How to Control the Width of Nested Divs with Dynamic Content?

Nested Divs with Dynamic Width Control

In web development, it can be challenging to accurately calculate the width of a div element when its content is unpredictable. This issue arises when trying to dynamically adjust the width of one div relative to another.

Problem Statement

Consider the following HTML structure:

<div>
<p>The goal is to make the #inner2 div take up the remaining horizontal space after considering the width of the #inner1 div, which is dynamically determined by its content.</p>
<p><strong>Solution</strong></p>
<p>The key to solving this issue is to utilize the overflow: hidden; CSS property. This property prevents elements adjacent to floats from extending behind the float. In this case, we can use this property to control the width of the #inner2 div.</p>
<p><strong>Updated CSS</strong>:</p>
<pre class="brush:php;toolbar:false">#outer {
    overflow: hidden;
    width: 100%;
}

#inner1 {
    float: left;
}

#inner2 {
    overflow: hidden;
}

By setting overflow: hidden; on the #outer div, we can ensure that the #inner2 div does not extend beyond the boundaries of its parent. The #inner2 div will then automatically take up the remaining horizontal space.

Additional Notes

To address compatibility with IE 6, additional CSS rules using HTML conditional comments can be added:

<!--[if lte IE 6]>
<style type="text/css">
#inner2 {
    zoom: 1;
}

#inner1 {
    margin-right: -3px;
}
</style>
<![endif]-->

Conclusion

By utilizing the overflow: hidden; property, it is possible to dynamically adjust the width of nested divs, ensuring that one div takes up the remaining horizontal space after considering the width of another div. This technique can be useful in various web layouts where precise control over div widths is required.