class="Nav2pxPad"></div>
	<div id="NavOurClinicians" class="NavBlock NavOurClinicians"><a href="clinicians.html" onMouseOver="NavRollOver('NavOurClinicians');" onMouseOut="NavRollBack('NavOurClinicians');" class="NavLink">Our clinicians</a></div>
	<div id="Nav2pxPad" class="Nav2pxPad"></div>
	<div id="NavLocations" class="NavBlock NavLocations"><a href="locations.html" onMouseOver="NavRollOver('NavLocations');" onMouseOut="NavRollBack('NavLocations');" class="NavLink">Locations</a></div>
	<div id="Nav2pxPad" class="Nav2pxPad"></div>
	<div id="NavTechnology" class="NavBlock NavTechnology"><a href="technology.html" onMouseOver="NavRollOver('NavTechnology');" onMouseOut="NavRollBack('NavTechnology');" class="NavLink">Technology</a></div>
	<div id="Nav2pxPad" class="Nav2pxPad"></div>
	<div id="NavAboutUs" class="NavBlock NavAboutUs"><a href="about.html" onMouseOver="NavRollOver('NavAboutUs');" onMouseOut="NavRollBack('NavAboutUs');" class="NavLink">About us</a></div>
	<div id="Nav2pxPad" class="Nav2pxPad"></div>
	<div id="NavMakeover" class="NavBlock NavMakeover"><a href="makeover.html" onMouseOver="NavRollOver('NavMakeover');" onMouseOut="NavRollBack('NavMakeover');" class="NavLink">Makeover</a></div>
	<div id="NavRightPad" class="NavRightPad"></div>
</div>

</body>
</html>