Family Tree CSS

Question

Is there a way to get a child element to follow its parent?

The problem is that if there is only one child and the parent has a huge text to it, the position of the connector becomes really bad. How can I fix it?

Fiddle demo

* {margin: 0; padding: 0;}

.tree ul {
    padding-top: 20px; position: relative;  
    transition: all 0.5s;
    -webkit-transition: all 0.5s;
    -moz-transition: all 0.5s;
}

.tree li {
    float: left; text-align: center;
    list-style-type: none;
    position: relative;
    padding: 20px 5px 0 5px;
    transition: all 0.5s;
    -webkit-transition: all 0.5s;
    -moz-transition: all 0.5s;
}

/*We will use ::before and ::after to draw the connectors*/
.tree li::before, .tree li::after{
    content: '';
    position: absolute; top: 0; right: 50%;
    border-top: 1px solid #ccc;
    width: 50%; height: 20px;
}
.tree li::after{
    right: auto; left: 50%;
    border-left: 1px solid #ccc;
}

/*We need to remove left-right connectors from elements without 
any siblings*/
.tree li:only-child::after, .tree li:only-child::before {
    display: none;
}

/*Remove space from the top of single children*/
.tree li:only-child{ padding-top: 0;}

/*Remove left connector from first child and 
right connector from last child*/
.tree li:first-child::before, .tree li:last-child::after{
    border: 0 none;
}
/*Adding back the vertical connector to the last nodes*/
.tree li:last-child::before{
    border-right: 1px solid #ccc;
    border-radius: 0 5px 0 0;
    -webkit-border-radius: 0 5px 0 0;
    -moz-border-radius: 0 5px 0 0;
}
.tree li:first-child::after{
    border-radius: 5px 0 0 0;
    -webkit-border-radius: 5px 0 0 0;
    -moz-border-radius: 5px 0 0 0;
}

/*Time to add downward connectors from parents*/
.tree ul ul::before{
    content: '';
    position: absolute; top: 0; left: 50%;
    border-left: 1px solid #ccc;
    width: 0; height: 20px;
}

.tree li a{
    border: 1px solid #ccc;
    padding: 5px 10px;
    text-decoration: none;
    color: #666;
    font-family: arial, verdana, tahoma;
    font-size: 11px;
    display: inline-block;
    border-radius: 5px;
    -webkit-border-radius: 5px;
    -moz-border-radius: 5px;    
    transition: all 0.5s;
    -webkit-transition: all 0.5s;
    -moz-transition: all 0.5s;
}

/*Time for some hover effects*/
/*We will apply the hover effect the lineage of the element also*/
.tree li a:hover, .tree li a:hover+ul li a {
    background: #c8e4f8; color: #000; border: 1px solid #94a0b4;
}
/*Connector styles on hover*/
.tree li a:hover+ul li::after, 
.tree li a:hover+ul li::before, 
.tree li a:hover+ul::before, 
.tree li a:hover+ul ul::before{
    border-color:  #94a0b4;
}

<!--
We will create a family tree using just CSS(3)
The markup will be simple nested lists
-->
<div class="tree">
    <ul>
        <li>
            <a href="#">Parent sdkfjnsdkfsdnfksdfnskfns</a>
            <ul>
                <li>
                    <a href="#">Child</a>
                </li>
            </ul>
        </li>
    </ul>
</div>

no. css only flows "downhill". a parent cannot read rules from a child. and children cannot push rules uphill. — Marc B, Jul 04 '16 at 20:52
If thats the case do you have an idea how to fix it or do you have advise on a different approach? Nevermind — Curunir, Jul 04 '16 at 21:02
`float: left` floats an element... to the left. Not to the center. — Oriol, Jul 04 '16 at 21:03
Note: The original source seems to come from http://thecodeplayer.com/walkthrough/css3-family-tree — koppor, Sep 17 '16 at 09:14

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 04 '16 at 21:02

Change from float:left to display: inline-block in your .tree li rule

/*Now the CSS*/
* {margin: 0; padding: 0;}

.tree ul {
 padding-top: 20px; position: relative;
 transition: all 0.5s;
 -webkit-transition: all 0.5s;
 -moz-transition: all 0.5s;
}

.tree li {
  display: inline-block;
 text-align: center;
 list-style-type: none;
 position: relative;
 padding: 20px 5px 0 5px; 
 transition: all 0.5s;
 -webkit-transition: all 0.5s;
 -moz-transition: all 0.5s;
}

/*We will use ::before and ::after to draw the connectors*/

.tree li::before, .tree li::after{
 content: '';
 position: absolute; top: 0; right: 50%;
 border-top: 1px solid #ccc;
 width: 50%; height: 20px;
}
.tree li::after{
 right: auto; left: 50%;
 border-left: 1px solid #ccc;
}

/*We need to remove left-right connectors from elements without 
any siblings*/
.tree li:only-child::after, .tree li:only-child::before {
 display: none;
}

/*Remove space from the top of single children*/
.tree li:only-child{ padding-top: 0;}

/*Remove left connector from first child and 
right connector from last child*/
.tree li:first-child::before, .tree li:last-child::after{
 border: 0 none;
}
/*Adding back the vertical connector to the last nodes*/
.tree li:last-child::before{
 border-right: 1px solid #ccc;
 border-radius: 0 5px 0 0;
 -webkit-border-radius: 0 5px 0 0;
 -moz-border-radius: 0 5px 0 0;
}
.tree li:first-child::after{
 border-radius: 5px 0 0 0;
 -webkit-border-radius: 5px 0 0 0;
 -moz-border-radius: 5px 0 0 0;
}

/*Time to add downward connectors from parents*/
.tree ul ul::before{
 content: '';
 position: absolute; top: 0; left: 50%;
 border-left: 1px solid #ccc;
 width: 0; height: 20px;
}

.tree li a{
 border: 1px solid #ccc;
 padding: 5px 10px;
 text-decoration: none;
 color: #666;
 font-family: arial, verdana, tahoma;
 font-size: 11px;
 display: inline-block;
 
 border-radius: 5px;
 -webkit-border-radius: 5px;
 -moz-border-radius: 5px;
 
 transition: all 0.5s;
 -webkit-transition: all 0.5s;
 -moz-transition: all 0.5s;
}

/*Time for some hover effects*/
/*We will apply the hover effect the the lineage of the element also*/
.tree li a:hover, .tree li a:hover+ul li a {
 background: #c8e4f8; color: #000; border: 1px solid #94a0b4;
}
/*Connector styles on hover*/
.tree li a:hover+ul li::after, 
.tree li a:hover+ul li::before, 
.tree li a:hover+ul::before, 
.tree li a:hover+ul ul::before{
 border-color:  #94a0b4;
}

/*Thats all. I hope you enjoyed it.
Thanks :)*/

<!--
We will create a family tree using just CSS(3)
The markup will be simple nested lists
-->
<div class="tree">
 <ul>
  <li>
   <a href="#">Parent sdkfjnsdkfsdnfksdfnskfns</a>
   <ul>
    <li>
     <a href="#">Child</a>
    </li>
   </ul>
  </li>
 </ul>
</div>

I was going to point out that everything is floated left... which makes absolute positioning problematic.. Good catch! — Scott, Jul 04 '16 at 21:07
this works really well but i added li { vertical-align: top } — maaarghk, May 28 '20 at 10:42

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 13 '19 at 05:43

add white-space: nowrap; overflow-x: auto; in class tree and change from float:left to display: inline-table
Try it!! :)

<pre>
   * {margin: 0; 
    padding: 0;
}
body{

}
.tree{
    white-space: nowrap;
    overflow-x: auto;
}
.tree ul {
    padding-top: 20px; position: relative;
    /* display: inline-block; */
    transition: all 0.5s;
    -webkit-transition: all 0.5s;
    -moz-transition: all 0.5s;

}
.tree li {
    display: inline-table; 
    text-align: center;
    list-style-type: none;
    position: relative;
    padding: 20px 5px 0 5px;
    /* display: inline-block;  */
    transition: all 0.5s;
    -webkit-transition: all 0.5s;
    -moz-transition: all 0.5s;

}

/*We will use ::before and ::after to draw the connectors*/

.tree li::before, .tree li::after{
    content: '';
    position: absolute; top: 0; 
    right: 50%;
    border-top: 1px solid #ccc;
    width: 50%; 
    height: 20px;
}
.tree li::after{
    right: auto; 
    left: 50%;
    border-left: 1px solid #ccc;
}

/*We need to remove left-right connectors from elements without
any siblings*/
.tree li:only-child::after, .tree li:only-child::before {
    display: none;
}
/*Remove space from the top of single children*/
.tree li:only-child{ padding-top: 0;}
/*Remove left connector from first child and
right connector from last child*/
.tree li:first-child::before, .tree li:last-child::after{
    border: 0 none;
}
/*Adding back the vertical connector to the last nodes*/
.tree li:last-child::before{
    border-right: 1px solid #ccc;
    border-radius: 0 5px 0 0;
    -webkit-border-radius: 0 5px 0 0;
    -moz-border-radius: 0 5px 0 0;
}
.tree li:first-child::after{
    border-radius: 5px 0 0 0;
    -webkit-border-radius: 5px 0 0 0;
    -moz-border-radius: 5px 0 0 0;
}

/*Time to add downward connectors from parents*/
.tree ul ul::before{
    content: '';
    position: absolute; top: 0; left: 50%;
    border-left: 1px solid #ccc;
    width: 0; height: 20px;
}
.tree li a{
    border: 1px solid #ccc;
    padding: 5px 10px;
    text-decoration: none;
    color: #666;
    font-family: arial, verdana, tahoma;
    font-size: 11px;
    display: inline-block;

    border-radius: 5px;
    -webkit-border-radius: 5px;
    -moz-border-radius: 5px;

    transition: all 0.5s;
    -webkit-transition: all 0.5s;
    -moz-transition: all 0.5s;
}
/*Time for some hover effects*/
/*We will apply the hover effect the the lineage of the element also*/
.tree li a:hover, .tree li a:hover+ul li a {
    background: #c8e4f8; color: #000; border: 1px solid #94a0b4;
}
/*Connector styles on hover*/
.tree li a:hover+ul li::after,
.tree li a:hover+ul li::before,
.tree li a:hover+ul::before,
.tree li a:hover+ul ul::before{
    border-color:  #94a0b4;
}
</pre>

Family Tree CSS

2 Answers2

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