spiderwell Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 a long time ago, on a computer far far away, I used tables for almost all my html layout, especially forms and datagrids (page of database rows/columns). Tables however seem to be seen as the devil these days, and css is encouraged with div tags or whatever. however the table is such an obvious thing for forms or datagrids. I pretty much dropped tables from my code except for those 2 examples, however i had one day an idea to put everything in lists (mostly because I was mucking around with drag and drop thumbnail lists). I find now that a well structured css applied to a <ul> can look just as good if not better than a table equivlent, and if I have anything that I know will warrant that kind of layout will now always opt for that as an alternative to using tables. it also gives me a bonus of allowing drag/drop ordering quite easily. What are other peoples thoughts on lists vs tables for such layouts? Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
fugix Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 my preference is to use tables as i am more familiar with them and i like the results...I suppose either one is fine.. Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1210926 Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaflatlander Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I use list for my css horizontal drop down menus and for vertical menus as well but it seems list would make it harder to do something like this with forms Column 1 Title 1:Column 2 select or enter this Column 1 Title 2:Column 2 select or enter that I just set column width if needed and add styles to my rows and cells with class divs In other words, nice straight columns Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1210932 Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderwell Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 this is what I get using lists instead of tables, nice straight columns : [attachment deleted by admin] Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1210934 Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderwell Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 haha i just noticed i have 'moo' echoed in the pageination bit, aha was debugging Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1210936 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fugix Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 you dont know how to utilize tables then.... Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1210943 Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderwell Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 I'm not sure if that was aimed at me or the other guy. Tables would deffo have to be used if col/row spanning was required Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1210947 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 The HTML table model allows authors to arrange data ... into rows and columns of cells. Tables is not always evil. It's evil when someone uses their whole site in a giant nested table, yes. However, when using tables for what it is meant for - tabular data - it is not evil. You essentially recreated tables using a different method (unordered lists). Yours isn't wrong per-say, but it's not the method I would have used. Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1210953 Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderwell Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 well i fancied trying to make a table free site and this is what i ended up with. i guess its personal preference really. Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1210957 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fugix Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I'm not sure if that was aimed at me or the other guy. Tables would deffo have to be used if col/row spanning was required was aimed at you spiderwell, was just a joke Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1210968 Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderwell Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 hey no worrys dude, i took it as a joke i am wondering now though if tables have other properties that enhance data grids, that I am not aware of. perhaps via DOM they do? Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1210981 Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaflatlander Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Soo basicly you have list with in list ? Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1210989 Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderwell Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 no i have one list, and its got divs in each <li> for layout, but nested lists would work just as well i guess Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1210990 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fugix Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 To get better results using tables. I normally use nested tables Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1211021 Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaflatlander Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 Jezz divs in the list sounds good. I would have never of thought of that, well "maybe" in a month or two from now when I was asleep and would wake up at 2:00am and would say to myself. I could use divs in list. Boy am I smart or dumb or slow depending or what ever on my mood. It's like I learn on here several weeks ago to use str_replace to place text in p tags so I could make it pretty with text-indent. I would have never have thought of that either. Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1211385 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldb358 Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 this thread makes me shiver like really bad. <ul>'s and css are a good way to go and creating a table layout with div's isn't any harder than with a table tag and is easier to manage. Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1212130 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 this thread makes me shiver like really bad. <ul>'s and css are a good way to go and creating a table layout with div's isn't any harder than with a table tag and is easier to manage. Sure, it might not be harder to make... but are you using the right tool for the job? I might be able to hit a nail in with a screwdriver, but was it really the best way to do it? Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1212200 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fugix Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 this thread makes me shiver like really bad. <ul>'s and css are a good way to go and creating a table layout with div's isn't any harder than with a table tag and is easier to manage. Sure, it might not be harder to make... but are you using the right tool for the job? I might be able to hit a nail in with a screwdriver, but was it really the best way to do it? Like Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1212216 Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderwell Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 not like Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1212245 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldb358 Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 this thread makes me shiver like really bad. <ul>'s and css are a good way to go and creating a table layout with div's isn't any harder than with a table tag and is easier to manage. Sure, it might not be harder to make... but are you using the right tool for the job? I might be able to hit a nail in with a screwdriver, but was it really the best way to do it? Wait, if its not any harder and it's easier to manage why wouldn't it be the best tool for the job. Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1212548 Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaflatlander Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 I like chevys & windows, the other guys that get suck all the time like fords and macs Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1212572 Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderwell Posted May 9, 2011 Author Share Posted May 9, 2011 it certainly isnt any harder! Quote Link to comment https://forums.phpfreaks.com/topic/235603-lists-vs-tables/#findComment-1212692 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.