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CSS, UL/OL: Incorrect indent with custom counter

Update: this problem has found a very satisfactory solution, but in production side effects popped up which I describe in this thread.

So, I'm using a custom counter in my OLs to get numbering like "1 - 1.1 - 1.1.1"
Works fine.

But when I do this, the indentation of the LI is wrong. The text aligns with the left edge of the number, not with the right edge (like standard OLs do).
Edit: To get the numbers layouted the way I want, I had to mess with the standard paddings/margins of the OL.
Now the text aligns with the left edge of the number, not with the right edge (like standard OLs do).

I've tried numerous things, but somehow I can't seem to control the left edge of the LI content.
Also, this feature apparently isn't used terribly often, so web searches didn't yield any hints :-(

Does anybody have an idea what I've been missing?

Below, you find both the CSS and the HTML, and I have put a test case into this cssdesk: http://cssdesk.com/EzPBG

CSS:

ol.wrong {
  margin-left: 0;
  padding-left: 20px;
  counter-reset: counter_level1;
  list-style: none outside none;
  display: block;
  line-height: 18px;
  width: 500px;
}
ol.wrong li {
  position: relative;
  list-style: none;
  margin-right:20px;
}
ol.wrong li:before {
  display: inline-block;
  position: relative;
  content: counter(counter_level1) ". ";
  counter-increment: counter_level1;
  font-weight: bold;
  width: 20px;
}

ol.wrong ol {
  counter-reset: counter_level2;
}  
ol.wrong ol li {
  margin-right:0px;
}
ol.wrong ol li:before {
  width: 40px;
  margin-left: 20px;
  content: counter(counter_level1, decimal) "." counter(counter_level2, decimal) ". ";
  counter-increment: counter_level2;
}

HTML

  <ol class="wrong">
        <li>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
            <ol>
                <li>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.</li>
                <li>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.</li>
            </ol>
        </li>
        <li>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
            <ol>
                <li>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.</li>
                <li>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.</li>
            </ol>
        </li>
        <li>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.</li>
        <li>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.</li>
    </ol>
Solution

  • Here is one approach:

    ol.wrong {
  margin-left: 0;
  padding-left: 20px;
  counter-reset: counter_level1;
  list-style: none outside none;
  display: block;
  line-height: 18px;
  width: 500px;
}
ol.wrong li {
  position: relative;
  list-style: none;
  margin-right:20px;
  padding-left: 20px; /* create some space for the counter label */
  outline: 1px dotted blue;
}
ol.wrong li:before {
  display: inline-block; /* block would also work */
  position: absolute; /* move this out of the way of the text*/
  left: 0; /* move the counter labe into the space from the padding */
  content: counter(counter_level1) ". ";
  counter-increment: counter_level1;
  font-weight: bold;
  width: 20px;
}

    and you can check the code at: http://jsfiddle.net/audetwebdesign/wsmnJ/

    The pseudo-element trick is quite useful, and a good choice in this application.

    Start by adding some padding to the left for ol.wrong li, this will create some white space for placing your label.

    In your pseudo-element styling, ol.wrong li:before, use position: absolute to remove the label out of the way of the text and position it left: 0. The display type can be either block or inline-block.

    You then follow suit for the inner, nested ol.

    Just created padding to the left equal in width to the width that you need for your counter/label element.