Trying to do this cool hover effect with CSS only...

Question

I've got 'img' thumbnails that are sometimes positioned
absolutely,
sometimes relatively, but aren't individually contained in
anything, like so
<a href="#">
<img src="image1.png" width="100" height="150" border="0"
class="tn" />
</a>
<a href="#">
<img src="image2.png" width="100" height="150" border="0"
class="tn" />
</a>
Now, I've already brought up the limitations of PNG on IE
(namely, even if
you "fix" PNG support on IE, IE will flatten your alpha
channels and strip
the individual pixels' transparency levels before overriding
them with a
single common attribute). This limitation makes it impossible
for me to do a
simple 90%-to-100% hover effect to "highlight" the thumbnail
on mouseover.
Micha recommended placing normal a highlighted versions of
the same
thumbnail inside and outside the viewport, and swapping them
on mouseover.
However, that would double the amount of image data being
sent to the user.
So what I thought to do, instead, is superpose a standalone
PNG of a small
spotlight, OVER the original thumbnail, on hover. Because it
would be the
same PNG being superposed over each thumb being hovered over,
the amount of
image data being sent to the user wouldn't be all that
different.
Would I need javascript for this, or can it be done with CSS
only?
Again, it would be the same spotlight.png file being
superposed on images on
mouseover, and it wouldn't be a big deal if the image bled
over surrounding
images (it would actually make it look more real).
Thanks.

Answer 1

say wha???
--Nancy O.
Alt-Web Design & Publishing
www.alt-web.com
"Murray *ACE*" <[email protected]> wrote
in message
news:[email protected]...
> Nobody can disagree with that analysis, but a LOADING
page would do
nothing
> to help with this, doncha know?
>
> --
> Murray --- ICQ 71997575
> Adobe Community Expert
> (If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
> ==================
>
http://www.projectseven.com/go
- DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
>
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs,
Tutorials & Resources
> ==================
>
>
> "Nancy O" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Sprite images are a tad smaller in filesize than
the sum of their
> > individual
> > parts. As you say, Murray, it's marginal. But the
real *efficiency*
> > comes
> > from fewer server requests to load multiple images.
Once the sprite has
> > loaded, there is no perceivable delay on hover - as
there often is with
> > conventional image swapping. Finally, since the
substitution effect is
> > pure
> > CSS, there's no need for JavaScripts which can add
weight to a page.
> >
> >
> > --Nancy O.
> > Alt-Web Design & Publishing
> > www.alt-web.com
> >
> >
> > "Murray *ACE*"
<[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >> By their nature, sprites are larger
dimensionally than the individual
> >> images, so the savings would be marginal, I
think. What I mean by that
> >> is
> > a
> >> simple rollover sprite would be the same size
as the combined up and
over
> >> images, placed adjacent to each other, no?
> >>
> >> --
> >> Murray --- ICQ 71997575
> >> Adobe Community Expert
> >> (If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you
do so!)
> >> ==================
> >>
http://www.projectseven.com/go
- DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
> >>
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs,
Tutorials & Resources
> >> ==================
> >>
> >>
> >> "Nancy O" <[email protected]>
wrote in message
> >> news:[email protected]...
> >> >< Micha recommended placing normal &
highlighted versions of the same
> >> > thumbnail inside and outside the viewport,
and swapping them on
> > mouseover.
> >> > However, that would double the amount of
image data being sent to the
> >> > user.>
> >> >
> >> > Not if you use a sprite. Have a look at
this CSS Sprite Demo.
> >> >
http://alt-web.com/CSS-Sprite-Demo.html
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > --Nancy O.
> >> > Alt-Web Design & Publishing
> >> > www.alt-web.com
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > "Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
> >> > news:[email protected]...
> >> >> I've got 'img' thumbnails that are
sometimes positioned absolutely,
> >> >> sometimes relatively, but aren't
individually contained in anything,
> > like
> >> > so
> >> >> :
> >> >>
> >> >> <a href="#">
> >> >> <img src="image1.png" width="100"
height="150" border="0"
class="tn"
> > />
> >> >> </a>
> >> >> <a href="#">
> >> >> <img src="image2.png" width="100"
height="150" border="0"
class="tn"
> > />
> >> >> </a>
> >> >>
> >> >> Now, I've already brought up the
limitations of PNG on IE (namely,
> >> >> even
> >> >> if
> >> >> you "fix" PNG support on IE, IE will
flatten your alpha channels and
> >> >> strip
> >> >> the individual pixels' transparency
levels before overriding them
with
> > a
> >> >> single common attribute). This
limitation makes it impossible for me
> >> >> to
> >> >> do
> >> > a
> >> >> simple 90%-to-100% hover effect to
"highlight" the thumbnail on
> >> >> mouseover.
> >> >>
> >> >> Micha recommended placing normal a
highlighted versions of the same
> >> >> thumbnail inside and outside the
viewport, and swapping them on
> >> >> mouseover.
> >> >> However, that would double the amount
of image data being sent to
the
> >> > user.
> >> >>
> >> >> So what I thought to do, instead, is
superpose a standalone PNG of a
> >> >> small
> >> >> spotlight, OVER the original
thumbnail, on hover. Because it would
be
> > the
> >> >> same PNG being superposed over each
thumb being hovered over, the
> > amount
> >> > of
> >> >> image data being sent to the user
wouldn't be all that different.
> >> >>
> >> >> Would I need javascript for this, or
can it be done with CSS only?
> >> >>
> >> >> Again, it would be the same
spotlight.png file being superposed on
> > images
> >> > on
> >> >> mouseover, and it wouldn't be a big
deal if the image bled over
> >> > surrounding
> >> >> images (it would actually make it look
more real).
> >> >>
> >> >> Thanks.
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >
> >
>