Title: CSS and Parent elements Last modified: August 18, 2016 --- # CSS and Parent elements * [ethanator](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ethanator/) * (@ethanator) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/) * i am trying to do some layout in css but i am confused about parent elements. * if i have tihs is links the parent to music if not explain what is thanks * (list of link) (list of music) Viewing 14 replies - 1 through 14 (of 14 total) * [skulled](https://wordpress.org/support/users/skulled/) * (@skulled) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-304805) * “links” and “music” have no relationship except for the fact that they are both child nodes of “sidebar” * Thread Starter [ethanator](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ethanator/) * (@ethanator) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-304806) * ok so say i want t get them to be next to each other instead of one under the other i was going to use float : left which takes it an makes it left of its parent element * i am trying to have my sidebar be on the bottom thanks * [skulled](https://wordpress.org/support/users/skulled/) * (@skulled) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-304807) * “i was going to use float : left which takes it an makes it left of its parent element” .. what do you mean by this? * if you give a `float: left` for the “links”, then it will float left relative to the parent which is “sidebar”, and then you can accordingly position the other container “music” in a number of ways. * Thread Starter [ethanator](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ethanator/) * (@ethanator) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-304810) * ok in what ways? what i dont understand is that i can i float it left of the sidebar when the sidebar really isnt a physical element it just has all the coantainers in it. * could i also use right : 25px in CSS * i need to figure out how to have 4 columns in the sidebar container and then have them be next to each other. I am not sure how to make this work. * [skulled](https://wordpress.org/support/users/skulled/) * (@skulled) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-304815) * your sidebar still is a container (physical if you wish), sort of like a “meta” container if you want. * You can do what you explained in one way, put all the four columns that you want inside the “sidebar” container. Then starting with the first child container, use: * `position: absolute; left: (width of the previous child container); * or you could try this too: * `position: relative; margin-left: (width of previous child container); * If you are having trouble, let me know and I will see whats wrong. But please provide the code that you are using if you implement it and there is trouble somewhere, or a link to where we can see it in action. * Thread Starter [ethanator](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ethanator/) * (@ethanator) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-304819) * ok thanks let me try that and see what happens * [yngwin](https://wordpress.org/support/users/yngwin/) * (@yngwin) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-304842) * A pretty good explanation of floats can be found at [http://www.complexspiral.com/publications/containing-floats/](http://www.complexspiral.com/publications/containing-floats/) * Thread Starter [ethanator](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ethanator/) * (@ethanator) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-304982) * you say when I use float: left there are a number of ways to position it. What are those ways. I tried margins and they didnt work * [skulled](https://wordpress.org/support/users/skulled/) * (@skulled) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-305046) * What do you mean, they didn’t work? * Can you please give more information on what exactly is happening and how it is rendering. * Thread Starter [ethanator](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ethanator/) * (@ethanator) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-305072) * margins worked with float but i decided to go with the position: absolute; left:( width of the previous child container); * thanks for everything you have been a great help * [skulled](https://wordpress.org/support/users/skulled/) * (@skulled) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-305173) * No problem 🙂 * Thread Starter [ethanator](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ethanator/) * (@ethanator) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-305245) * i have a problem with aligning items. i am doing a bottom sidebar with 4 columns and above it there is a custom navigation bar that it needs to staye line up with so i am able to spread everything out by use the right property and setting how many px i want it ti be right. but when i make the browser window smaller the columns doesnt stay aligned w the nav buttons they move please help. * Thread Starter [ethanator](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ethanator/) * (@ethanator) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-305246) * i am working on a bottom sidebar and have 4 columns. i am using the following to display this. *
but there is about 30 px of whitespace that isnt supposed to be there and is throwing off my design the css for this is the following * #recent { float: left; } * i have tried using the right property for the next element but that doesnt work either because if i make then browser window smaller it doesnt line up properly with the rest of the design thanks * [skulled](https://wordpress.org/support/users/skulled/) * (@skulled) * [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-305247) * Once again .. its very hard to visualize what is happening and what is wrong without actually seeing it .. 🙂 Viewing 14 replies - 1 through 14 (of 14 total) The topic ‘CSS and Parent elements’ is closed to new replies. * 14 replies * 3 participants * Last reply from: [skulled](https://wordpress.org/support/users/skulled/) * Last activity: [20 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/css-and-parent-elements/#post-305247) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics