Keeping info in the ID tags So it won't all just float away

What are you floating on this page? Can you insert the CSS for the content on the page into a post? It looks to me like you didn't clear the floats. This means that you may need the property "clear:both;" to appear at the top of the CSS for the div called "iddescription". This should make the table pop under the image, that is unless you want it beside the image.

#iddescription { float: left; ... }

For a three column layout, I would recommend floating all three columns left inside a container, then give the center column margins or padding to separate it from the other two. You will need to set a width for each of the columns (relative or absolute) and make sure that the total widths of the columns including the margins and padding does not exceed the width of the container. If it does, one of the columns will pop down. This should stop the "bleeding".

Also, you might have bleeding because your widths are not correct. When you specify a width for the center column, you also have to consider any padding as part of that width. For example, if the width is 600px and you specify a padding of 20px, then the width will really become 20px+600px+20px. You have to compensate for this by reducing the overall width to 560px and leaving the padding.

Good advice on clear: both on the float.

The three div tags for each column would work in a perfect world where I had three columns.

But on the page in question:

http://www.silverrose.net/help/inventory.htm

not all of the middle column is contained within an ID tag.

I again stress the disgruntled truth that I cannot affect the HTML in anyway because it is serverside asp by a separate company.

I can only affect the CSS.

I have checked margins and padding, but if you saw the site it is WAYY going off page there is some other issue here.

The shear volume of the css is a bit overpowering, but I am still unable to determine why I can not constrain the middle section to smaller the correct proportions.

Can I just start by saying that you should tell that other company that their HTML is seriously ****ed up. I just tried this inside Fireforks so dunno how it'll go in IE:

#iddescription table h4, #iddescription table div { width: auto } #iddescription table { float: left } #iddescription table h2 { clear: both }

Perfect. IE and Fire.

WoW I had now idea that you could style separate elements of IDs by using

#iddescription table

I was trying to center all table with the
#TD {float: left} to no avail, which would of course affect all tables.

This concept opens the possibilities of much design potential.

I wonder why I have never crossed the concept in my self tutoring.

DHTML and CSS for the WWW by Jason Cranford Teague

or in Lynda training CSS videos.

Any Good recommended CSS reference books you peeps might suggest?

If you want a laugh check out the img that they cleverly masked as a hidden input in the form for auctions.

<input type=hidden name=iurl value=http://images.auctionworks.com/hi/60/60233/5300.jpg>

This is a mass profile probably attempted to be used my many clients worldwide.

I love how they include a comment tag as the first line above the doctype.
Which renders the document nearly unvalidatable as XHTML.

You think they would spend less time "trying to be clever" and more time parsing their code for errors.

I would think you should have dumped them long ago...

Not my decision. It's my gf family business.

They were on Infopeia, but they had similiar issues.

Marketworks now wants $500 for "Gold Care" customer service to respond to my phone inqueries.

Plus they want $100/hr min 10 hrs with a estimated fix time of a couple months to fix the doctype BS and profile errors.

They have their heads stuck somewhere, I'm telling you.

they should be paying you

I have left my job and have been working for them for the past three months.
They are paying me, but I took a paycut to come help them.

Their business had been floundering. I'm trying to turn things around.

They have been doing this 10 yrs, but had a pagerank of 0 and pretty much only sold on eBay.

It's been 5 years since I hosted any sites.

I had to learn css, flash for google advertising, php for some forums I made for them, access because all of their database were messed.

I've been working day / night, but you guys have been a huge help.

SilverRose.net

SilverRoseBeads.com

Not SilverRose, I meant MarketWorks. They should be backcharged for putting together such a pile of crap. You'd be far better off dumping them and starting from scratch. It will be easier, less time consuming, and cheaper.