Can a line be created using only CSS without the need for an additional HTML element?

Question

Can a line be created using only CSS without the need for an additional HTML element?

There have been many inquiries regarding drawing lines without adding an additional HTML element. Consider this scenario with an HTML div element:

<div class="myDiv"></div>

Accompanied by the following CSS:

.myDiv{
  width: 100px;
  height: 100px;
  border: 2px solid black;
}

Now, is it feasible to create four vertical dotted lines in the background of the div, from top to bottom, using only additional CSS?

FIDDLE
https://jsfiddle.net/yjs5yqwo/
https://jsfiddle.net/rjykLrog/2/

EDIT
It's important that I can specify margin-left or a similar property to position the lines as needed.

html css

Answer 1

Answer №1

Here's a clever solution using the pseudo element ::before

.myDiv {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: flex-start;
  align-items: center;
  text-align: center;
  padding-left: 10px;
  width: 100px;
  height: 100px;
  border: 2px solid black;
  position: relative;
  font-size: 22px;
  font-weight: bold;
}

.myDiv::before {
  content: ".... .... .... .... ...."; /* your dots */
  position: absolute;
  top: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0; left: 0; /* stretches the before element over the entire surface of the main element */
  z-index: -1; /* places the ::before element underneath the main div content, as a background */
  letter-spacing: 6px;
  padding-left: 6px; /* letter-spacing adds px after letter, use padding at the beginning to off set it to remain centered. */
  font-size: 50px;
  color: hsla(0, 0%, 0%, 0.2);
  transform: rotate(-90deg); /* turns the .... sideways */
  margin-left: -38px;
  line-height: 22px;
}

<div class="myDiv">Four Ring</div>

Nifty fiddles

https://jsfiddle.net/Hastig/rjykLrog/1/ (1 x 4-dot line)

https://jsfiddle.net/Hastig/y7zp6aac/1/ (multiple 4-dot lines)

https://jsfiddle.net/Hastig/1qzf2drx (repeating linear gradient)

Answer 2

Here's a clever solution using the pseudo element ::before

.myDiv {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: flex-start;
  align-items: center;
  text-align: center;
  padding-left: 10px;
  width: 100px;
  height: 100px;
  border: 2px solid black;
  position: relative;
  font-size: 22px;
  font-weight: bold;
}

.myDiv::before {
  content: ".... .... .... .... ...."; /* your dots */
  position: absolute;
  top: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0; left: 0; /* stretches the before element over the entire surface of the main element */
  z-index: -1; /* places the ::before element underneath the main div content, as a background */
  letter-spacing: 6px;
  padding-left: 6px; /* letter-spacing adds px after letter, use padding at the beginning to off set it to remain centered. */
  font-size: 50px;
  color: hsla(0, 0%, 0%, 0.2);
  transform: rotate(-90deg); /* turns the .... sideways */
  margin-left: -38px;
  line-height: 22px;
}

<div class="myDiv">Four Ring</div>

Nifty fiddles

https://jsfiddle.net/Hastig/rjykLrog/1/ (1 x 4-dot line)

https://jsfiddle.net/Hastig/y7zp6aac/1/ (multiple 4-dot lines)

https://jsfiddle.net/Hastig/1qzf2drx (repeating linear gradient)

Answer 3

Answer №2

To ensure proper rendering of line feed characters in the content, you can escape them and then set the white-space property to pre. For example, use

content: ".\A.\A.\A."; white-space: pre;

Adjusting the spacing between the dots can be done using the line-height property.

Kudos to another answer that clarified the process of escaping newline characters in CSS content property: Newline character sequence in CSS 'content' property?

If you are considering using this method, please keep in mind that any addition in the content property is treated as regular content for screen readers. Therefore, there might be accessibility concerns with adding dots in this manner.

.myDiv
{
  position: relative;
  box-sizing: border-box;
  width: 400px;
  height: 100px;
  padding: 15px 12px;
  border: 2px solid black;
  font-size: 22px;
  font-weight: bold;
}
.myDiv::before
{
  position: absolute;
  content: "........................\A........................\A........................\A........................";
  top: 0;
  left: 10px;
  line-height: 22px;
  white-space: pre;
  letter-spacing: 5px;
  color: hsla(0, 0%, 0%, 0.2);
}

<div class="myDiv">
  Something goes here
</div>

Answer 4

To ensure proper rendering of line feed characters in the content, you can escape them and then set the white-space property to pre. For example, use

content: ".\A.\A.\A."; white-space: pre;

Adjusting the spacing between the dots can be done using the line-height property.

Kudos to another answer that clarified the process of escaping newline characters in CSS content property: Newline character sequence in CSS 'content' property?

If you are considering using this method, please keep in mind that any addition in the content property is treated as regular content for screen readers. Therefore, there might be accessibility concerns with adding dots in this manner.

.myDiv
{
  position: relative;
  box-sizing: border-box;
  width: 400px;
  height: 100px;
  padding: 15px 12px;
  border: 2px solid black;
  font-size: 22px;
  font-weight: bold;
}
.myDiv::before
{
  position: absolute;
  content: "........................\A........................\A........................\A........................";
  top: 0;
  left: 10px;
  line-height: 22px;
  white-space: pre;
  letter-spacing: 5px;
  color: hsla(0, 0%, 0%, 0.2);
}

<div class="myDiv">
  Something goes here
</div>

Answer 5

Answer №3

I attempted to incorporate 4 vertical lines as per your request. Please provide feedback if my approach was incorrect. Thank you.

CSS:

.myDiv{
 padding-left: 10px;
 width: 500px;
 height: 100px;
 border: 2px solid black;
 font-size: 22px;
 font-weight: bold;
 z-index: 1;
 overflow: hidden;
 position: absolute;
 top: 0;
 left: 0;
}

 .q { 
    width: 100px;
    position: absolute;
    top:0;
    height: 100px;
    border-right: 2px dotted black;
    z-index: -1;
 }

 .w {
    width: 200px;
    height: 100px;
    z-index: -1;
    border-right: 2px dotted black;
 }

 .e {
    width: 300px;
    height: 100px;
    z-index: -1;
    border-right: 2px dotted black;
 }

 .r {
    width: 400px;
    height: 100px;
    z-index: -1;
    border-right: 2px dotted black;
 }

HTML:

<div class="myDiv">ASJKLJKLS
   <div class="q">
     <div class="w">
       <div class="e">
         <div class="r">
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
 </div>

Answer 6

I attempted to incorporate 4 vertical lines as per your request. Please provide feedback if my approach was incorrect. Thank you.

CSS:

.myDiv{
 padding-left: 10px;
 width: 500px;
 height: 100px;
 border: 2px solid black;
 font-size: 22px;
 font-weight: bold;
 z-index: 1;
 overflow: hidden;
 position: absolute;
 top: 0;
 left: 0;
}

 .q { 
    width: 100px;
    position: absolute;
    top:0;
    height: 100px;
    border-right: 2px dotted black;
    z-index: -1;
 }

 .w {
    width: 200px;
    height: 100px;
    z-index: -1;
    border-right: 2px dotted black;
 }

 .e {
    width: 300px;
    height: 100px;
    z-index: -1;
    border-right: 2px dotted black;
 }

 .r {
    width: 400px;
    height: 100px;
    z-index: -1;
    border-right: 2px dotted black;
 }

HTML:

<div class="myDiv">ASJKLJKLS
   <div class="q">
     <div class="w">
       <div class="e">
         <div class="r">
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
 </div>

Can a line be created using only CSS without the need for an additional HTML element?

Answer №1

Answer №2

Answer №3

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