How do I use max-height on element?

I have a element that is set to contain a table element.

The table element will have anywhere from 0 to upwards of 350 rows.

I thought the easiest way to size this DIV element was to apply the max-height property so the DIV element would grow as content was added and add a scroll bar once the content exceeds the max-height property.

Code:

<div style="max-height:209px;overflow:auto;">
     <table>
         <tr><td>CONTENT</td></tr>
     </table>
</div>

What I get instead is that when the content reaches the max-height limit, instead of applying the overflow property, the div element just keeps growing.

Of course this is only happening in IE7. Firefox and Safari work as designed.

edit: okay, here's the entire HTML page, ctrl+f "distances" for the area that I'm having problems with.

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">
<head>
 <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
    <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=EmulateIE7" />
 <title>Voyage Planning | Tools | Discharge Ports</title>
    <link rel="shortcut icon" type="image/x-icon" href="/vp/favicon.ico" />
 <!--[if gte IE 6]><!-->
  <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/vp/_assets/css/screen.css" media="screen,projection,print" />
  <script type="text/javascript" src="/vp/_assets/js/jquery-1.2.3.min.js"></script>
     <script type="text/javascript" src="/vp/_assets/js/main.js"></script>
    <!--<![endif]-->
</head>
<body>
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
<!-- 
 function dischargeport_selected()
 {
  if (document.postform.dpid.value == "")
   { window.location.href = "/vp/tools/dischargeports.asp"; }
  else
   { window.location.href = "/vp/tools/dischargeports.asp?dpid=" + document.postform.dpid.value; }
 }

 function submitform()
 {
  if (validateform() && confirm("Are you sure you want to update this discharge port?"))
  {
   document.getElementById("spinner").style.display = "block";
   document.getElementById("update").style.display = "none";
   document.getElementById("spinner").innerHTML = "<img src='/vp/_assets/img/spinner.gif' alt='' />"; 
  }
  else
   { return false; }
 }
 function validateform()
 {
  var isformcomplete = true;
  message = "The following tasks need to be completed     \nbefore continuing:\n\n";

  if (document.postform.name.value == "")
  {
   message += "* Enter the discharge port's name\n";
   isformcomplete = false;
  }
  if (!is_numeric(document.postform.transittime.value))
  {
   message += "* Transit times must be numeric\n";
   isformcomplete = false;
  }  
  if ( !is_numeric($("#port_costs").val()) )
  {
   message += "* Port costs must be numeric\n";
   isformcomplete = false;
  }   
  if (isformcomplete == false)
  {
   alert(message);
  }
  return isformcomplete;
 }
//-->
</script>
<div id="container">
 <div id="content">
     <div id="header">

  <div id="development">
   WEB SERVER:&nbsp;
   <span class="highlight">&nbsp;DEV&nbsp;</span> 
   &nbsp;SQL SERVER:&nbsp;
   <span class="highlight">&nbsp;DEV&nbsp;</span>
  </div>

 <span class="logo"><img src="/vp/_assets/img/header/logo.gif" /></span>
    <span class="randomPics"><img src="/vp/_assets/img/header/header4.gif" /></span>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
        <div id="menu">
         <span class="nav">
             <a href="/vp/index.asp">Main Menu</a>&nbsp;&gt;
                <a href="/vp/tools.asp">Tools</a>&nbsp;&gt;
                Discharge Ports
            </span>
            <span class="icons"><a href="/vp/tools/dischargeports.asp" class="tooltip" title="Add discharge port"><img src="/vp/_assets/img/icons/new.gif" alt="New" /></a><span class="spacer"></span><a href="/vp/scripts/logoff.asp" class="tooltip" title="Logoff"><img src="/vp/_assets/img/icons/logoff.gif" alt="Logoff" /></a></span>
        </div>
        <table>
         <caption>Edit discharge port</caption>
        </table>

        <br />
        <form method="post" action="/vp/tools/scripts/updatedischargeport.asp" name="postform" onSubmit="return submitform();">
        <input type="hidden" name="fromsubmit" value="true" />
        <input type="hidden" name="edit" value="true" />
        <table class="form fourcolumn">
            <tr>
                <th><span class="tooltip long" title="To edit an existing discharge port, select one from the drop down list">Discharge ports</span></th>
                <td>
                 <select name="dpid" class="large" onChange="dischargeport_selected();">
                    <option value="" ></option>

                  <option value="14" >AG [BUE] BUENOS AIRES</option>

                  <option value="126" >AG [ZZZ] Test</option>

                  <option value="107" >AG [ZAR] ZARATE</option>

                  <option value="4" selected="selected">AL [ALG] ALGERIA</option>

                  <option value="15" >AR [BUE] BUENOS AIRES</option>

                  <option value="109" >AR [CAM] CAMPANA</option>

                  <option value="27" >AR [DEL] DETLA DOCK</option>

                  <option value="55" >AR [MON] MONTEVIDEO</option>

                  <option value="108" >AR [ZAR] ZARATE</option>

                  <option value="3" >AU [ADE] ADELAIDE</option>

                  <option value="13" >AU [BRI] BRISBANE</option>

                  <option value="53" >AU [MEL] MELBOURNE</option>

                  <option value="116" >AU [NWC] NEW CASTLE</option>

                  <option value="65" >AU [PTK] PORT KEMBLA</option>

                  <option value="95" >AU [SYD] SYDNEY</option>

                  <option value="102" >AU [WEL] WELLINGTON</option>

                  <option value="5" >BL [ANT] ANTOFAGASTA</option>

                  <option value="8" >BL [ARI] ARICA</option>

                  <option value="110" >BR [ANG] ANGRA DOS REIS</option>

                  <option value="7" >BR [ARA] ARATU</option>

                  <option value="86" >BR [SEP] ITAGUAI</option>

                  <option value="63" >BR [PAR] PARANAGUA</option>

                  <option value="76" >BR [REC] RECIFE</option>

                  <option value="77" >BR [RGR] RIO GRANDE</option>

                  <option value="114" >BR [SAL] SALVADOR</option>

                  <option value="81" >BR [SAN] SANTOS</option>

                  <option value="113" >BR [FRA] SAO FRANCISCO DO SUL</option>

                  <option value="83" >BR [SAO] SAO SEBASTIAO</option>

                  <option value="78" >CA [RIJ] RIJEKA</option>

                  <option value="6" >CH [ANT] ANTOFAGASTA</option>

                  <option value="9" >CH [ARI] ARICA</option>

                  <option value="48" >CH [LIR] LIRQUEN</option>

                  <option value="82" >CH [SAN] SAN ANTONIO</option>

                  <option value="11" >CL [BAR] BARRANQUILLA</option>

                  <option value="16" >CL [BUE] BUENAVENTURA</option>

                  <option value="121" >CL [CAR] CARTAGENA</option>

                  <option value="25" >CN [DAL] DALIEN</option>

                  <option value="29" >CN [FNC] FANGCHENG</option>

                  <option value="120" >CN [LIA] LIANYUNGANG</option>

                  <option value="60" >CN [NAN] NANJING</option>

                  <option value="111" >CN [NTG] NANTONG</option>

                  <option value="73" >CN [QIN] QINHUANGDAO</option>

                  <option value="87" >CN [SHA] SHANGHAI</option>

                  <option value="88" >CN [SHE] SHEKOU</option>

                  <option value="18" >CR [CAL] CALDERA</option>

                  <option value="80" >DR [RIO] RIO HAINA</option>

                  <option value="32" >EC [GUA] GUAYAQUIL</option>

                  <option value="125" >EG [ALX] ALEXANDRIA</option>

                  <option value="17" >EG [CAI] CAIRO</option>

                  <option value="2" >ES [ACA] ACAJUTLA</option>

                  <option value="68" >GU [PTQ] PUERTO QUETAZAL</option>

                  <option value="69" >HN [PTQ] PUERTO QUETZAL</option>

                  <option value="36" >ID [JAK] JAKARTA</option>

                  <option value="40" >ID [KAU] KUATAN</option>

                  <option value="52" >ID [MED] MEDAN</option>

                  <option value="85" >ID [SEM] SEMARANG</option>

                  <option value="94" >ID [SUR] SURABAYA</option>

                  <option value="19" >IN [CAL] CALCUTTA</option>

                  <option value="38" >IN [KAN] KANDLA</option>

                  <option value="33" >IS [HAI] HAIFA</option>

                  <option value="42" >JM [KIN] KINGSTON</option>

                  <option value="21" >JP [CHI] CHIBA</option>

                  <option value="122" >JP [HAK] HAKATA</option>

                  <option value="41" >JP [KAW] KAWASAKI</option>

                  <option value="43" >JP [KOK] KOKURA</option>

                  <option value="49" >JP [MAI] MAIZURU</option>

                  <option value="54" >JP [MIZ] MIZUSHIMA</option>

                  <option value="61" >JP [NAN] NAN-YO  TOSOH</option>

                  <option value="119" >JP [NII] NIIHAMA</option>

                  <option value="123" >JP [ONA] ONAHAMA</option>

                  <option value="62" >JP [OSA] OSAKA</option>

                  <option value="89" >JP [SHI] SHIKIMA</option>

                  <option value="96" >JP [TAC] TACHIBANA</option>

                  <option value="104" >JP [YOK] YOKKAICHI</option>

                  <option value="35" >KR [INC] INCHEON</option>

                  <option value="46" >KR [KUN] KUNSAN</option>

                  <option value="71" >KR [PUS] PUSAN</option>

                  <option value="50" >KR [MAI] TRANSHIP TO MAIZURU</option>

                  <option value="101" >KR [ULS] ULSAN</option>

                  <option value="12" >ML [BIN] BINTULU</option>

                  <option value="45" >ML [KUA] KUANTAN</option>

                  <option value="64" >ML [PAS] PASIR GUDANG</option>

                  <option value="66" >ML [PTK] PORT KLANG</option>

                  <option value="58" >MV [MV] &nbsp;MEXICO - VITRO</option>

                  <option value="59" >MX [MX] &nbsp;MEXICO - NON-VITRO</option>

                  <option value="47" >NI [LAG] LAGOS</option>

                  <option value="57" >NZ [MTM] MT MANGANUE</option>

                  <option value="99" >NZ [TAU] TAURANGA</option>

                  <option value="103" >NZ [WEL] WELLINGTON</option>

                  <option value="10" >PA [BAL] BALBOA</option>

                  <option value="20" >PE [CAL] CALLAO</option>

                  <option value="72" >PK [QAS] </option>

                  <option value="39" >PK [KAR] KARACHI</option>

                  <option value="51" >PL [MAN] MANILA</option>

                  <option value="30" >PO [GDA] GDANSK</option>

                  <option value="91" >PO [STE] STETTIN</option>

                  <option value="84" >PO [SCZ] SZCZECIN</option>

                  <option value="117" >RA [KLA] KLAIPEDA</option>

                  <option value="115" >RA [SPT] ST. PETERSBURG</option>

                  <option value="79" >RJ [RIJ] RIJEKA WAREHOUSE</option>

                  <option value="23" >SA [CT] &nbsp;CAPE TOWN</option>

                  <option value="28" >SA [DUR] DURBAN</option>

                  <option value="90" >SG [SIN] SINGAPORE</option>

                  <option value="26" >SI [DAM] DAMMAM</option>

                  <option value="37" >SI [JED] JEDDAH</option>

                  <option value="74" >SI [RAK] RAK</option>

                  <option value="92" >TG [SUA] SUAO</option>

                  <option value="97" >TG [TAI] TAICHUNG</option>

                  <option value="1" >TH [01] &nbsp;KOS</option>

                  <option value="44" >TH [KOS] KOSICHANG</option>

                  <option value="31" >TK [GEM] GEMLIK</option>

                  <option value="100" >TK [TEK] TEKIRDAG</option>

                  <option value="70" >TR [PTS] PORT OF SPAIN</option>

                  <option value="124" >TW [KEE] KEELUNG</option>

                  <option value="93" >TW [SUA] SUAO</option>

                  <option value="98" >TW [TAI] TAICHUNG</option>

                  <option value="75" >UE [RAK] RAS AL KHAIMAH</option>

                  <option value="56" >UR [MON] MONTEVIDEO</option>

                  <option value="22" >VN [CL] &nbsp;CAI LAN</option>

                  <option value="34" >VN [HO] &nbsp;HO CHI MIN</option>

                  <option value="24" >VZ [CUM] CUMANA</option>

                  <option value="67" >VZ [PTO] PUERTO CABELLO</option>

                 </select>
                </td>
                <td colspan="2"></td>
            </tr>
            <tr><td class="break" colspan="4"><hr /></td></tr>  
            <tr>
             <th>Country</th>
                <td>

                      <strong>AL [Algeria]</strong>

                </td>
                <td colspan="2"></td>
           </tr>
            <tr>
             <th>Code</th>
                <td>

                      <strong>ALG</strong>

               </td>
                <td colspan="2"></td>
           </tr>
            <tr><td class="break" colspan="4"><hr /></td></tr>
            <tr>
             <th>Name<span class="required">*</span></th>
                <td><input type="text" class="large" name="name" value="ALGERIA" maxlength="30" /></td>
                <td colspan="2"></td>
           </tr>
            <tr><td class="break" colspan="4"><hr /></td></tr>
            <tr>
             <th>Surveyor</th>
                <td><input type="text" class="large" name="surveyor" value="SGS" maxlength="30" /></td>
                <td colspan="2"></td>
           </tr>
            <tr>
             <th>Ship agent</th>
                <td><input type="text" class="large" name="shipagent" value="EUROMAR" maxlength="30" /></td>
                <td colspan="2"></td>
           </tr>   
            <tr>
             <th>Transit time</th>
                <td><input type="text" class="small" name="transittime" value="0" maxlength="3" /></td>
                <td colspan="2"></td>
           </tr>
            <tr><td class="break" colspan="4"><hr /></td></tr>
            <tr>
             <th>Port costs</th>
                <td><input type="text" class="small" name="port_costs" id="port_costs" value="0" maxlength="10" />&nbsp;<strong>($)</strong></td>
                <td colspan="2"></td>
           </tr>              
        </table>

          <br />
          <table><caption class="subcaption">Distance to load ports</caption></table>
                <br />

                <table class="form fourcolumn">
                 <tr>
                     <th>Load ports</th>
                     <td>
                         <select name="add_loadport" class="large">
                      <option value="" selected="selected"></option>

                              <option value="BEA" >BEA [BEAUMONT]</option>

                              <option value="BRO" >BRO [BROWNSVILLE]</option>

                              <option value="CAS" >CAS [CASTELLON ESP]</option>

                              <option value="LAR" >LAR [LAREDO]</option>

                              <option value="LBC" >LBC [LONG BEACH CA.]</option>

                              <option value="LON" >LON [LONGVIEW WA]</option>

                              <option value="LOS" >LOS [LOS ANGELES]</option>

                              <option value="OTH" >OTH [OTHER]</option>

                              <option value="POR" >POR [PORT ARTHUR TX]</option>

                              <option value="PTL" >PTL [PORTLAND OR.]</option>

                              <option value="RAK" >RAK [RAS AL KAIMAH]</option>

                              <option value="RIJ" >RIJ [RIJEKA]</option>

                              <option value="SAN" >SAN [SAN DIEGO CA]</option>

                              <option value="TRO" >TRO [TRONA]</option>

                              <option value="ZZZ" >ZZZ [Test]</option>

                      </select>
                        </td>
                        <th>Nautical miles</th>
                        <td><div style="float:left;"><input type="text" class="small" name="add_loadport_nauticalmiles" id="add_loadport_nauticalmiles" value="0" maxlength="10" /></div><div style="float:right;"><img src="/vp/_assets/img/buttons/add.gif" name="add_loadport_btn" id="add_loadport_btn" alt="" /></div></td>
                    </tr>
    </table>          
                <br />
                <div style="max-height:197px;overflow:auto;">
                 <table class="distances">

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                     <tr>
                         <th>To</th>
                         <td>[BRO] BROWNSVILLE</td>
                            <th>Nautical miles</th>
                            <td><input type="text" class="small" name="" id="" value="0" maxlength="10" /></td>
                        </tr>

                    </table>
                </div>              
                <br />
                <table><caption class="subcaption">Distance to discharge ports</caption></table>
                <br />

                <table class="form fourcolumn">
                 <tr>
                     <th>Discharge ports</th>
                     <td>
                         <select name="add_dischargeport" class="large">
                      <option value="" selected="selected"></option>

                              <option value="14" >AG [BUE] BUENOS AIRES</option>

                              <option value="126" >AG [ZZZ] Test</option>

                              <option value="107" >AG [ZAR] ZARATE</option>

                              <option value="4" >AL [ALG] ALGERIA</option>

                              <option value="15" >AR [BUE] BUENOS AIRES</option>

                              <option value="109" >AR [CAM] CAMPANA</option>

                              <option value="27" >AR [DEL] DETLA DOCK</option>

                              <option value="55" >AR [MON] MONTEVIDEO</option>

                              <option value="108" >AR [ZAR] ZARATE</option>

                              <option value="3" >AU [ADE] ADELAIDE</option>

                              <option value="13" >AU [BRI] BRISBANE</option>

                              <option value="53" >AU [MEL] MELBOURNE</option>

                              <option value="116" >AU [NWC] NEW CASTLE</option>

                              <option value="65" >AU [PTK] PORT KEMBLA</option>

                              <option value="95" >AU [SYD] SYDNEY</option>

                              <option value="102" >AU [WEL] WELLINGTON</option>

                              <option value="5" >BL [ANT] ANTOFAGASTA</option>

                              <option value="8" >BL [ARI] ARICA</option>

                              <option value="110" >BR [ANG] ANGRA DOS REIS</option>

                              <option value="7" >BR [ARA] ARATU</option>

                              <option value="86" >BR [SEP] ITAGUAI</option>

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms530809(VS.85).aspx

says that max-height doesn't work with tables. try removing the table that is inside your div.

IE has supported max-height since IE7 — but only in Standards (AKA Strict) mode.

Make sure you have a Doctype that triggers standards mode as the first thing in your document. (Quirks mode can screw up a lot of things, so never write a document without a Standards mode triggering Doctype unless you have a very very good reason to do so).

Try setting just the height, and overflow to 'scroll'. Visually, there may not be a difference between the outter-box being full-height, and it not being full-height. If that is the case, I would simply refrain from using max-height in place of height.

Could you show us a bit more of your code, or perhaps an online demonstration? I'd be interested in seeing some of the css, and the doctype.

captainspi

In addition to max-wdith, you may use the following expression to make sure it is cross browser compatible:

width: expression(this.width > 400 ? "400px" : true);
height: expression(this.height > 400 ? "400px" : true)

reference: http://www.fastechws.com/tricks/web/image-max-width-height.php

What version of IE7 are you using? Max-height support wasn't added until beta 2.

The scrollbar shows up in the Compatibility View (the IE7 engine) in IE8.

Are you sure you aren't using IE6?

I just copy and pasted your code, and then dropped in a php loop to create 200 rows or just 2 and it behaves the same in IE 7, Safari, and Firefox.

You probably aren't declaring a doctype, that creates the problem you're describing in my test.

Or in your real code you haven't properly defined overflow:auto. Your issue is exactly what would happen if that was the case.

It's defined here in the question, but maybe not your code.

来源：https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1153994/how-do-i-use-max-height-on-div-element

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How do I use max-height on <div> element?