Resolving Conflicting Styles

You can define an element's style in many different ways. There is a pre-defined priority order between these methods. An element's own scripting always has the highest priority. Its own inline STYLE is next, and own inline CLASS is after that. Inherited scripting, STYLE, and CLASS are in lower priority, in this order. The following examples demonstrate this concept:

 

Notice the style assignment hierarchy: setting color by inherited CLASS

 

 

Here is the HTML code for the example above:

 

<DIV CLASS="textBlue">
  <SPAN>
    Notice the style assignment hierarchy: setting color by inherited CLASS 
  </SPAN>
</DIV>

 

Notice the style assignment hierarchy: setting color by inherited inline STYLE

 

 

Here is the HTML code for the example above:

 

<DIV CLASS="textBlue" STYLE="color: red">
  <SPAN>
    Notice the style assignment hierarchy: setting color by inherited inline STYLE 
  </SPAN>
</DIV>

 

Notice the style assignment hierarchy: setting color by inherited scripting

 

 

Here is the HTML code for the example above:

 

<DIV CLASS="textBlue" STYLE="color: red" onMouseOver="this.style.color = 'tan'" 
  onMouseOut="this.style.color = 'purple'">
  <SPAN>
    Notice the style assignment hierarchy: setting color by inherited scripting
  </SPAN>
</DIV>

 

Notice the style assignment hierarchy: setting color by own CLASS

 

 

Here is the HTML code for the example above:

 

<DIV CLASS="textBlue" STYLE="color: red" onMouseOver="this.style.color = 'tan'" 
  onMouseOut="this.style.color = 'purple'">
  <SPAN CLASS="textYellow">Notice the style assignment hierarchy: 
    setting color by own CLASS 
  </SPAN>
</DIV>

 

Notice the style assignment hierarchy: setting color by own inline STYLE

 

 

Here is the HTML code for the example above:

 

<DIV CLASS="textBlue" STYLE="color: red" onMouseOver="this.style.color = 'tan'" 
  onMouseOut="this.style.color = 'purple'">
  <SPAN CLASS="textOrange" STYLE="color: magenta">
    Notice the style assignment hierarchy: setting color by own inline STYLE 
  </SPAN>
</DIV>

 

Notice the style assignment hierarchy: setting color by own scripting

 

 

Here is the HTML code for the example above:

 

<DIV CLASS="textBlue" STYLE="color: red" onMouseOver="this.style.color = 'tan'" 
  onMouseOut="this.style.color = 'purple'">
  <SPAN CLASS="textOrange" STYLE="color: magenta" 
    onMouseOver="this.style.color = 'green'" 
    onMouseOut="this.style.color = 'brown'">
    Notice the style assignment hierarchy: setting color by own scripting 
  </SPAN>
</DIV>

 

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Last modified: November 16, 2000