negative

When defining custom counter styles, the negative descriptor lets you alter the representations of negative counter values, by providing a way to specify symbols to be appended or prepended to the counter representation when the value is negative.

Syntax

/* <symbol> values */
negative: "-";       /* Prepends '-' if value is negative */
negative: "(" ")";   /* Surrounds value by '(' and ')' if it is negative */

Values

first <symbol>
This symbol will be prepended to the representation when the counter is negative.
second <symbol>
If present, this symbol will be appended to the representation when the counter is negative.

Description

If the counter value is negative, the symbol provided as value for the descriptor is prepended to the counter representation; and a second symbol if specified, will be appended to the representation. The negative descriptor has effect only if the system value is symbolic, alphabetic, numeric, additive, or extends, if the extended counter style itself uses a negative sign. If the negative descriptor is specified for other systems that don't support negative counter values, then the descriptor is ignored.

Formal definition

Related at-rule@counter-style
Initial value"-" hyphen-minus
Computed valueas specified

Formal syntax

<symbol> <symbol>?

where
<symbol> = <string> | <image> | <custom-ident>

where
<image> = <url> | <image()> | <image-set()> | <element()> | <paint()> | <cross-fade()> | <gradient>

where
<image()> = image( <image-tags>? [ <image-src>? , <color>? ]! )
<image-set()> = image-set( <image-set-option># )
<element()> = element( <id-selector> )
<paint()> = paint( <ident>, <declaration-value>? )
<cross-fade()> = cross-fade( <cf-mixing-image> , <cf-final-image>? )
<gradient> = <linear-gradient()> | <repeating-linear-gradient()> | <radial-gradient()> | <repeating-radial-gradient()> | <conic-gradient()>

where
<image-tags> = ltr | rtl
<image-src> = <url> | <string>
<color> = <rgb()> | <rgba()> | <hsl()> | <hsla()> | <hex-color> | <named-color> | currentcolor | <deprecated-system-color>
<image-set-option> = [ <image> | <string> ] <resolution>
<id-selector> = <hash-token>
<cf-mixing-image> = <percentage>? && <image>
<cf-final-image> = <image> | <color>
<linear-gradient()> = linear-gradient( [ <angle> | to <side-or-corner> ]? , <color-stop-list> )
<repeating-linear-gradient()> = repeating-linear-gradient( [ <angle> | to <side-or-corner> ]? , <color-stop-list> )
<radial-gradient()> = radial-gradient( [ <ending-shape> | <size> ]? [ at <position> ]? , <color-stop-list> )
<repeating-radial-gradient()> = repeating-radial-gradient( [ <ending-shape> | <size> ]? [ at <position> ]? , <color-stop-list> )
<conic-gradient()> = conic-gradient( [ from <angle> ]? [ at <position> ]?, <angular-color-stop-list> )

where
<rgb()> = rgb( <percentage>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgb( <number>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgb( <percentage>#{3} , <alpha-value>? ) | rgb( <number>#{3} , <alpha-value>? )
<rgba()> = rgba( <percentage>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgba( <number>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgba( <percentage>#{3} , <alpha-value>? ) | rgba( <number>#{3} , <alpha-value>? )
<hsl()> = hsl( <hue> <percentage> <percentage> [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | hsl( <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage>, <alpha-value>? )
<hsla()> = hsla( <hue> <percentage> <percentage> [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | hsla( <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage>, <alpha-value>? )
<side-or-corner> = [ left | right ] | [ top | bottom ]
<color-stop-list> = [ <linear-color-stop> [, <linear-color-hint>]? ]# , <linear-color-stop>
<ending-shape> = circle | ellipse
<size> = closest-side | farthest-side | closest-corner | farthest-corner | <length> | <length-percentage>{2}
<position> = [ [ left | center | right ] | [ top | center | bottom ] | [ left | center | right | <length-percentage> ] [ top | center | bottom | <length-percentage> ]? | [ [ left | right ] <length-percentage> ] && [ [ top | bottom ] <length-percentage> ] ]
<angular-color-stop-list> = [ <angular-color-stop> [, <angular-color-hint>]? ]# , <angular-color-stop>

where
<alpha-value> = <number> | <percentage>
<hue> = <number> | <angle>
<linear-color-stop> = <color> <color-stop-length>?
<linear-color-hint> = <length-percentage>
<length-percentage> = <length> | <percentage>
<angular-color-stop> = <color> && <color-stop-angle>?
<angular-color-hint> = <angle-percentage>

where
<color-stop-length> = <length-percentage>{1,2}
<color-stop-angle> = <angle-percentage>{1,2}
<angle-percentage> = <angle> | <percentage>

Examples

Rendering negative counters

HTML

<ul class="list" start="-3">
  <li>One</li>
  <li>Two</li>
  <li>Three</li>
  <li>Four</li>
  <li>Five</li>
</ul>

CSS

@counter-style neg {
  system: numeric;
  symbols: "0" "1" "2" "3" "4" "5" "6" "7" "8" "9";
  negative: "(-" ")";
}

.list {
  list-style: neg;
}

Result

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Counter Styles Level 3
The definition of 'system' in that specification.
Candidate Recommendation Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
negativeChrome No support NoEdge No support NoFirefox Full support 33IE No support NoOpera No support NoSafari No support NoWebView Android No support NoChrome Android No support NoFirefox Android Full support 33Opera Android No support NoSafari iOS No support NoSamsung Internet Android No support No

Legend

Full support
Full support
No support
No support

See also