Issue with CSS :first-of-type :first-letter

Question

I've set my page to create a large drop-cap letter on the first paragraph of content. This works as expected, but when I have another div with a specified class before my affected elements, it makes the drop cap disappear.

See examples...
Correct display: http://jsfiddle.net/KPqgQ/
Incorrect display: http://jsfiddle.net/d73u9/

I have the following code in my page:

<section id="review">
  <div class="content_right"></div>
  <div class="content_left">
    <p>text</p>
    <p>text</p>
  </div>
  <div class="content_left">
    <p>text</p>
    <p>text</p>
  </div>
</section>

With the following CSS:

   #review .content_left:first-of-type p:first-of-type{
        padding-top:10px;
    }

    #review .content_left:first-of-type p:first-of-type:first-letter{
        float: left;
        line-height:90%;
        padding-right: 15px;
        padding-bottom: 10px;

        font-family: "Georgia",_serif;
        font-weight: bold;
        font-size: 60px;
        color:black;
    }

to create a drop-cap large first letter.

This code works when I remove the "content_right" div, but with it there, the CSS isn't working. I thought I had the correct order regarding declarations, but I must be missing something.

Does anyone know why this isn't working as intended?

Answer 1

This is working as intended as the :first-of-type selector actually selects the first of a specific type of element (section, div, span etc.) and doesn't actually select the first of a type of a class.

Alternatives

The '~' Fix

The tilde '~' workaround mentioned here.

/* Targets all paragraphs */
p 
{
        display: block;
        clear: both;
}

/* Targets all paragraphs within divs in #review */
#review div p
{ 
        padding-top:10px;
}

/* Targets the first letter within each paragraph */
#review div p:first-letter{
        float: left;
        line-height:90%;
        padding-right: 15px;
        padding-bottom: 10px;
        font-family: "Georgia",_serif;
        font-weight: bold;
        font-size: 60px;
        color:black;
}    

/* Removes the padding from all except the first paragraphs */
#review > div ~ div > p ~ p, 
#review > .content_left ~ .content_left p:first-of-type 
{
        padding-top: 0px;  
}

/* Removes the first letter stylings of the non-first paragraphs within 
   .content_left classes */
#review > .content_left ~ .content_left p:first-of-type:first-letter, 
#review > div ~ div > p ~ p:first-letter 
{
        float: none;
        line-height:90%;
        padding-right: 0px;
        padding-bottom: 0px;
        font-family: "Georgia",_serif;
        font-weight: normal;
        font-size: 12px; 
}

Example using '~' Method

(Thanks to BoltClock, for helping me along with this and it is his method after-all.)

---

Switching div Order

Moving the .content_right div behind the .content_left sections, as they are floats and you could still maintain the same layout.

Code:

<section id="review">
    <div class="content_left">
        <p>text</p>
        <p>text</p>
     </div>
     <div class="content_left">
        <p>text</p>
        <p>text</p>
     </div>
     <div class="content_right"></div>
</section>​ 

Example of switching order:

---

Using the :nth-of-type selector

Using the :nth-of-type selector to select the proper div.

Code:

#review .content_left:nth-of-type(2) :first-child
{
    padding-top:10px;
}

#review .content_left:nth-of-type(2) :first-child:first-letter
{
    float: left;
    line-height:90%;
    padding-right: 15px;
    padding-bottom: 10px;
    font-family: "Georgia",_serif;
    font-weight: bold;
    font-size: 60px;
    color:black;
}  

Example using :nth-of-type