How to test the immediate element using CSS

We can test the elements and their immediate elements using CSS.
If your element is in this format.

<span id="firstChild">first child <a>second child</a></span>

How to store "first child" in a variable called str then use

String str = selenium.getText("css=div#combinatorTest > span");

If you need to store the text of immediate element <a>second child</a> in a variable called str then use

String str = selenium.getText("css=div#combinatorTest > span>a");

If you element has many value in its class then you can identify the element or you can store the element text in a variable

<a class="class1 class2 class3">this is the element</a>

You can use below code for verifying the element or storing the text in the element.
Verifying element in RC

verifyTrue(selenium.isElementPresent("css=a[class~=\"class2\"]"));

Verifying element in IDE

<tr>
<td>verifyElementPresent</td>
<td>css=a[class~="class2"]</td>
<td></td>
</tr>

storing element text in a variable using RC

String str = selenium.getText("css=a[class~=\"class3\"]");

storing element text in a variable using IDE

<tr>
<td>storeText</td>
<td>css=a[class~="class3"]</td>
<td>str</td>
</tr>

Testing preceding combinator elements

<div id="combinatorTest">this is the parent element. <span id="firstChild">this is a child element <a>and grandson element</a></span>, <span>another child element</span>, <span>last child element<span></span></span></div>

How to store the text of preceding combinator element in RC

to store "another chile element"

String str = selenium.getText("css=span#firstChild + span");

to store "last child element"

String str = selenium.getText("css=span#firstChild + span + span");

How to store the text of preceding combinator element in IDE

to store "another chile element"

<tr>
<td>storeText</td>
<td>css=span#firstChild + span</td>
<td>str</td>
</tr>

to store "last child element"

<tr>
<td>storeText</td>
<td>css=span#firstChild + span + span </td>
<td>str</td>
</tr>