ok for the menu, try adding float:left    to cssmenu a

That should get your menu to float like you want it. I didnt have a way to test it in IE but it fixes the problem in Firefox, safari, and opera.

Now for the other pieces.

1.) It does work best to put a div tag around some of the content panes. Remember content panes are rendered runtime, so styling them can be a bit difficult. Its no different though then using a table cell to incase the the content pane. So there really is nothing different, you just used a table cell to incase the content pane instead of a div tag.

2.) DNN codes / uses a CSS style called DNNEmptyPane which is added to any content pane that is empty. Just use this auto applied style with your contentPanes name to get the results you want.

3.) Not sure how you coded the divs, but shouldn't be any different then table

4.) You need to include the control panel token in the correct div tag. If you let DNN auto place the control panel it looks for the first div / table break it gets and inserts it there. By using the token you resolve most of those issues.

5.) If you use absolute positioning and solpartmenu for the container things blow up. Solpart uses javascript for much of its work which doesnt play well in a realitve environment. Many options work, can use a CSS based menu, or dropdownlist token for the menu as well. Granted both are not nearly as easy, but do work. We are hoping DNN 5 will resolve some of the issue.

Oh forgot to mention. If you have firefox, make sure you get the web development tool bar, and firebug,

The web development tool allows you to edit CSS "live" and see the changes, Firebug will allow you to "inspect" or mouse over any item / object on your page and it will tell you all the CSS styles applied and which ones are overwritten and where. Both are big helps for anyone wanting to do CSS based skinning.

Beyond that you just have to practice with your CSS and with how DNN renders it's skins.

Here is an example of one of my CSS skins. It has the below layout.

Comments are in blue to help provide additional information.

<div id="wrap">  Allows me to set background for everything, control total width. For example 98% as to leave a small buffer space in browser
<div id="ControlPanel" runat="server"></div> Forces the controlPanel into the div I want it to belong in
<div id="tagline" class="tagline" runat="server"></div> First Content Pane titled tagline, its floated to the left in the CSS Used to up SEO ratings.
<div id="loginlinks">[USER]&nbsp;&nbsp;[LOGIN]</div> Login controls div is floated to the right, keeping same level as tagline,
<div id="logo">[LOGO]</div> Logo token which uses a float:clear to drop down below login links,
<div id="menubar">[HOUSEMENU]</div> My main menu bar. Note I use housemenu b/c its CSS based, no different really then CSSMenu
<div id="content"> Main seperation div, used to create the main contentpane's "column" it is floated to the right with width set.
    <div id="contentpane" runat="server"></div> just a contentpane div tag, no special formatting given to the div.
</div>
<div id="sidebar"> Next seperation div, makes left hand navigation column. Is floated left, which forces it up next to content div.
    <div id="menubarleft">[HOUSEMENU:6]</div> Control for house menu
    <div id="leftpane" runat="server"></div> Left content pane. no formating applied to it.
</div>
<div id="date">[CURRENTDATE]</div> Clear applied and center text to make it all align in the bottom middle of page.
<div id="footer">[COPYRIGHT]&nbsp;&nbsp;[TERMS]&nbsp;&nbsp;[PRIVACY]</div>
</div>

As you can see you want to use basic div tags to create your layout then come back and inside that layout add divs for all of your content panes. As you can see I used 2 divs to create 2 columns (content and sidebar) then inside of those I created contentpane, menubarleft, and leftpane divs. The 2 main divs allows me to move all my other ones around in "groups" or columns similar to how a table works with rows / columns.

Now for your container menu.

Most of the time you can just use the default, but you need to make a CSS based container to go along, if you use a table based container inside a CSS layout things go wrong, Can try something similar to this simple container I made.

<div class="CAcontainerholder_colorbackground">
    <div class="CAactions_image">[ACTIONS][TITLE]</div>
    <div id="contentpane" class="CAcontainer_image" runat="server"></div>
    <div class="leftactions">[ACTIONBUTTON:1]</div>
    <div class="printandrssactions">[ACTIONBUTTON:2][ACTIONBUTTON:3] </div>
</div>

It's really basic / simiple but it does its job. And will work with almost all CSS layouts around, with just a few tweaks.

If your interested in seeing all the CSS behind the skin let me know. mathomp3 at hotmail.com

In its current state the CSS is a bit messy has lots of HouseMenu styling which might not make sense. I would need to clean it up as to not confuse someone not using housemenu.