overflow property

Sets or retrieves a value indicating how to manage the content of the object when the content exceeds the height or width of the object.

 

Syntax

Integer value = object.put_overflow( v);Integer value = object.get_overflow(* sOverflow);

Property values

Type: BSTR

visible (visible)

Default. Content is not clipped and scroll bars are not added.

scroll (scroll)

Content is clipped and scroll bars are added, even if the content does not exceed the dimensions of the object.

hidden (hidden)

Content that exceeds the dimensions of the object is not shown.

auto (auto)

Content is clipped and scrolling is added only when necessary.

String format

visible | hidden | scroll | auto

CSS information

Applies To All elements
Media visual
Inherited no
Initial Value visible

Standards information

Remarks

The default value for the body element is auto.

Setting the IHTMLCSSStyleDeclaration::overflow property to hidden on a textArea object hides its scroll bars.

Setting the IHTMLCSSStyleDeclaration::overflow property to visible causes the content to clip to the size of the window or frame that contains the object.

With Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 and later, when you use the !DOCTYPE declaration to specify standards-compliant mode, this property applies to the html object.

Examples

This example demonstrates the overflow behavior as a result of different IHTMLCSSStyleDeclaration::overflow settings. Each div element uses a different setting.

div {
  width: 150px;
  height: 150px;
  border-style: solid;
  border-width: thin;
  font-family: sans-serif;
  float: left;
  margin-right: 10px;
}
.visible {
  overflow: visible;
}
.hidden {
  overflow: hidden;
}
.scroll {
  overflow: scroll;
}
.auto {
  overflow: auto;
}
<body>
  <div class="visible">
    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat.
  </div>
  <div class="hidden">
    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat.
  </div>
  <div class="scroll">
    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat.
  </div>
  <div class="auto">
    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat.
  </div>
</body>

The following image shows the result. In the first div element, content is not clipped and scroll bars are not added. In the second div element, content that exceeds the dimensions of the object is not shown. In the third div element, content is clipped and scroll bars are added. In the fourth div element, content is clipped and scrolling is added only when necessary:

Requirements

Minimum supported client

Windows XP

Minimum supported server

Windows Server 2003

Header

Mshtml.h

IDL

Mshtml.idl

DLL

Mshtml.dll

See also

Reference

IHTMLCSSStyleDeclaration::overflowX

IHTMLCSSStyleDeclaration::overflowY

IHTMLCSSStyleDeclaration::position

Other Resources

CSS Enhancements in Internet Explorer 6