Shorthand CSS Rule Toggler ?

Consider these two forms of the same CSS rule.




 
Now arguably the first one could be written as
 


but I'm trying to get two points across here.

The first point is that I always forget which element is first in the shorthand formats, as I did while creating this thread hence the bad examples.

The second point is that while it's shorter filesize-wise to use the shorthand formats, using the margin-* format is easier to read.

So I'm wondering if anyone knows of some sort of commandline application or script I could use to automaticly toggle between the short and long formats of CSS rules in a stylesheet.
Ideally I would be able to wire it into Gedits' External Tools, which is basicly a macro manager if you don't know.

I have no tool suggestion for you. Just wanted to comment.

I prefer CSS as shorthanded as possible. I just find it to be easier on my eyes and brain for some reason. Plus, I like it, optimally, all in one line.

I'd rather read...



...than...



I don't have any trouble remembering the side of the box. Just like a clock.

But does it start on the left, or the top ?
Is the first one top and bottom, or left and right ?

Maybe I should change my question to looking for a good way to remember which comes first in each situation.

Wow I can't say I've ever known anyone to prefer a single line rule.
It drives me nuts trying to find what I'm looking for unless they're like you've got in the bottom piece there.

Well, it's just like a clock, it starts at the top and goes...um...clockwise.

I know that some people (most) don't like it in a single line. For me it's more tabular. I can quickly scroll down, find a selector than taxi over to a value.

The other way, for me, it just feels like covering a lot of ground and picking up too little info on the way.

CTRL+F to get to the selector I'm looking for, when it's not a stylesheet I have positions memorized in.

The clock analogy makes sense, but what about the two measure shorthand ?

Isn't it top-sides?

That's what my latest stylesheet says.

I think I'll be able to remember the clock from now on. I'll have to repeat it to myself & have it be the first thing I say when I talk to someone for an hour or so like I used to do with Nintendo game passwords when I was a kid. lol