Determine whether there is greater available space above or below a specific element within the DOM

Question

Determine whether there is greater available space above or below a specific element within the DOM

I'm looking to create a dynamic layout where an input field is accompanied by a list in a div, positioned either above or below depending on available space. This setup needs to account for the fact that the input field could be located anywhere on the page. I am considering using viewport dimensions to determine the placement of the div and input field. I would like to achieve this effect using CSS and HTML exclusively. Any suggestions or recommendations on how to tackle this challenge are welcome.

Here is my basic HTML structure:

<input/>
<div id="container">
   <ul>
      <li ngFor> 
        <span> field1 </span>
        <span> field2 </span>
        <span> field3 </span>
      </li>
   </ul> 
</div>

html css angularjs typescript

Answer 1

Answer №1

To provide a comprehensive answer, it is necessary to understand the structure of your components. However, there are some HTML features that could be useful depending on whether you need to make decisions based on space within the viewport or the parent component.

If you prefer making decisions based on space within the viewport, you can utilize Element.getBoundingClientRect() to determine the distance between the input and the top/bottom of the viewport:

const element = document.querySelector('input');

const elementRect = element.getBoundingClientRect();

const spaceAbove = elementRect.top;
const spaceBelow = window.innerHeight - elementRect.bottom;

if (spaceBelow < spaceAbove) {
  // code to render with more space above input
} else {
  // code to render with more (or equal) space below
}

<input />

If you want to base your decision on space within the parent component, you can use Element.offsetTop and Element.offsetHeight to calculate the space between the input and the top/bottom of its closest positioned ancestor:

const element = document.querySelector('input');

const spaceAbove = element.offsetTop
const spaceBelow = element.parentNode.offsetHeight - (element.offsetTop + element.offsetHeight)

if (spaceAbove > spaceBelow) {
  // take action
} else {
  // take another action
}

<div style="padding: 200px 0 100px 0; position:relative">
<input />
</div>

Answer 2

To provide a comprehensive answer, it is necessary to understand the structure of your components. However, there are some HTML features that could be useful depending on whether you need to make decisions based on space within the viewport or the parent component.

If you prefer making decisions based on space within the viewport, you can utilize Element.getBoundingClientRect() to determine the distance between the input and the top/bottom of the viewport:

const element = document.querySelector('input');

const elementRect = element.getBoundingClientRect();

const spaceAbove = elementRect.top;
const spaceBelow = window.innerHeight - elementRect.bottom;

if (spaceBelow < spaceAbove) {
  // code to render with more space above input
} else {
  // code to render with more (or equal) space below
}

<input />

If you want to base your decision on space within the parent component, you can use Element.offsetTop and Element.offsetHeight to calculate the space between the input and the top/bottom of its closest positioned ancestor:

const element = document.querySelector('input');

const spaceAbove = element.offsetTop
const spaceBelow = element.parentNode.offsetHeight - (element.offsetTop + element.offsetHeight)

if (spaceAbove > spaceBelow) {
  // take action
} else {
  // take another action
}

<div style="padding: 200px 0 100px 0; position:relative">
<input />
</div>

Determine whether there is greater available space above or below a specific element within the DOM

Answer №1

Similar questions

Discover the process of incorporating secondary links into your dabeng organizational chart!

Begin 5 seconds after loading

Methods to Retrieve Data in Directive

Is there a way to detect if JavaScript is disabled using a unique CSS selector?

Is there a way to modify sections of an href link depending on the URL selector?

Load information from a JavaScript object when the user clicks dynamically

Variations in key options based on specific situations

The default setting for the calendar picker indicator should be enabled

What is the method for assigning a string to module variable definitions?

What are the steps for implementing CSS in Markdown?

Guide on setting up @types from an NPM module containing the "@" symbol in its title

What is the method for creating a HTML test report using Python incorporated into my code?

"What is the best way to include additional fields within a popover in an AngularJS application

Can you tell me the name of the scrolling effect used for the background on this website?

Generate HTML output from the container element of a Vue application

Unraveling the mysteries of webpack configuration

Trouble Updating Selected Element in Android 2.3.x

Passing extra arguments to a callback function in Typescript

Angular 2 routing for dynamic population in a grid system

What is the best way to vertically align a Material UI component to occupy the remaining space within a container