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For whatever reason Firefox 4 is displaying the sub-menu links totally off, whereas it works fine in Chrome and IE9.

See attached.

Thanks.

ff.png 13.8 KB menu.png 10.63 KB
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Brief summary: ’s suggestion to make the menu wrapper an actual floated element fixed the Firefox-only misplacement that reported. Chrome and IE sometimes tolerate missing layout contexts; Firefox can behave differently. The root causes are usually an absent containing block for absolutely positioned submenus or differences in how browsers create block formatting contexts.

Why this happens and how to debug:

  • Absolutely positioned dropdowns are positioned relative to the nearest ancestor that establishes a containing block. If that ancestor isn’t set up consistently, different engines can place the submenu unexpectedly.
  • Use the browser dev tools to inspect computed styles and the element’s offsetParent. Temporarily add colored outlines/backgrounds to see element boundaries and confirm which ancestor is used for positioning.
  • Check for properties that implicitly create or break containing blocks (display, overflow, transforms, etc.). Transforms or opacity on ancestors can create new stacking/positioning contexts and change submenu placement.

Safer, cross‑browser patterns (examples to try):

/* parent that should contain the submenu */
.menu-item {
  position: relative;
}

/* submenu positioned relative to that parent */
.menu-item .submenu {
  position: absolute;
  left: 0;
  top: 100%;
  z-index: 1000;
}

If you need the wrapper to also clear children or form a block formatting context without using a floated layout, use a clearfix:

.clearfix::after {
  content: "";
  display: table;
  clear: both;
}

Quick checklist:

  • Ensure the intended parent has position set so the submenu’s absolute coords are predictable.
  • Verify overflow/hidden isn’t clipping the submenu.
  • Watch for transforms or filters on ancestors that change stacking/positioning.
  • Prefer explicit positioning and BFC techniques over relying on browser quirks.

This explains why the float fix worked and gives alternative, more robust approaches for consistent behavior across browsers.

Recommended Answers

All 4 Replies

Member Avatar for ko ko

Post you codes that you have been thinking where the problem was.

Member Avatar for LogicWeb

This is the link to the sub-menu

You'll be able to view source code there

Thanks

Member Avatar for socr18

Try adding a float: left to the div that wraps those elements.

Member Avatar for LogicWeb

Excellent that did the trick. Thank you.

A little odd how it worked fine in IE9 and Chrome, but not FF4.

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