CSS media queries and JavaScript window width do not match

JavascriptJqueryMedia Queries

Javascript Problem Overview


For a responsive template, I have a media query in my CSS:

@media screen and (max-width: 960px) {
 body{
 /*  something */
 background:red;
 }
}

And, I made a jQuery function on resize to log width:

$(window).resize(function() {
 console.log($(window).width());
 console.log($(document).width()); /* same result */
 /* something for my js navigation */
}

And there a difference with CSS detection and JS result, I have this meta:

<meta content="user-scalable=no, initial-scale=1.0, maximum-scale=1.0, width=device-width" name="viewport"/> 

I suppose it's due to the scrollbar (15 px). How can I do this better?

Javascript Solutions


Solution 1 - Javascript

You're correct about the scroll bar, it's because the CSS is using the device width, but the JS is using the document width.

What you need to do is measure the viewport width in your JS code instead of using the jQuery width function.

This code is from http://andylangton.co.uk/articles/javascript/get-viewport-size-javascript/

function viewport() {
	var e = window, a = 'inner';
	if (!('innerWidth' in window )) {
		a = 'client';
		e = document.documentElement || document.body;
	}
	return { width : e[ a+'Width' ] , height : e[ a+'Height' ] };
}

Solution 2 - Javascript

I found following code on http://www.w3schools.com/js/js_window.asp:

var w=window.innerWidth || document.documentElement.clientWidth || document.body.clientWidth;

Practically its working the same way as the answer in @Michael Bird's answer, but it's more easy to read.

Edit: I was looking for a method to give exactly the same width as it is used for css media queries. But the suggested one does not work perfect on Safari with scrollbars, sorry. I ended up using modernizr.js in one central function and in the rest of the code I just check if display type is mobile, tablet or desktop. As I am not interested in the width, this works fine for me:

getDisplayType = function () {
  if (Modernizr.mq('(min-width: 768px)')){
    return 'desktop';
  }
  else if (Modernizr.mq('(min-width: 480px)')){
    return 'tablet'
  }
  return 'mobile';
};

Solution 3 - Javascript

window.innerWidth is what you need.

if (window.innerWidth < 768) works for 768 break point in CSS

Solution 4 - Javascript

Workaround that always works and is synced with CSS media queries.

Add a div to body

<body>
    ...
    <div class='check-media'></div>
    ...
</body>

Add style and change them by entering into specific media query

.check-media{
    display:none;
    width:0;
}
@media screen and (max-width: 768px) {
    .check-media{
         width:768px;
    }
    ...
}

Then in JS check style that you are changing by entering into media query

if($('.check-media').width() == 768){
    console.log('You are in (max-width: 768px)');
}else{
    console.log('You are out of (max-width: 768px)');
}

So generally you can check any style that is being changed by entering into specific media query.

Solution 5 - Javascript

My experience was that the media query width tracks document.body.clientWidth. Because of a vertical scroll bar coming and going, checking document, window, or viewport().width could cause my Javascript to run late--after the media query rule change, depending on the height of the window.

Checking document.body.clientWidth allowed my script code to execute consistently at the same time the media query rule took effect.

@media (min-width:873px) {
     //some rules
}
...

if ( document.body.clientWidth >= 873) {     // some code
}

The Andy Langton code put me onto this--thanks!

Solution 6 - Javascript

Hi i use this little trick to get JS and CSS work together easily on responsive pages :

Test the visibility of an element displayed or not on CSS @media size condition. Using bootstrap CSS i test visibility of a hidden-xs class element

var msg = "a message for U";

/* At window load check initial size  */
if ( $('#test-xsmall').is(':hidden')  ) {
  /* This is a CSS Xsmall situation ! */
  msg = "@media CSS < 768px. JS width = " + $(window).width() + " red ! ";
  $('.redthing-on-xsmall').addClass('redthing').html(msg);

} else {
  /* > 768px according to CSS  */
  msg = "@media CSS > 767px. JS width = " + $(window).width() + " not red ! ";
  $('.redthing-on-xsmall').removeClass('redthing').html(msg);
}


/* And again when window resize  */

$(window).on('resize', function() {
  if ($('#test-xsmall').is(':hidden')) {
    msg = "@media CSS < 768px. JS width = " + $(window).width() + " red ! ";
    $('.redthing-on-xsmall').addClass('redthing').html(msg);
  } else {
    msg = "@media CSS > 767px. JS width = " + $(window).width() + " not red ! ";
    $('.redthing-on-xsmall').removeClass('redthing').html(msg);
  }
});

@media (min-width: 768px) {
  .hidden-xs {
    display: block !important;
  }
}
@media (max-width: 767px) {
  .hidden-xs {
    display: none !important;
  }
}
.redthing-on-xsmall {
  /* need a scrollbar to show window width diff between JS and css */
  min-height: 1500px;
}
.redthing {
  color: red;
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>

<!-- the CSS managed Element that is tested by JS --> 
<!-- class hidden-xs hides on xsmall screens (bootstrap) -->

<span id="test-xsmall" class="hidden-xs">THIS ELEMENT IS MANAGED BY CSS  HIDDEN on @media lower than 767px</span>


<!-- the responsive element managed by Jquery  -->
<div class="redthing-on-xsmall">THIS ELEMENT IS MANAGED BY JQUERY RED on @media max width 767px </div>

Solution 7 - Javascript

Css media query is equal to window.innerWidth. Css Media Queries calculate the scrollbar as well.

Solution 8 - Javascript

The simple and reliable way of doing this is to use Media Queries.

To demonstrate, I want to check if the screen width is greater than or equal to 992px (Bootstrap's large device):

function isLargeDevice() {
    if (window.matchMedia("(min-width: 992px)").matches) {
        return true;
    } 
    return false;
}

If you are using Modernizer then it's a bit easier, here I want to check if the screen is smaller than Bootstrap's large screen (992px)

function isSmallerThanLargeScreen() {
    if (Modernizr.mq('(max-width: 991px)')) {
        return true;
    }
    return false;
}

Attributions

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Content TypeOriginal AuthorOriginal Content on Stackoverflow
Questionbeno&#238;tView Question on Stackoverflow
Solution 1 - JavascriptMichael BirdView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 2 - JavascriptLarSView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 3 - JavascriptRossView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 4 - JavascriptArsen PyuskyulyanView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 5 - JavascriptJimView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 6 - Javascriptfr-infoView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 7 - JavascriptSam MorganView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 8 - JavascriptHooman BahreiniView Answer on Stackoverflow