Media Query Styles Not Overriding Original Styles - css

I'm attempting to use some media queries for a website I'm building. The problem I'm having however, is while the media query styles are actually being applied, they're being overridden. I can't for the life of me tell why because I'm using the same exact selectors. Can anyone point out something that I'm not seeing?
ORIGINAL CSS
#global-wrapper-outer > #global-wrapper-inner {
width: 85%;
height: 100%;
margin: 0 auto;
position: relative;
}
#global-wrapper-outer > #global-wrapper-inner > nav {
background: #fff;
padding-bottom: 20px;
box-shadow: 0 4px 2px -2px gray;
}
MEDIA QUERY CSS
#media screen and (max-width:1024px) {
#global-wrapper-outer > #global-wrapper-inner {
width: 100%;
}
#global-wrapper-outer > #global-wrapper-inner > nav {
display: none;
}
}
The second media query is working fine, where I set the nav to have a display of none. However, when I try to set the width of #global-wrapper-inner to 100% it doesn't apply. I can see the style being "applied" when I press F12 and select that element. However, the style itself is crossed out and not actually applied and it still has the original width of 85%.

The selectors in your original CSS have the same specificity as the selectors within your media queries (the first declarations are also targeting the same property - width) and because the media query rule set is being overridden I'm going to assume that it appears before the original rule set.
The second media query selector works because it's targeting a property that wasn't set in your original CSS, so specificity isn't relevant.
To have the first media query selector take precedence, prepend an ancestor element to it:
#media screen and (max-width:1024px) {
body #global-wrapper-outer > #global-wrapper-inner {
width: 100%;
}
#global-wrapper-outer > #global-wrapper-inner > nav {
display: none;
}
}

You need to link the media query file (queries.css) later than the normal css file (style.css). That way the rules in the queries.css will override those in style.css.

I have been at least 2 hours trying to find the override CSS problem till I found that my line comments where wrong... And the second definition of CSS wasn't working:
So, don't be so stupid as I !:
/* LITTLE SCREENS */
#media screen and (max-width: 990px) {
... whatever ...
}
/* BIG SCREENS */
#media screen and (min-width: 990px) {
... whatever more ...
}
never use: Double bar as I did:
// This is not a comment in CSS!
/* This is a comment in CSS! */

Here is the answer. (at least what worked for me)
I've had this problem before, and it took me a while to realize what I did, but once I figured it out it's actually pretty easy.
Ok so imagine I have this as the html
<main>
<div class = "child1"> </div>
<div class = "child2"> </div>
</main>
and then this as the CSS
main .child1{
height: 50px;
}
/* now let's try to use media quaries */
#media only screen and (max-width: 768px) {
.child1{
width: 75%;
}
}
The code above won't affect the .child. Just like someone mentioned above, the main .child1 overrides .child1. So the way you make it work is to select the element just like we did at the very beginning of the CSS above.
/* this will work */
#media only screen and (max-width: 768px) {
main .child1{
width: 75%;
}
}
So as a conclusion... select the elements the same way every time.
Meaning ... for example in the above code, in your CSS, you should either select it as main .child1throughout the whole CSS or .child1 or else they get mixed up, one ends up overriding the other.

From the code you submitted, this probably won't resolve your issue. However, in your CSS if you are nesting styles inside of one another:
.main-container {
.main {
background: blue;
}
}
A media query for .main won't work because of the nesting. Take .main out of .main-container and then the media query will work as assumed:
.main-container {
}
.main {
background: blue;
}

Check if your media query braces are equal.
Sometimes it is very subtle but when you miss a single brace the rest of the media queries mentioned for certain break points will not work
example:
#media(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 991px){
#media (max-width: 767px){
.navbar-brand p {
font-size: .6em;
margin-top: 12px;}
.navbar-brand img {height: 20px;}
#collapsable-nav a {
font-size: 1.2em;
}
#collapsable-nav a span {
font-size: 1.2em;}
}
Here you can see i have started the braces for max-width:991px but forgot to end so the next set of codes in media query for max-width:767px will not work.
It is a very simple mistake but took hours because of lot of braces in the codes.
Hope it helps. Happy Coding!

What about using !important? If you range your media query from ( min-width: 176px ) and ( max-width: 736px ) or even up to 980px?

There can be some reasons because of which this type of error may occur.
I myself faced this issue where I was not able to understand what I am needed to do and was confused that, does media query just overrides the elements.
Here's what I understood:
MEDIA QUERY CSS:
#media screen and (max-width:1024px) {
#global-wrapper-outer > #global-wrapper-inner {
width: 100%;
}
#global-wrapper-outer > #global-wrapper-inner > nav {
display: none;
}
}
here you were able to override #global-wrapper-inner > nav i.e., 2nd media query selector, by display: none;
because you never added the display line in the original css, because of which there was nothing to override you just have given that display type should be none.
Whereas just in the 1st media query selector you already had given width:80%;
Basically media query doesn't override as far as I have understood but it take precedence, like already explained by one of them
by which media query comes to work:
https://stackoverflow.com/a/19038303/15394464
also if still did not get your doubt clear, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acqN6atXVAE&t=288s
then this might help.

Related

How do I correctly use Media Query to cause one column to disappear and the other to adjust to the width of the screen?

In my class we are starting to use Media Queries and I am having a little trouble with an assignment. For a previous assignment we were tasked with remaking a website called "the Toast" as best we could, which I have here. Now for this assignment we are to use media query to do a few things:
This assignment is all about media queries and getting your site to be
responsive. We will be using the website The toast again for this
assignment. You will be laying out two columns for the content area.
When the screen size hits 960px the right column must disappear. The
articles in the left column must adjust to the width of the screen.
The images must get bigger and fill the article at 960 px as well.
At 760 px the support us button, love the toast text and the social
media must disappear.
In the code I have two columns, a "bigColumn" and a "adColumn". Now to my understanding to make the adcolumn disappear and adjust the bigColumn I simply have to add:
#media only screen and (max-width: 960px) {
.main {
.bigColumn {
width: 100%;
}
.adColumn {
display: none;
}
}
}
However this is not working. The ad never disappears and the rest of the content doesn't do anything in terms of filling the rest of the page when shrinking the window. If I change the background color in the .main the color changes, but changing anything in the two divs has no effect that I can see. I can get the social media icons to disappear at 760px just fine, so am I just missing something with the media query for the columns? Or could something else be interfering with it?
EDIT: Guess I should mention that yes, I am indeed using SASS in the project.
Here is the styling I have for the columns before I started the media query:
.main {
width: 90%;
display: flex;
min-height: 200px;
margin: 0 auto;
//column for main-page content
.bigColumn {
width: 800px;
height: 100%;
margin-top: 20px;
margin-right: 9%;
margin-left: 13%;
}
.adColumn {
margin-top: 20px;
position: relative;
min-height: 120px;
}
}
I don't believe you can nest your CSS like that unless you are using a preprocessor like LESS or SASS. Try taking the .bigColumn CSS out of the .main brackets and leave it on its own.
#media only screen and (max-width: 960px) {
.bigColumn {
width: 100%;
}
.adColumn {
display: none;
}
}
Based on your css I think you're close, but there appears to be a an error in the way you've structured your css. Give this a try. I'm assuming .bigColumn and .adColumn are children of .main:
/* All screens 960px or less */
#media only screen and (max-width: 960px) {
.main .bigColumn {
width: 100%;
}
.main .adColumn {
display: none;
}
}

how to override #media (max-width) using stylish

Intro
this is similar to this question but unfortunately the answer only applies to greasmonkey (which only works on firefox). Further, this was asked on the stylish forum but the answer was ambiguous.
Question
I want to remove the left column in the azure help page and
expand the main body to make it cover the widht of the screen.
The first part can easily be done by this
#sidebarContent {display:none}
How ever the second part must conver this
media (max-width: 1199.99999px)
to this
media (max-width: 100%)
But I have no idea how to do that using stylish.. ideas?
To override a media query you just need to load another media query - that also applies to your device - after it.
Well...you want a blunt media query that applies to everything. The best way is to use #media (min-width: 1px) since that includes all devices.
Now, put it all together - along with some other CSS cleanups like padding and margin removal and setting a new width for .mainContainer and you get this
#sidebar {
display: none;
}
#media (min-width: 1px) {
.mainContainer {
margin: 0 auto;
width: 100vw;
padding: 0;
}
body>.container {
padding: 0;
}
}
New code: (with different selector for width)
#sidebar {
display: none;
}
#media (min-width: 1px) {
.mainContainer { /*example styles*/
margin: 0 auto;
width: 100vw;
}
body>.container {
padding: 0;
}
body>.mainContainer>main {
max-width: 100vw!important;
}
}
You still have to adjust the padding to your preference as setting the padding to 0 breaks the design a little bit but this should be good starting point.
Before:
After:

Having Trouble With Max-Width Menu

I'm having trouble with the main menu in the header of my Wordpress site here: http://eptestdev.us/qa
The only way I can get it to fill the entire box is by declaring it to have a width of 950px. However, I want it to disappear when the user is on a mobile device leaving just the mobile menu.
My CSS looks like this, but it is not working:
#media screen and (max-width: 900px){#access {display:none;}}
Not sure how I can get it to collapse otherwise. Any help would be appreciated.
You just need to add the !important tag to your css, so that it overrides everything else. Like this:
display: none !important;
I tested this on your site and it worked.
In general it's good to avoid using !important - and instead use CSS's natural way of determining which rule is used.
Earlier rules (at the top of the stylesheet) are overruled by later ones:
.box { width: 200px; border: 1px solid black }
.box { width: 500px; }
The second rule will override the previous width declaration, giving you a 500px box with a black border.
In your case, the reason your media query rule isn't working is because it occurs before the 'normal' one. If you switch:
#media screen and (max-width: 900px){#access, #copyright, .menu-footer-menu-container {display: none;}}
/* ... other rules ... */
#access, #access-footer {
background:#000000;
clear:both;
display:block;
float:left;
margin:0 auto 2px;
width:100%;
max-height:20px;
}
with
/* ... other rules ... */
#access, #access-footer {
background:#000000;
clear:both;
display:block;
float:left;
margin:0 auto 2px;
width:100%;
max-height:20px;
}
#media screen and (max-width: 900px){#access, #copyright, .menu-footer-menu-container {display: none;}}
This rule will work without needing to use !important.
There are other ways to make rules keep: for instance, a more specific rule will be used before one that is more generic:
#menu .submenu-item { color: green; }
.submenu-item { color: red; }
As long as your .submenu-item divs are within a '#menu' div, they'll be green, because the subsequentcolor: red` declaration doesn't have the same level of specificity.
You can read more on this here:
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/Specificity

default CSS media types "screen" vs "print" vs "default"

In the face of endless responsive size discussions like:
#media only screen and (max-width: 600px)
it appears that the concept of a "default" CSS file has disappeared?
Is it the case that ALL best practices assume the big three "screen," "print," and "ie" are all that are needed?
Is it the case that settings listed under "screen" are also available under "print?" Or is that still most properly covered by a "default" css sheet included with no "media" attribute?
Thank you for your time.
When using #media print or #media only screen you use scope operators to make only that section relevant to the # reference.
for example:
#media print {
h3 {display: none;
}
img {display: none;
}
body {margin-left: auto;
margin-right: auto;
width: 80%;
}
#wrapper {box-shadow: none;
}
.floatRight {float: right;
}
.clearFloat {clear: both;
}
.centerText {text-align: center;
}
li {padding-bottom: 10px;
}
}
will all only be called when the user selects print.
Any code outside of the scope ({}) will be considered regular css and apply to every page that it is linked to.
UPDATE:
The 3 main # labels should be used only for formatting for those different properties like "printing a page" or "the screen size changing for mobile". You will always have a "default" css page.
Hope this answers your question

Why do I have to put media queries at the bottom of the stylesheet?

I am new to learning responsive design. What I have noticed on my journey is that when I put media queries at the bottom of the stylesheet, everything works flawlessly in regards to breakpoints. If I put the media queries at the top of the stylesheet, nothing works, and only recently I found out that I need to add !important and max-DEVICE-width ( as opposed to max-width) to the css that is being changed.
Why is this? Why do the media queries work on both desktop and mobile when put at the bottom of the stylesheet.
Why is it that when I put media queries on the top of the stylesheet I need to add !important and also max-DEVICE-width in order for the breakpoints to work on desktop and mobile?
Because css is read from top to bottom. The rule that is set last, is the one that will be executed.
Translating, it is like this:
#media (max-width: 600px) { //If my screen fits this size
.text {
color: red; //Paint it red
}
}
.text {
color: yellow; //Now, forget about everything and paint it yellow!
}
When you add !important is like saying:
#media (max-width: 600px) { //If my screen fits this size
.text {
color: red !important; //Paint it red, and don't change it ever!!!
}
}
.text {
color: yellow; //Ok, I'm not going to paint it yellow....
}
CSS is read from top to bottom.
Everything that is below some other css will overwrite what's on top of it.
It is possible however to use !important at the end of a CSS parameter to make it overwrite everything else
body{
background-color: black !important;
}
body{
background-color: pink;
}
The background-color will be black.
If you remove the !important, it will be pink.
Media queries cascade with the rest of the stylesheet. You can intersperse media queries within your stylesheet, and so you can also cascade styles as needed.
For example:
.my-class {
color: red;
}
.my-class--modifier {
color: blue;
}
#media screen and (min-width: 760px) {
.my-class--modifier {
color: green;
}
}
.some-other-class {
width: 200px;
}
#media screen and (min-width: 760px) {
.some-other-class {
width: 700px;
background-color: gray;
}
.some-other-class .my-class {
border: 2px solid red;
border-radius: 4pt;
}
}
This works precisely due to CSS's cascading nature. You can organize media queries as required based on sections, individual selectors and more.
Basically you are using media queries when you want to apply CSS styles depending on a device's general type (such as print vs. screen), specific characteristics (such as the width of the browser viewport, or environment (such as ambient light conditions).
When you started designing, you generally started doing it for one device of known specifications. So you design it according to you current device and then apply it for other screen sizes.
Hence the order goes like this: Make complete design --> Add the media query to fit for desired screen sizes at the bottom.
It is preferrable to write the query at the bottom became of precedence. That will save you from stress of using important! everytime.

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