How do I 'centre' my pages?

**DwC** · 09-20-2006, 12:35 PM

How do I get my pages to display centrally on browsers? All of my pages are 800 pixels wide and whilst they look OK on large monitors they are all aligned to the extreme left of the screen.

I’m sure there’s a ‘simple’ solution but I’m far too thick to find it.

Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks

Btw, I’m using Dreamweaver 8 and I don’t have a clue when it comes to CSS.

**colbyt** · 09-20-2006, 01:30 PM

Well CSS is the way to do it, but

I don't do DW but admit to resorting to FrontPage every now and then.

On your local computer with the page open in DW, try right clicking and see if there is a place to set the page properties. It is there somewhere! If not on the right click it will be somewhere in the menus.

Then just select the left margin you desire.

**DwC** · 09-20-2006, 01:43 PM

Thanks for the reply colbyt.

I can set 'margins' as you suggest but I was hoping (against hope) that there would be a simple html solution.

Many of the pages I have were assembled a few years ago when most people had fairly modest monitors. I worked on the basis of trying to display each page on a small monitor in order to avoid excessive 'sideways' scrolling, hence the 800 pixels width.

I also went for 'simplicity' and never really felt the need to delve into the dark secrets of CSS. In the absence of a quick html 'fix' I suspect I have a steep learning curve ahead.

Once again thanks for the reply. By the way, you have an excellent site here.

**JohnS** · 09-20-2006, 02:47 PM

If your provide us with the link to your website or some sample code I might be of some help.

**DwC** · 09-20-2006, 03:03 PM

Thanks for the offer JohnS

This link is to a site I put together for my own amusement a few years ago www.zaputa.com

I know it's a bit 'clunky' and inconsistent in places but I don't feel too inclined to undertake an extensive overhaul at the moment.

I know I'm going to have to address the CSS issue soon but, if I'm honest, I'm really looking for a pretty quick fix to apply to a couple of new sites I'm working on.

Thanks for taking an interest, I do appreciate it.

**JohnS** · 09-20-2006, 03:39 PM

All you need to do is apply some <center> </center> surrounding all your table data.

So add one here:

Code:

eButtons/images/Enter_f4.gif')">
<center><table width="800" border="0" cellspacing

and one at the end:

Code:

  </tr>
</table></center>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
</body>

But yes, as you said your pages are very clunky, non standard and have alot of surplus coding that isn't needed. But having said that, this solution will suit you for the time being.

Hope that helps, and if you need anymore help let me know.

**LadynRed** · 09-20-2006, 03:58 PM

Noooo.... no deprecated <center> tag !!!
You can easily use CSS to center a layout, even one done with tables (bleeaahh). What you'll have to do is "wrap" the whole thing in a div that gets centered.

Then you would need the following in a CSS file:
body{text-align: center} --- for IE

On the wrapper div you would do this:
#wrapper{
position: relative;
width: 800px;
margin: 0 auto; - centers for standards-compliant browsers
text-align: left; - aligns text inside the wrapper to the left
}

**JohnS** · 09-20-2006, 03:59 PM

Obviously that would be the more correct way, but I was just working to the needs he gave Lady.

**colbyt** · 09-20-2006, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DwC

Many of the pages I have were assembled a few years ago when most people had fairly modest monitors. I worked on the basis of trying to display each page on a small monitor in order to avoid excessive 'sideways' scrolling, hence the 800 pixels width.

I also went for 'simplicity' and never really felt the need to delve into the dark secrets of CSS. In the absence of a quick html 'fix' I suspect I have a steep learning curve ahead.

Once again thanks for the reply. By the way, you have an excellent site here.

You may want to do a little polling. The general consensus of opinion that I am aware of is that most people still surf in a 800x600 window even with the high res monitors. They usually have other things open.

Being older and not as sharp-eyed I alway work at that res. Maybe with my next monitor I will move up to 1024.

BTW, I will risk Lady's wrath by saying that the suggested solution while not a "good thing" will work. Feel the glare?

Yeah and I wish this was my site.

I am sure the mods and owner appreciate your compliment.

**romeo20** · 09-20-2006, 10:30 PM

As stated above...

Use CSS, margin: auto; is what I always use, or text-align: center; for text.

**Tribolis** · 09-21-2006, 10:48 AM

align="center" in table

If you use tableless, use margin: auto. Ladynred has given you the explanation.

**DwC** · 09-22-2006, 07:28 AM

Many thanks to you all for some sound advice - I'm off now to 'swot-up' on CSS. I may be gone some time.

**ChipJohns** · 09-23-2006, 03:55 AM

I prefer this method. Easy, down and dirty. getting the content in the center of your page is done through the body style. Then everything is justified to the left by means of the div#main styling. All content will go inside of the div#main

Code:

 
body {
text-align: center;
}
div#main {
width: 750px;
margin-left: auto;
margin-right: auto;
text-align: left;
}

Then your body will look like this:

Code:

 
<body>
<div id="main">
 
<!--all content goes in here-->
 
 
</div
</body>

**taygull** · 09-26-2006, 10:30 AM

I'm curious...

If you are using Dreamweaver why not select the entire table, I do this at the bottom.

Then you just select the alignment tab in the properties and select center, seems to work for me?

**ChipJohns** · 09-26-2006, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taygull

I'm curious...

If you are using Dreamweaver why not select the entire table, I do this at the bottom.

Then you just select the alignment tab in the properties and select center, seems to work for me?

Hi taygull,

The biggest reason is that we do not use tables...

**taygull** · 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChipJohns

Hi taygull,

The biggest reason is that we do not use tables...

LOL...I guess I show my ignorance.....

I hope to learn more so my site is easier to manage next time. I feel pretty good with the way my turned out. I had no clue what I was doing (still don't), and in 5 days got a new site up that pretty much servers my purpose.

It will be great if I can convert it to something that makes it easier to update text and graphics.

**Kirtan** · 09-27-2006, 08:05 AM

1. <body style="text-align:center">
2. <body> <div align=center></div></body>
3. <table align=center>

**ChipJohns** · 09-27-2006, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taygull

LOL...I guess I show my ingnorance.....

Not really. A few of us here are just evangelists for non-tables layout. Actually, I would gander a guess and say that at least 60% of the Web designers out there still have not stopped using tables for layout and made the switch to CSS.

You will get there if you want too. CSS is a great time saver. That is for sure. Plus, most of all, it is the right way to do it.

**taygull** · 09-27-2006, 09:08 AM

I guess I also show my bad spelling! LOL

**SpacemanSpiff** · 10-01-2006, 09:03 PM

Hey, Just note, <center></center> is a depricated tag. <p style="text-align:center;">Content </p> is the new way