Use CSS (and maybe JavaScript) to make an element be square (or maintain a specific aspect ratio)

Question

I have a div that I want to have the following characteristics:

• Width = 50% of its parent element
• Height equal to whatever it needs to be in order to

Answer 1

Here's a pure CSS version with no img tag:

<div class="apple_container"><div class="apple_icon"></div></div>

SCSS (include Compass to render the background-size):

.apple_container {
  width: 50%;
}
.apple_icon {
  padding-bottom: 100%;
  background-image: url(/images/apple.png);
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  @include background-size(contain);
  background-position: center center;
}

CSS generated from the above:

.apple_container {
  width: 50%;
}
.apple_icon {
  padding-bottom: 100%;
  background-image: url(/images/apple.png);
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  -webkit-background-size: contain;
  -moz-background-size: contain;
  -o-background-size: contain;
  background-size: contain;
  background-position: center center;
}

Results in a square element with a background image centered and fitted within it. This is good for responsive elements that you want to resize dependent on the user's device.

Answer 2

I figured out how to do this without js, though you need to use a transparent image.

Set up a html structure like:

<div class="rect_container"><img class="rect_image" src="rect_image.png"/>
 <div class="rect">Your favorite content here</div>
</div>

Use a AxB transparent png for rect_image where AxB is the aspect ratio.

Meanwhile set up a stylesheet like:

.rect_container {width: 50%; position: relative;}
.rect_image {width: 100%; display: block;}
.rect {width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px;}

The important thing here is taking advantage of the fact that images maintain their aspect ratio when resized in one direction. Meanwhile, we need a useable div, so we make the image display as block, wrap it in a div, and put an absolutely positioned div inside that. I distilled this code from something more complicated I actually tested. Works like a charm.

Answer 3

jQuery sounds pretty easy. Set the 50% width in the CSS, and then the following:

function onResize() {
    var el = $('#element');
    el.height(el.width());
}
$(window).resize(onResize);
$(document).ready(onResize);

Answer 4

Here you go: Detecting a browser resize using JQuery.