What's the best way to display table data?

[Kryptix]

I have a <div> that's 250px wide and inside that I want to display the top forum posters like:

 

 

1. User                3,298

2. Another User  2,385

 

...etc

 

 

I want their post count to be centred right and I want the rest to he centred left. Is this possible to do somehow just using a <ul> <li>?

 

If not, what's the best/sleekest way to do it using the least code as possible?

 

Cheers

[Stiver112]

Isnt the anwser obvious?... tables: <table></table>

 

Or is it just me that do not understand the question?

[scootstah]

Tables are meant for tabular data - there's nothing wrong with using tables in this case. In fact, trying to make faux tables with other structures is kind of silly.

[ManiacDan]

The rule is to not use tables for LAYOUT.  That means: don't use tables to organize your site, don't use tables to make an image float to the right of a paragraph, and don't use tables to make your header look nice.  DO use tables for TABLES.  The tag is not deprecated, it's just incorrectly used.

[Kryptix]

Alright thanks guys.

[Kryptix]

I'd like to still use <ul> so I can have a number next to each top poster, I'm not sure how I'd incorporate that into a table with 2 columns (one for their rank and name and one for their post count)?

[scootstah]

Are you using PHP to loop through database results?

 

If so then just use the loop to add numbers.

$i = 1;

while($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
     echo '<tr>
          <td>' . $i . '</td>
          <td>' . $row['username'] . '</td>
     </tr>';
$i++;
}

[Kryptix]

I am, and I usually do that, but I'm trying to make the website as fast and efficiently as possible with the least amount of code, I'd much sooner use a list to auto add numbers to the list, but wasn't sure how I could incorporate that into a table.

 

Could I not just put a <span>post count</span> inside the <li> and float it to the right or should I definitely be using a table?

[scootstah]

If it's a stupidly simple list, then yes you could do that. Nothing is preventing you.

 

But hacking other structures to replicate tables is more inefficient than incrementing a variable.

[kevinblevins]

Tables are meant for tabular data - there's nothing wrong with using tables in this case. In fact, trying to make faux tables with other structures is kind of silly.