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Microsoft MVP

 

Text Size in IE Browser

 
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All Forums >> Web Development >> Cascading Style Sheets >> Text Size in IE Browser
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SBO

 

Posts: 30
Joined: 12/30/2004
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Text Size in IE Browser - 8/14/2005 18:22:01   
On the toolbar in IE any user has the option of changing the font size. View - Text Size - Medium, is there any CSS code that will disable this and always give a default text size set by the developer???
caz

 

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From: Somewhere south of Chester, UK
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RE: Text Size in IE Browser - 8/14/2005 18:31:30   
If there was I wouldn't use it, since it would render the site inaccessible for those with less than 20/20 vision. :)

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Tailslide

 

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RE: Text Size in IE Browser - 8/15/2005 3:27:56   
Exactly Caz - SBO that option to increase text size (in every browser not just IE) is there for a reason. You need to ensure your design will work at the largest text size increase in IE and also a couple of increases in Firefox.

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(in reply to caz)
SBO

 

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RE: Text Size in IE Browser - 8/15/2005 22:36:37   
There are parts of my websites that I wouldn't mind increasing the font size but other parts I would.

Take your website for example www.littleblueplane.com the little blue plane part is not affected by the increase or decrease in font size. I'm using css and with my code and have declared a font size for all my text. However when I change the font size it almost randomly picks some text to enlarge or decrease.


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Tailslide

 

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RE: Text Size in IE Browser - 8/16/2005 3:28:58   
The little blue plane bit on my site is an image which is why it doesn't go up and down in size! Although it's fine to use images for logos and obviously pictures (as long as they've got alt tags) you don't want to be using images of text for big areas of your site - it's not accessible for the (sizable) amount of people who need to increase the text-size of websites plus Search Engines like text content they don't give much value to images (apart from noting the alt tag) so you'd be wasting an opportunity there.

If you're declaring a base text-size in the CSS then it should scale up or down relative to itself (does that make sense?) - give us a URL and we can check.

BTW what sizing method are you using to declare the text-size - pxs, ems, %?



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(in reply to SBO)
SBO

 

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RE: Text Size in IE Browser - 8/16/2005 4:08:55   
Hava look at one of my websites www.afocus.biz
In the software development section of the website I have spent a great deal of time validating my code.

I have been to a number of different internet cafes to check how it looks, It looks good in nearly all of them except one which seems to enlarge the text. The problem is the section is a mixture of tables and layers and the larger text increases the size of my tables making the whole page look a mess.

The table at the top of the page with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Acess, .. has a spanned class linking to a css sheet with the following code.

.headertext {
font-family: Tahoma;
font-size: 12.0pt;
color: #FFFFFF;
}


(in reply to Tailslide)
caz

 

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RE: Text Size in IE Browser - 8/16/2005 8:30:44   
I see that you are using point sizing and this should only be used for printing purposes; for the screen it is better to use em.% - or if you must, - px. Browsers will differ greatly when using pt sizing.

If you do as suggested by setting your base font size in a proportionate size method - I usually use %, you will find that the text responds to calls to increase or decrease in size.

You say that you have spent time validating your code - where? The only authoritative validator is the W3C validator, which in your case fails the page. You need to add a doctype (cue: Tailslide) at the head of your page to start with. I suggest that you use the validator and go through all the warnings it gives you in order to correct the problems.

The FP "widgets" that you seem to be using will make correction a little more difficult for you though :)

_____________________________

Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and will dance, or more on your keyboard.
Cheshire cat. www.doracat.co.uk

I remember when it took less than 4hrs to fly across the Atlantic.

(in reply to SBO)
golfer

 

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From: Bath, Wiltshire, UK
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RE: Text Size in IE Browser - 8/16/2005 9:39:15   
Hi

Just looking been looking through your site and on the software page you are displaying the W3C HTML validation logo when the page fails to pass the test.

I didn't even try the CSS validation.

From my understanding you are not permitted to show this logo on any page which fails validation.


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BobbyDouglas

 

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From: Arizona
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RE: Text Size in IE Browser - 8/17/2005 5:31:20   
quote:

since it would render the site inaccessible for those with less than 20/20 vision.

- I have less than 20/20 vision and I can see all normal sites perfectly fine...

There does seem to be a few people that reply on the text size option in IE to modify the text size in their browser. Also, there are people with widescreen laptops that use IE, and by default, their text size is set to largest, meaning sites using %s and ems looks HORRIBLE. (Verified on Dell/Toshiba/HP laptops)

Of course they can just simply change their text size, but not many will know that. By the time they realize that you can change that size, they already left your site.

You kinda have to weigh what is most important... do you think your users might have sight issues? If so, how bad? Would a 2nd CSS file for larger text do the trick? Is yoru text already large enough? What about those on widescreen laptops? Just think about your users, and then modify accordingly.

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Tailslide

 

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RE: Text Size in IE Browser - 8/17/2005 6:19:18   
It's a simple thing - if you're offering goods and services on the internet then your site should be accessible to all. If you use px font-sizing then your site won't be accessible to those with poor eyesight who use IE. If you use ems or % or a combination of relative font-sizing methods then your site will be accessible as regards font-size.

Three of my neighbours regularly had problems looking at websites due to the text-size. These are people who wear glasses normally but wouldn't be considered to have impaired vision as such. I introduced them to Firefox and explained how to increase text size - alas most people are stuck with IE still.

If widescreen laptops come with IE set to large by default then the users need to change their default setting (or preferably their browser)- this is not your responsibility. Every other system on the planet (far as I know!) comes with it's default text-size set to medium. As bobby said, which group is likely to be larger, those few with a widescreen laptop who don't know how to alter their browser setting, or the rest of the world?

If you don't like using ems then use % instead - just don't use px or pt.

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SBO

 

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Joined: 12/30/2004
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RE: Text Size in IE Browser - 8/17/2005 22:29:27   
Some real helpful advice here thanks guys. The page did validate at one stage, but your quite right it doesn't validate now. I've had a bit more of a look around at other websites that adjust to the increase in text size and have come to the conclusion that I need to keep this in mind with any future development.

(in reply to Tailslide)
c1sissy

 

Posts: 5084
Joined: 7/20/2002
From: NJ
Status: offline

 
RE: Text Size in IE Browser - 8/23/2005 9:43:44   
Hi SBO, just a little pointer regarding text sizing from BigJohn at Pie,
in your
html, body {
   font-size: 100.01%;
}

Then in the rest of your styles it is suggested that you use the em's for font sizing.

Here is a great explaination of this usage. hope this helps you out a bit on the sizing issue with fonts.

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