3 columns layout

So how exactly can we turn out default template to a three column template, for version 1.01?
I remember a WP member providing an index.php and css.css file to use.

If you are unable to write css yet what folks here are suggesting is that you download a 3 column template of your choice from one of the sites given. Change the call in index.php so that it is loading your new style sheet. (It is going to look a mess at this stage) Then match all the tags in index.php to corresponding selectors in the css. For three cols you will need to alter both files. Where you are headed is that in index you will need three mid section divs lets call them content; menu, and adverts, for example and in the style sheet three divs of the same name. This is a relatively trivial task. The common difficulty is that even if the tags match; the cols need to be served to the css in the right order. Where we struggle in helping is we do not know which template you are using so we can’t be more precise. Just remember for nearly every tag in the xhtml you are looking for a csss selector of the same name. Just to confuse you in the default layout #rap is not styled at all and it ends before the footer. A lot of folks also style their posts as a separate div not class. HTH ??

Thanks An. Been away fo a while, so… However, your last answer is exactly what I was looking for. Will experiment, and come back at a later time.
JP

Check this: https://www.webproducer.at/flexible-layout ??
Fallen

OK. I’m using the default WP index, and I have uploaded the flexible-layout you just suggested. Now, as you said, it DOES look messy. Currently heading towards the relatively trivila task you mentionned. More later. JP ??

At least one prediction of mine was right then. Makes a change!

Slightly passed the relatively trivial task… Looks a little less messy. Succeeded in displaying a 3 col layout by up-loading all 4 css files and by adding the matching lines in the index. Thanks A LOT. And I mean it! JP :-):-)

Well done Jpierre. I hasten to point out that anon2 intervened with a URI of what looks like a very sophisticated but complicated layout. If you have it running then we take our hat’s off to you. tcervo’s posting just about covered the big five layout sites for quality and clarity.Still: You can not now in fairness leave us without a URI or better still your css to have a look. I am sure there is a little tweaking still to be done. ??

After much head banging against the web site, I’ve discovered a couple of things. I want to relate them here so maybe someone doesn’t make the same mistakes.
I wanted a layout for my WordPress blog that had the following features:
* Header on top
* Three column layout, all of the columns stretching all of the way to the bottom.
* Footer always at the bottom, no matter which of the three columns was the longest on any one page.
* No Javascript
* No CSS hacks
Eventually I ran across the solution. There is no solution. That combination is impossible.
Maybe someday the Internet architects and the W3C will get together a create a solution for this, but it hasn’t happened yet. There is no standard that allows the above, and there is no web browser out there that can implement any such thing, mostly because the standard does not exist.
If you are willing to sacrifice one or more of the features in the combination I listed above, then your project might be feasible. Otherwise, forget it.
I am dumping the idea of a three-column blog and moving to a two-column blog. Then I am going to try and make the best out of the situation.
Sorry to be so stern, but if I would have read this basic message a long time ago, I wouldn’t have wasted so much time.

awh,
You mean like this?:
https://www.cantboilwater.com/
No CSS hacks
No Javascript for layout
3 columns, with footer underneath the columns (no matter which is longest)
Header on top
Am I missing something?
-Tony

And some very tasty recipes! Some folks are never satisfied.

That looks good.
I need to add a couple of features to my list.
* It can’t use tables for laying out the columns. (cantboilwater.com does not use tables and thus meets this criterion)
* The columns must be able to appear in any order in the HTML. For example if the columns were numbered from left to right as 1, 2, 3, the columns must be able to appear in the HTML in the order of 2, 1, 3, or any other variation without affecting the look of the site.
The last one is important for accessibility. A “skip to content” link is a compromise that some will find acceptable, but I don’t.
I don’t think the middle column of cantboilwater.com could be moved ahead of the two navigation links columns. Thus it doesn’t meet the criteria.
Nice blog, BTW.

No problem. Can’t be done with float but position absolute will do fine. Next?

If I could live without the black lines separating the columns, then I could easily re-order the columns with nothing but minor tweaking. I all I wanted to do was put the main content first, I could simply create a different background image and still get my separator lines. So, it is possible, just not what I want to do.

I haven’t seen one that will work.