On 16/09/2007, Chris G cl@isbd.net wrote:
On Sun, Sep 16, 2007 at 01:32:13AM +0100, Greg Thomas wrote:
The browser's default font size being the one set in 'preferences' or wherever presumably? I.e. I have my default font in Firefox set to Sans Serif size 14 so that means that all font sizes set in what CSS calls 'absolute' will be a fixed amount smaller or larger than my default 14 pt.
That's right, yes.
A "relative size" is "smaller" or "larger" (again, 20% IIRC). This is relative to the inherited font size for that element.
What is the 'inherited' font size? I think this is the essential bit that I haven't grasped yet.
In any particular part of the page, the font will have a size. The 'inherited' size is the size of that font. For example, if you have a <TH> class defined with a "large" font, the font size (for you) will be 14x1.2, i.e. 16.8pt. This is the size that is 'inherited'. So if you then have a span in that TH with a "larger" font, that will be larger than the inherited size, or larger than 16.8, or 16.8x1.2 or 20.16pt - i.e. it's "larger" relative to the rest of the text in the <TH>.
Greg