How would I align this to center?

Question

I'd like to align my ULs using CSS to the center of the page in Dreamweaver. It does use CSS, it's a spiraling dropdown bar. I don't know if that's my problem. I copy pasted the dropdown bar code from a friend who sent it to me i'm not to into website design but it's for class.

@charset "UTF-8";

/* CSS Document */

body {
  background-color: #000000;
}

.menu,
.menu ul {
  list-style: none;
  padding: 0;
  margin: 0;
}

.menu {
  height: 58px;
}

.menu li {
  background: -moz-linear-gradient(#292929, #252525);
  background: -ms-linear-gradient(#292929, #252525);
  background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%, #292929), color-stop(100%, #252525));
  background: -webkit-linear-gradient(#292929, #252525);
  background: -o-linear-gradient(#292929, #252525);
  filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr='#292929', endColorstr='#252525');
  -ms-filter: "progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr='#292929', endColorstr='#252525')";
  background: linear-gradient(#292929, #252525);
  border-bottom: 2px solid #181818;
  border-top: 2px solid #303030;
  min-width: 160px;
}

.menu>li {
  display: block;
  float: left;
  position: relative;
}

.menu>li:first-child {
  border-radius: 5px 0 0;
}

.menu a {
  border-left: 3px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);
  color: #808080;
  display: block;
  font-family: 'Lucida Console';
  font-size: 18px;
  line-height: 54px;
  padding: 0 25px;
  text-decoration: none;
  text-transform: uppercase;
}

.menu li:hover {
  background-color: #1c1c1c;
  background: -moz-linear-gradient(#1c1c1c, #1b1b1b);
  background: -ms-linear-gradient(#1c1c1c, #1b1b1b);
  background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%, #1c1c1c), color-stop(100%, #1b1b1b));
  background: -webkit-linear-gradient(#1c1c1c, #1b1b1b);
  background: -o-linear-gradient(#1c1c1c, #1b1b1b);
  filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr='#1c1c1c', endColorstr='#1b1b1b');
  -ms-filter: "progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr='#1c1c1c', endColorstr='#1b1b1b')";
  background: linear-gradient(#1c1c1c, #1b1b1b);
  border-bottom: 2px solid #1b1b1b;
  border-top: 2px solid #1b1b1b;
}

.menu li:hover>a {
  border-radius: 5px 0 0 0;
  border-left: 3px solid #00FFFF;
  color: #00FFFF;
}


/* submenu styles */

.submenu {
  left: 0;
  max-height: 0;
  position: absolute;
  top: 100%;
  z-index: 0;
  -webkit-perspective: 400px;
  -moz-perspective: 400px;
  -ms-perspective: 400px;
  -o-perspective: 400px;
  perspective: 400px;
}

.submenu li {
  opacity: 0;
  -webkit-transform: rotateY(90deg);
  -moz-transform: rotateY(90deg);
  -ms-transform: rotateY(90deg);
  -o-transform: rotateY(90deg);
  transform: rotateY(90deg);
  -webkit-transition: opacity .4s, -webkit-transform .5s;
  -moz-transition: opacity .4s, -moz-transform .5s;
  -ms-transition: opacity .4s, -ms-transform .5s;
  -o-transition: opacity .4s, -o-transform .5s;
  transition: opacity .4s, transform .5s;
}

.menu .submenu li:hover a {
  border-left: 3px solid #00FFFF;
  border-radius: 0;
  color: #00ffff;
}

.menu>li:hover .submenu,
.menu>li:focus .submenu {
  max-height: 2000px;
  z-index: 10;
}

.menu>li:hover .submenu li,
.menu>li:focus .submenu li {
  opacity: 1;
  -webkit-transform: none;
  -moz-transform: none;
  -ms-transform: none;
  -o-transform: none;
  transform: none;
}


/* CSS3 delays for transition effects */

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(1) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 0s;
  -moz-transition-delay: 0s;
  -ms-transition-delay: 0s;
  -o-transition-delay: 0s;
  transition-delay: 0s;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(2) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 50ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 50ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 50ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 50ms;
  transition-delay: 50ms;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(3) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 100ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 100ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 100ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 100ms;
  transition-delay: 100ms;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(4) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 150ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 150ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 150ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 150ms;
  transition-delay: 150ms;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(5) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 200ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 200ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 200ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 200ms;
  transition-delay: 200ms;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(6) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 250ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 250ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 250ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 250ms;
  transition-delay: 250ms;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(7) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 300ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 300ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 300ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 300ms;
  transition-delay: 300ms;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(8) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 350ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 350ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 350ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 350ms;
  transition-delay: 350ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(1) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 350ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 350ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 350ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 350ms;
  transition-delay: 350ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(2) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 300ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 300ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 300ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 300ms;
  transition-delay: 300ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(3) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 250ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 250ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 250ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 250ms;
  transition-delay: 250ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(4) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 200ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 200ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 200ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 200ms;
  transition-delay: 200ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(5) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 150ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 150ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 150ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 150ms;
  transition-delay: 150ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(6) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 100ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 100ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 100ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 100ms;
  transition-delay: 100ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(7) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 50ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 50ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 50ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 50ms;
  transition-delay: 50ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(8) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 0s;
  -moz-transition-delay: 0s;
  -ms-transition-delay: 0s;
  -o-transition-delay: 0s;
  transition-delay: 0s;
}

<ul class="menu">
  <li><a href="#">Home</a></li>
  <li><a href="#s1">Photos</a>
    <ul class="submenu">
      <li><a href="Trucks.html">Trucks</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">New</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Old</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Cool</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Vans</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Power</a></li>
    </ul>
  </li>
  <li class="active"><a href="#s2">Events</a>
    <ul class="submenu">
      <li><a href="#">Auctions</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Company</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Contests</a></li>
    </ul>
  </li>
  <li><a href="#">Services</a>
    <ul class="submenu">
      <li><a href="#">Impound</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Demo</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Cone</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Pick-Ups</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Delivery</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Storage</a></li>
    </ul>
  </li>
  <li><a href="#">Contact</a> </li>
</ul>

So to confirm the unordered list it to be centered as a list right? — Option, Mar 24 '17 at 12:15
Yah it's not all of the code but if I change one to center in the main CSS it messes the whole thing up — Mike Esch, Mar 24 '17 at 12:17
why not simply `text-align: center` the `
` we need to see the CSS too relating to this code otherwise every answer could trigger another issue — Option, Mar 24 '17 at 12:18
I still cant determine what it is you're trying to do.. My assumption would be a menu with each menus `li` beside eachother.. You really need to revise your question — Option, Mar 24 '17 at 12:20
sorry kind of new to this website but heres all the code i'd like to align the UL "menu" and the submenus — Mike Esch, Mar 24 '17 at 12:28
You mean you want the entire menu to be horizontally centered on the page? — showdev, Mar 27 '17 at 16:36

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:17

If I understand correctly, you want to center your navigation menu horizontally on the page. One method of centering elements is to set text-align:center on their container (see text-align).

However, block level elements act differently than inline elements (see block vs. inline) and will not be centered by text-align. So I have set the <li> elements as display:inline-block instead of display:block (see inline vs. inline-block). Since inline-block elements will appear next to each other on the same line, there is no longer a need to float the items and I removed float:left. Then I set text-align:center on the <ul> elements, centering the <li> children inside their <ul> parents.

Last, I've centered the main <ul> by setting margin:0 auto (see margin value "auto"). Alternatively, you could set the main <ul> to inline-block just like its children and set text-align:center on the <body> tag. But this would center everything on the page, so I've opted to center the main menu with auto margins instead.

A final note: inline-block elements respect white-space, meaning that white-space between the <li> elements will show up as spaces between the menu items. (See "How to remove the space between inline-block elements?") So I've removed the white-space between those elements in the HTML code by doing this:

<li>An Item
</li><li>Another Item
</li><li>Third Item</li>

Instead of

<li>An Item</li>
<li>Another Item</li>
<li>Third Item</li>

See the full demonstration below:

@charset "UTF-8";

/* CSS Document */

body {
  background-color: #000000;
}

.menu,
.menu ul {
  list-style: none;
  padding: 0;
  margin: 0;
}

.menu {
  height: 58px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  text-align:center;
}

.menu>li {
  position: relative;
  display:inline-block;
}

.menu li {
  background: -moz-linear-gradient(#292929, #252525);
  background: -ms-linear-gradient(#292929, #252525);
  background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%, #292929), color-stop(100%, #252525));
  background: -webkit-linear-gradient(#292929, #252525);
  background: -o-linear-gradient(#292929, #252525);
  filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr='#292929', endColorstr='#252525');
  -ms-filter: "progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr='#292929', endColorstr='#252525')";
  background: linear-gradient(#292929, #252525);
  border-bottom: 2px solid #181818;
  border-top: 2px solid #303030;
  min-width: 160px;
}

.menu>li:first-child {
  border-radius: 5px 0 0;
}

.menu a {
  border-left: 3px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);
  color: #808080;
  display: block;
  font-family: 'Lucida Console';
  font-size: 18px;
  line-height: 54px;
  padding: 0 25px;
  text-decoration: none;
  text-transform: uppercase;
}

.menu li:hover {
  background-color: #1c1c1c;
  background: -moz-linear-gradient(#1c1c1c, #1b1b1b);
  background: -ms-linear-gradient(#1c1c1c, #1b1b1b);
  background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%, #1c1c1c), color-stop(100%, #1b1b1b));
  background: -webkit-linear-gradient(#1c1c1c, #1b1b1b);
  background: -o-linear-gradient(#1c1c1c, #1b1b1b);
  filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr='#1c1c1c', endColorstr='#1b1b1b');
  -ms-filter: "progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr='#1c1c1c', endColorstr='#1b1b1b')";
  background: linear-gradient(#1c1c1c, #1b1b1b);
  border-bottom: 2px solid #1b1b1b;
  border-top: 2px solid #1b1b1b;
}

.menu li:hover>a {
  border-radius: 5px 0 0 0;
  border-left: 3px solid #00FFFF;
  color: #00FFFF;
}


/* submenu styles */

.submenu {
  left: 0;
  max-height: 0;
  position: absolute;
  top: 100%;
  z-index: 0;
  -webkit-perspective: 400px;
  -moz-perspective: 400px;
  -ms-perspective: 400px;
  -o-perspective: 400px;
  perspective: 400px;
}

.submenu li {
  opacity: 0;
  -webkit-transform: rotateY(90deg);
  -moz-transform: rotateY(90deg);
  -ms-transform: rotateY(90deg);
  -o-transform: rotateY(90deg);
  transform: rotateY(90deg);
  -webkit-transition: opacity .4s, -webkit-transform .5s;
  -moz-transition: opacity .4s, -moz-transform .5s;
  -ms-transition: opacity .4s, -ms-transform .5s;
  -o-transition: opacity .4s, -o-transform .5s;
  transition: opacity .4s, transform .5s;
}

.menu .submenu li:hover a {
  border-left: 3px solid #00FFFF;
  border-radius: 0;
  color: #00ffff;
}

.menu>li:hover .submenu,
.menu>li:focus .submenu {
  max-height: 2000px;
  z-index: 10;
}

.menu>li:hover .submenu li,
.menu>li:focus .submenu li {
  opacity: 1;
  -webkit-transform: none;
  -moz-transform: none;
  -ms-transform: none;
  -o-transform: none;
  transform: none;
}


/* CSS3 delays for transition effects */

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(1) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 0s;
  -moz-transition-delay: 0s;
  -ms-transition-delay: 0s;
  -o-transition-delay: 0s;
  transition-delay: 0s;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(2) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 50ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 50ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 50ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 50ms;
  transition-delay: 50ms;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(3) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 100ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 100ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 100ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 100ms;
  transition-delay: 100ms;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(4) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 150ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 150ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 150ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 150ms;
  transition-delay: 150ms;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(5) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 200ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 200ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 200ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 200ms;
  transition-delay: 200ms;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(6) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 250ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 250ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 250ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 250ms;
  transition-delay: 250ms;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(7) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 300ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 300ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 300ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 300ms;
  transition-delay: 300ms;
}

.menu li:hover .submenu li:nth-child(8) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 350ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 350ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 350ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 350ms;
  transition-delay: 350ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(1) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 350ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 350ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 350ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 350ms;
  transition-delay: 350ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(2) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 300ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 300ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 300ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 300ms;
  transition-delay: 300ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(3) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 250ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 250ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 250ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 250ms;
  transition-delay: 250ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(4) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 200ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 200ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 200ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 200ms;
  transition-delay: 200ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(5) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 150ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 150ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 150ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 150ms;
  transition-delay: 150ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(6) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 100ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 100ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 100ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 100ms;
  transition-delay: 100ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(7) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 50ms;
  -moz-transition-delay: 50ms;
  -ms-transition-delay: 50ms;
  -o-transition-delay: 50ms;
  transition-delay: 50ms;
}

.submenu li:nth-child(8) {
  -webkit-transition-delay: 0s;
  -moz-transition-delay: 0s;
  -ms-transition-delay: 0s;
  -o-transition-delay: 0s;
  transition-delay: 0s;
}

<ul class="menu">
  <li><a href="#">Home</a>
  </li><li><a href="#s1">Photos</a>
    <ul class="submenu">
      <li><a href="Trucks.html">Trucks</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">New</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Old</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Cool</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Vans</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Power</a></li>
    </ul>
  </li><li class="active"><a href="#s2">Events</a>
    <ul class="submenu">
      <li><a href="#">Auctions</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Company</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Contests</a></li>
    </ul>
  </li><li><a href="#">Services</a>
    <ul class="submenu">
      <li><a href="#">Impound</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Demo</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Cone</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Pick-Ups</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Delivery</a></li>
      <li><a href="#">Storage</a></li>
    </ul>
  </li><li><a href="#">Contact</a> </li>
</ul>

How would I align this to center?

1 Answers1