Removing annoying padding from styled select in IE11/Windows 8 - a step by step guide

Question

Removing annoying padding from styled select in IE11/Windows 8 - a step by step guide

The select element is hidden behind the text using opacity: 0 and will only be displayed upon clicking. However, I am encountering an issue with unwanted padding on the top and bottom of the list in IE11 on Windows 8:

https://i.sstatic.net/73yjO.png

This padding is a result of the changed height of the select element. I need the select element to be as tall as the text in order to open it by click. Is there a way to reduce the select element's height and still open it with JavaScript?

Here is a sample code snippet:

div {
  line-height: 50px;
  font-size: 30px;
  position: relative;
  width: 300px;
}
select {
  -webkit-appearance: none;
  -moz-appearance: none;
  appearance: none;
  display: block;
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  opacity: 0;
}

<div>
  <select name="test" id="test">
    <option>Lorem</option>
    <option>Ipsum</option>
    <option>Dolor</option>
    <option>Sit</option>
    <option>Amet</option>
  </select>
  <span>Open select</span>
</div>

The same issue arises with the jQuery-Customselect-Plugin, which utilizes a similar approach:

https://i.sstatic.net/nBDjy.png

I have also reported this issue on the plugin's GitHub page: https://github.com/adamcoulombe/jquery.customSelect/issues/110

javascript html css windows-8 internet-explorer-11

Answer 1

Answer №1

div {
  line-height: 50px;
  font-size: 30px;
  position: relative;
  width: 300px;
}
select {
  /* modifications */
  padding-bottom: 0;
  padding-top: 0;
  -webkit-appearance: none;
  -moz-appearance: none;
  appearance: none;
  display: block;
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  opacity: 0;
}

<div>
  <select name="test" id="test">
    <option>Lorem</option>
    <option>Ipsum</option>
    <option>Dolor</option>
    <option>Sit</option>
    <option>Amet</option>
  </select>
  <span>Open select</span>
</div>

Answer 2

div {
  line-height: 50px;
  font-size: 30px;
  position: relative;
  width: 300px;
}
select {
  /* modifications */
  padding-bottom: 0;
  padding-top: 0;
  -webkit-appearance: none;
  -moz-appearance: none;
  appearance: none;
  display: block;
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  opacity: 0;
}

<div>
  <select name="test" id="test">
    <option>Lorem</option>
    <option>Ipsum</option>
    <option>Dolor</option>
    <option>Sit</option>
    <option>Amet</option>
  </select>
  <span>Open select</span>
</div>

Answer 3

Answer №2

One solution to the issue of removing padding from IE11 selects individually is not possible. Instead, consider removing all selects and applying CSS classes to achieve unique styling for each one.

Answer 4

One solution to the issue of removing padding from IE11 selects individually is not possible. Instead, consider removing all selects and applying CSS classes to achieve unique styling for each one.

Answer 5

Answer №3

Consider including a padding-top of 0 pixels in your CSS code. While I personally do not use ie11, this adjustment may be beneficial.

select {
 -webkit-appearance: none;
  -moz-appearance: none;
  padding-top:0px;
  appearance: none;
  display: block;
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  opacity: 0;
}

Answer 6

Consider including a padding-top of 0 pixels in your CSS code. While I personally do not use ie11, this adjustment may be beneficial.

select {
 -webkit-appearance: none;
  -moz-appearance: none;
  padding-top:0px;
  appearance: none;
  display: block;
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  opacity: 0;
}

Answer 7

Answer №4

One way to maintain functionality is by utilizing the :active state, especially when it comes to styling with properties like padding:

button {
  padding: 8px 10px;
}

button:active {
  padding: 0;
}

It may be necessary to carefully position the button element to prevent any unwanted movement when activated, but this should not pose a significant challenge.

Answer 8

One way to maintain functionality is by utilizing the :active state, especially when it comes to styling with properties like padding:

button {
  padding: 8px 10px;
}

button:active {
  padding: 0;
}

It may be necessary to carefully position the button element to prevent any unwanted movement when activated, but this should not pose a significant challenge.

Answer 9

Answer №5

Perhaps implementing a CSS reset similar to this could be beneficial:

html, body, div, span, applet, object, iframe, h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, p, blockquote, pre, a, abbr, acronym, address, big, cite, code, del, dfn, em, font, img, ins, kbd, q, s, samp, small, strike, strong, sub, sup, tt, var, b, u, i, center, dl, dt, dd, ol, ul, li, fieldset, form, label, legend, caption {
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    border: 0;
    outline: 0;
    font-size: 100%;
    vertical-align: baseline;
    background: transparent;
}

You can place it at the beginning of your stylesheets to create a clean slate and prevent conflicts with subsequent code. By starting with a uniform baseline across browsers, you may reduce the need for complex adjustments later on.

Answer 10

Perhaps implementing a CSS reset similar to this could be beneficial:

html, body, div, span, applet, object, iframe, h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, p, blockquote, pre, a, abbr, acronym, address, big, cite, code, del, dfn, em, font, img, ins, kbd, q, s, samp, small, strike, strong, sub, sup, tt, var, b, u, i, center, dl, dt, dd, ol, ul, li, fieldset, form, label, legend, caption {
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    border: 0;
    outline: 0;
    font-size: 100%;
    vertical-align: baseline;
    background: transparent;
}

You can place it at the beginning of your stylesheets to create a clean slate and prevent conflicts with subsequent code. By starting with a uniform baseline across browsers, you may reduce the need for complex adjustments later on.

Answer 11

Answer №6

I managed to resolve the issue using some JavaScript magic:

https://i.sstatic.net/lKZ3Y.png

Instead of increasing the size of the select using CSS, I bound it to mouse movement on the element. This allows for proper padding in the option list and enables the select to open by clicking anywhere on the styled span.

I have included an example (the green one) demonstrating the technique behind this solution.

function onMouseMove(event) {
  var $div = $(this);
  var divOffset = $div.offset();
  var $select = $(this).find('select');
  var relX = event.pageX - divOffset.left;
  var relY = event.pageY - divOffset.top;

  $select.css('top', relY - 5);
  
  if(
    relY > $div.height() ||
    relX > $div.width() ||
    relY < 0 ||
    relX < 0
  ) {
    $select.css('top', 'auto');
  }
}

function onSelectClick(event) {
  if($(event.target).is('select') === false) {
    return;
  }
  
  $(this).addClass('select-open');
}

function onSelectBlur() {
  $(this).parent().removeClass('select-open');
}

function onSelectChange() {
  $(this).parent().removeClass('select-open');
}

function onBodyClick(event) {  
  if($(event.target).is('select')) {
    return;
  }
  
  $('div.select-open').removeClass('select-open');
}

$('body')
  .on('mousemove', 'div:not(.select-open)', onMouseMove)
  .on('click', 'div:not(.select-open) select', onSelectClick)
  .on('change', 'select', onSelectChange)
  .on('blur', 'select', onSelectBlur)
;

div {
  font-size: 30px;
  position: relative;
  width: 300px;
  margin-bottom: 30px;
}
span {
  display: block;
  border-bottom: 1px solid black;
  width: 100%;
  line-height: 35px;
}
select {
  -webkit-appearance: none;
  -moz-appearance: none;
  appearance: none;
  display: block;
  width: 100%;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  opacity: 0;
  padding: 0;
}

.visible-technique {
  background: green;
}

.visible-technique select {
  opacity: 1;
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<div>
  <select name="test" id="test">
    <option selected>Lorem</option>
    <option>Ipsum</option>
    <option>Dolor</option>
    <option>Sit</option>
    <option>Amet</option>
  </select>
  <span>Open select</span>
</div>

<div class="visible-technique">
  <select name="test" id="test">
    <option selected>Lorem</option>
    <option>Ipsum</option>
    <option>Dolor</option>
    <option>Sit</option>
    <option>Amet</option>
  </select>
  <span>Open select</span>
</div>

Feel free to experiment with it on Codepen as well: http://codepen.io/roNn23/pen/OXyagN

Update

Regrettably, I must confess that this bug cannot be fixed with this workaround. The issue lies in the absence of an event to determine when the select is closed. As a result, users may need to click twice to toggle the status, which can be confusing. In my view, we may have to accept this IE bug when customizing the select. Alternatively, you could utilize a select replacement script, but I consider it excessive for such a minor problem.

Answer 12

I managed to resolve the issue using some JavaScript magic:

https://i.sstatic.net/lKZ3Y.png

Instead of increasing the size of the select using CSS, I bound it to mouse movement on the element. This allows for proper padding in the option list and enables the select to open by clicking anywhere on the styled span.

I have included an example (the green one) demonstrating the technique behind this solution.

function onMouseMove(event) {
  var $div = $(this);
  var divOffset = $div.offset();
  var $select = $(this).find('select');
  var relX = event.pageX - divOffset.left;
  var relY = event.pageY - divOffset.top;

  $select.css('top', relY - 5);
  
  if(
    relY > $div.height() ||
    relX > $div.width() ||
    relY < 0 ||
    relX < 0
  ) {
    $select.css('top', 'auto');
  }
}

function onSelectClick(event) {
  if($(event.target).is('select') === false) {
    return;
  }
  
  $(this).addClass('select-open');
}

function onSelectBlur() {
  $(this).parent().removeClass('select-open');
}

function onSelectChange() {
  $(this).parent().removeClass('select-open');
}

function onBodyClick(event) {  
  if($(event.target).is('select')) {
    return;
  }
  
  $('div.select-open').removeClass('select-open');
}

$('body')
  .on('mousemove', 'div:not(.select-open)', onMouseMove)
  .on('click', 'div:not(.select-open) select', onSelectClick)
  .on('change', 'select', onSelectChange)
  .on('blur', 'select', onSelectBlur)
;

div {
  font-size: 30px;
  position: relative;
  width: 300px;
  margin-bottom: 30px;
}
span {
  display: block;
  border-bottom: 1px solid black;
  width: 100%;
  line-height: 35px;
}
select {
  -webkit-appearance: none;
  -moz-appearance: none;
  appearance: none;
  display: block;
  width: 100%;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  opacity: 0;
  padding: 0;
}

.visible-technique {
  background: green;
}

.visible-technique select {
  opacity: 1;
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<div>
  <select name="test" id="test">
    <option selected>Lorem</option>
    <option>Ipsum</option>
    <option>Dolor</option>
    <option>Sit</option>
    <option>Amet</option>
  </select>
  <span>Open select</span>
</div>

<div class="visible-technique">
  <select name="test" id="test">
    <option selected>Lorem</option>
    <option>Ipsum</option>
    <option>Dolor</option>
    <option>Sit</option>
    <option>Amet</option>
  </select>
  <span>Open select</span>
</div>

Feel free to experiment with it on Codepen as well: http://codepen.io/roNn23/pen/OXyagN

Update

Regrettably, I must confess that this bug cannot be fixed with this workaround. The issue lies in the absence of an event to determine when the select is closed. As a result, users may need to click twice to toggle the status, which can be confusing. In my view, we may have to accept this IE bug when customizing the select. Alternatively, you could utilize a select replacement script, but I consider it excessive for such a minor problem.

Answer 13

Answer №7

When it comes to the select element in HTML, the browser handles its rendering. However, if you're not satisfied with the default appearance of the select component provided by browsers, you have the option to create your own custom dropdown component using a combination of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

This customization is exemplified by companies like Telerik

Check out Telerik's Kendo UI DropdownList

Answer 14

When it comes to the select element in HTML, the browser handles its rendering. However, if you're not satisfied with the default appearance of the select component provided by browsers, you have the option to create your own custom dropdown component using a combination of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

This customization is exemplified by companies like Telerik

Check out Telerik's Kendo UI DropdownList

Answer 15

Answer №8

Having encountered this issue previously,

I came across a helpful reference link shared by Jerreck in response to the question:

Question link

The additional spacing is actually generated by the browser's rendering engine. The way form elements are rendered can vary between browsers, and this case is not governed by CSS. To address this issue, I recommend checking out an article from Mozilla discussing methods to handle select box inconsistencies. Additionally, you may want to read an article from Smashing Magazine on styling form elements (don't forget to review the comments regarding issues with selects).

My personal suggestion would be to consider using a third-party widget for select options to ensure better UI consistency for the select-option component. There are various widgets and plugins available for this purpose.

One interesting observation about this padding relates to the height specified for the element. The blank padding only appears when the height exceeds the default value set by the browser (especially in IE). If the height is not modified, the padding will not be added at the top and bottom.

For instance, if you set a height of "60px," the padding will be distributed as 30px at the top and 30px at the bottom. This highlights how the text within the <p> tag impacts the spacing.

Answer 16

Having encountered this issue previously,

I came across a helpful reference link shared by Jerreck in response to the question:

Question link

The additional spacing is actually generated by the browser's rendering engine. The way form elements are rendered can vary between browsers, and this case is not governed by CSS. To address this issue, I recommend checking out an article from Mozilla discussing methods to handle select box inconsistencies. Additionally, you may want to read an article from Smashing Magazine on styling form elements (don't forget to review the comments regarding issues with selects).

My personal suggestion would be to consider using a third-party widget for select options to ensure better UI consistency for the select-option component. There are various widgets and plugins available for this purpose.

One interesting observation about this padding relates to the height specified for the element. The blank padding only appears when the height exceeds the default value set by the browser (especially in IE). If the height is not modified, the padding will not be added at the top and bottom.

For instance, if you set a height of "60px," the padding will be distributed as 30px at the top and 30px at the bottom. This highlights how the text within the <p> tag impacts the spacing.

Answer 17

Answer №9

The issue here lies in the height of the select element. When using IE11, the first option in the list overlaps with the visible text of the select box due to the vertical middle alignment of the select box text, creating a "padding".

To resolve this, you can eliminate the height property when the select box is active, which should remove the padding.

select:active, select:focus {
    height: auto;
}

UPDATE: In Windows 8, the select box may lose its active state upon clicking, so adding :focus as well should address this issue.

Check out this JSFiddle link for reference

Here is an image highlighting the culprit behind the select box height/padding issue

Answer 18

The issue here lies in the height of the select element. When using IE11, the first option in the list overlaps with the visible text of the select box due to the vertical middle alignment of the select box text, creating a "padding".

To resolve this, you can eliminate the height property when the select box is active, which should remove the padding.

select:active, select:focus {
    height: auto;
}

UPDATE: In Windows 8, the select box may lose its active state upon clicking, so adding :focus as well should address this issue.

Check out this JSFiddle link for reference

Here is an image highlighting the culprit behind the select box height/padding issue

Answer 19

Answer №10

Make sure to mark the first option as selected.

<select>
    <option selected>Option 1</option>
    <option>Option 2</option>
    <option>Option 3</option>
</select>

Answer 20

Make sure to mark the first option as selected.

<select>
    <option selected>Option 1</option>
    <option>Option 2</option>
    <option>Option 3</option>
</select>

Removing annoying padding from styled select in IE11/Windows 8 - a step by step guide

Answer №1

Answer №2

Answer №3

Answer №4

Answer №5

Answer №6

Answer №7

Answer №8

Answer №9

Answer №10

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