# Controlling or disabling cols, size etc. for text fields and text areas? **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [May 25, 2010, 8:32am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/controlling-or-disabling-cols-size-etc-for-text-fields-and-text-areas/189134 "2010-05-25T08:32:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![William\_KSHatch\_Jr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@William\_KSHatch\_Jr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/William_KSHatch_Jr)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 8:32am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/controlling-or-disabling-cols-size-etc-for-text-fields-and-text-areas/189134/1 "2010-05-25T08:32:17Z")
Hi, I’m new to rails and have hit a minor snag that google isn’t helping with. Basically, I can’t get text fields or text areas to not include size and cols attributes in the tags generated when using a form\_for … f.text\_field … etc within my view. This results in my applied styles being over ridden by the attribute values and, that kinda sucks. Of course I can set the attributes, but that seems ridiculous. How can I prevent these attributes from being generated so that the css can do it’s rightful job? Thanks. Bill ---
**Author:** ![William\_KSHatch\_Jr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@William\_KSHatch\_Jr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/William_KSHatch_Jr)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/controlling-or-disabling-cols-size-etc-for-text-fields-and-text-areas/189134/2 "2010-05-25T15:25:34Z")
On Mon, May 24, 2010 at 5:56 PM, William K. Hatch Jr. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Basically, I can’t get text fields or text areas to not include size and cols attributes in the tags generated when using a form\_for … f.text\_field … etc within my view. This results in my applied styles being over ridden by the attribute values and, that kinda sucks. Of course I can set the attributes, but that seems ridiculous. How can I prevent these attributes from being generated so that the css can do it’s rightful job? You can’t, and shouldn’t – they’re required; see [http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/interact/forms.html#edef-TEXTAREA](http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/interact/forms.html#edef-TEXTAREA) That said, I’ve never had a problem applying CSS to tweak a textarea with those attributes, so perhaps you have a different issue? ## HTH, Hassan S. ------------------------ removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid twitter: @hassan ---
**Author:** ![William\_KSHatch\_Jr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@William\_KSHatch\_Jr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/William_KSHatch_Jr)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/controlling-or-disabling-cols-size-etc-for-text-fields-and-text-areas/189134/3 "2010-05-25T19:12:10Z")
On May 25, 2010, at 9:23 AM, hassan.schroeder wrote: > On Mon, May 24, 2010 at 5:56 PM, William K. Hatch Jr. > [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > Basically, I can’t get text fields or text areas to not include size and cols attributes in the tags generated when using a form\_for … f.text\_field … etc within my view. This results in my applied styles being over ridden by the attribute values and, that kinda sucks. Of course I can set the attributes, but that seems ridiculous. How can I prevent these attributes from being generated so that the css can do it’s rightful job? > > You can’t, and shouldn’t – they’re required; see > [http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/interact/forms.html#edef-TEXTAREA](http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/interact/forms.html#edef-TEXTAREA) yes, although leaving them off doesn’t appear to cause problems. I think making them required is at odds with separating presentation over structure, however. > That said, I’ve never had a problem applying CSS to tweak a textarea > with those attributes, so perhaps you have a different issue? And you would again be correct…;-( After posting, I experimented some more and discovered the error; I had wrongly concluded that the attributes were over riding the styles. Thanks. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![William\_KSHatch\_Jr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@William\_KSHatch\_Jr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/William_KSHatch_Jr)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/controlling-or-disabling-cols-size-etc-for-text-fields-and-text-areas/189134/4 "2010-05-26T23:34:34Z")
hassan.schroeder wrote: > On Mon, May 24, 2010 at 5:56 PM, William K. Hatch Jr. > [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > Basically, I can’t get text fields or text areas to not include size and cols attributes in the tags generated when using a form\_for … f.text\_field … etc within my view. This results in my applied styles being over ridden by the attribute values and, that kinda sucks. Of course I can set the attributes, but that seems ridiculous. �How can I prevent these attributes from being generated so that the css can do it’s rightful job? > > You can’t, and shouldn’t – they’re required; see > [http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/interact/forms.html#edef-TEXTAREA](http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/interact/forms.html#edef-TEXTAREA) They are required in HTML 4.01. They, however, appear to be optional in HTML5. Still should be there for now, but hopefully some future version of Rails will drop them as a requirement. Waiting for Microsoft to create a decent browser yet again.