Positioning problems develop with template

Question

I have been developing a template or templates for a site in order to make child pages, there will be some variations in these pages but would like them to remain as similar as possible and use the same style sheet if possible.  The overall page is simple and works OK but as the content variations solidify as does the css to accommodate it problems arise.  It starts as a body, wrapper, header (includes logo, and navigation table) left col, right col and a footer. I wanted to be able to have more than 12 thumbs and keep the page at 600px height so a scroll bar was needed. I put an AP div in the left column the full width of the col and the height of four thumb frames and the problems start, The heading over it cannot scroll with the content so it must be outside the AP div.  In a browser it drops under the table and its div. I went through all css rules for the assoc. divs  zeroing margins & padding, but it didn't work so I nested this AP div in another the full side of the left col. while that worked I don't Know why it moved in the first place, or why all the margin zeroing for the #leftColumn a  link, the #leftColumn and #content did nothing.  Is the Nested AP divs the way to go, and should I go back and take out all the margin and padding changes that did nothing?  the pages are athttp://www.thunderbirdtrading.ca/Test-1.dwt this is the page with the shift, and uses the first style sheet, the corrected page is Test-2 using the second sheet and the odd thing is that Test-3 views correctly using the third style sheet which doesn't have nested AP divs 
http://www.thunderbirdtrading.ca/css/apparelHomeAP.css
http://www.thunderbirdtrading.ca/css/apparelHomeAPNest.css
http://www.thunderbirdtrading.ca/css/apparelItemsAP.css
I would like to be able to change the left column table to 3 4 & 6 row tables (they are library items) to make different pages, also the right column block of text in Test-1 and Test-2 for the two column table in Test-3, is it advisable or possible to write css rules for different content appearing in the same div? That is one template making many templates by changing library items all using the same style sheet? Are there guidelines as to when to attach a second sheet?
Thanks hope someone can shed a little light.
CH

Answer 1

Using APDivsions as your primary layout method is going to drive you crazy.
http://apptools.com/examples/pagelayout101.php
Try changing top value to provide some extra room between your logo and scrolling division:
#apDivLeftCol {
    position:absolute;
    width:240px;
    height:405px;
    z-index:8;
   top: 250px;
    overflow: auto;
    left: 0;
    text-align: center;
Nancy O.
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