When designing a fixed size layout, I know that the container that holds everything needs to be relative positioned in order to be centered on both sides.

Should the contents inside the container be absolute or relative? I read an article saying that absolute positioned divs would mess the layout up in different browsers, but is this the case if it is inside of a relative div?

Absolutely positioned elements inside a positioned parent will take their settings from the position of the parent.

BUT it is MUCH better to use the normal document flow rather than positioning every element on the page. The only time you should need to position any element, is when it has to move out of it's natural position.

Okay so it IS possible to design using only relative div's. I'm not that far along with CSS to understand how to position them with relative positioning, but I am sure that that would definitely be something that I should work on.

No, no, you don't need to use relative positioning either

A quickly thrown together page using only one positioned element - the "wrapper" container.

http://www.modtalk.co.uk/_site/code/...ioning/static/

You also need to understand that IE7 and 6 have a MAJOR problem with nesting positioned elements, so it's best to stay away from positioning everything as Chris has already stated.
http://www.positioniseverything.net/posbugs.html and http://www.positioniseverything.net/abs_relbugs.html

Flow vs. Positioning article..

http://www.vision.to/the-difference-...ositioning.php

Thanks for the links, I will be sure to read them when I get home. I have noticed the problem with IE...

The website looks fine on my monitor in all resolutions in firefox but IE tears it apart.

Is there a way around this?

What version of IE ?
Got a url of the problem ?

Originally Posted by WebTraffic

Okay so it IS possible to design using only relative div's. I'm not that far along with CSS to understand how to position them with relative positioning, but I am sure that that would definitely be something that I should work on.

If you are able to get a hold of Microsoft Front Page 2003 and toy with that program, you will find out how easy it is to position elements on the screen via div tags. It's an old program, but FP2003 was the last version of front page (html editor). It came in 2000 and 2003 versions, but 2003 is great for visually placing divs on you page. You can really get used to using divs in that program.

If you are able to get a hold of Microsoft Front Page 2003 and toy with that program, you will find out how easy it is to position elements on the screen via div tags.

EGADS.. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Not that HORRID program! Besides, all it will do is create a web page that ONLY works in IE!!