The CSS reference

"margin-top" - css property (v. css 1)

  • Sets the top margin of an element
  • Initial value: 0
  • The property is not inherited
  • HTML usage: All elements except elements with table display types other than table-caption, table and inline-table
  • Browsers that support the margin-top - property :
    Internet Explorer Mozilla Firefox Opera Google Chrome Apple Safari

How width, height, margin, border and padding properties relates to each other:


Possible margin values:

margin value Comments CSS
length With this you specify a positive(+) or negative(-) value followed with a unit identifier. 1
percentage With this you specify a value with a percentage. It refer to width of containing block. 1
auto The outcome of this property value is much dependant on the related containing block type, replaced or none-replaced elements and the browser. For details, please study computing widths and margins for behavior. 1
inherit Will inherit the value from parent specification. This property value is new with CSS 2. 2

Possible unit identifier:

unit identifier Comments CSS
em The relative unit 'em' is relative to the font size of the element itself. 1
ex The relative unit 'ex' is relative to the font size of the element itself. 1
px Pixels, relative to the viewing device 1
in inches -> 1 inch is equal to 2.54 centimeters. 1
cm centimeters. 1
mm millimeters. 1
pt points -> the points used by CSS2 are equal to 1/72th of an inch. 1
pc picas -> 1 pica is equal to 12 points. 1

Property "margin-top" example:

<!DOCTYPE HTML >
<html>
  <head>
    <style   type="text/css">
      .div1 { position: relative;
              width: 300px;
              margin: 10px 10px 10px 10px;
              border: #000000 1px solid;
      }
      .div2 { position: relative;
              width: 200px;
              margin-top: 20px;
              margin-right: 25px;
              margin-bottom: inherit;
              margin-left: 15px;
              border: blue 1px solid;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body >
    Text in Body
    <div class="div1">
      Some text in the DIV 1 element with <br/>
      margin: 10px 10px 10px 10px;<br/>
      <div class="div2">
        Some text in the DIV 2 element with <br/>
        margin-top: 20px;<br/>
        margin-right: 25px;<br/>
        margin-bottom: inherit;<br/>
        margin-left: 15px;<br/>
      </div>
    </div>
  </body>
</html>

Javascript access:

// To SET values ([o] is the target object)
[o].style.marginTop="margin-top value"
// To GET values you must first get the computed style object
// To get that object in IE or Opera:
var cStyle=[o].currentStyle;
// To get that object in Firefox, Chrome or Safari (w3c-type):
var cStyle=window.getComputedStyle([o],null)
// To GET the property value:;
var value=cStyle.marginTop;
// IE and Opera will return a value in units as used with a Set.
// Firefox will return a calculated float value in pixel (px).
// Chrome or Safari will return a calculated int value in pixel (px).
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