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<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type">
<title>CSS Multi-column Layout Module Level 1</title>
<meta content="testing" name="csswg-work-status">
<meta content="ED" name="w3c-status">
<link href="../default.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
<link href="../csslogo.ico" rel="shortcut icon" type="image/x-icon">
<style>
body {
background: url("https://www.w3.org/StyleSheets/TR/logo-ED") top left no-repeat white;
background-attachment: fixed;
color: black;
font-family: sans-serif;
margin: 0 auto;
max-width: 50em;
padding: 2em 1em 2em 70px;
}
:link { color: #00C; background: transparent }
:visited { color: #609; background: transparent }
a[href]:active { color: #C00; background: transparent }
a[href]:hover { background: #ffa }
a[href] img { border-style: none }
h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 { text-align: left }
h1, h2, h3 { color: #005A9C; }
h1 { font: 170% sans-serif }
h2 { font: 140% sans-serif }
h3 { font: 120% sans-serif }
h4 { font: bold 100% sans-serif }
h5 { font: italic 100% sans-serif }
h6 { font: small-caps 100% sans-serif }
.hide { display: none }
div.head { margin-bottom: 1em }
div.head h1 { margin-top: 2em; clear: both }
div.head table { margin-left: 2em; margin-top: 2em }
p.copyright { font-size: small }
p.copyright small { font-size: small }
pre { margin-left: 2em }
dt { font-weight: bold }
ul.toc, ol.toc {
list-style: none;
}
</style>
<meta content="Bikeshed 1.0.0" name="generator">
<script defer="" src="//test.csswg.org/harness/annotate.js#css-multicol-1_dev/css-multicol-1" type="text/javascript"></script>
<style type="text/css">
.cols { width: 500px; height: 200px; background: #fff; position: relative; border: solid 5px blue; margin: 0.5em 2em 1em 0; font: bold 14px/19px Arial, sans-serif }
.cols p { padding: 3px; margin: 0 }
.col { position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0; z-index: 6; width: 170px }
.gap { position: absolute; background: green; width: 5px; bottom: 0px; top: 0px; border: 10px solid yellow; border-top-width: 0; border-bottom-width: 0; }
.rep { position: absolute; top: 45px; background: black; height: 110px; width: 100px; color: white; z-index: 4 }
table.breaks { border-collapse: collapse; margin: 1em 0 }
table.breaks td, table.breaks th { border: thin solid black; padding: 0.1em 0.2em }
div.example:before { width: 9em }
</style>
</head>
<body class="h-entry">
<div class="head">
<p data-fill-with="logo"><a class="logo" href="http://www.w3.org/">
<img alt="W3C" height="48" src="https://www.w3.org/Icons/w3c_home" width="72">
</a>
</p>
<h1 class="p-name no-ref" id="title">CSS Multi-column Layout Module Level 1</h1>
<h2 class="no-num no-toc no-ref heading settled" id="subtitle"><span class="content">Editor’s Draft,
<time class="dt-updated" datetime="2015-07-20">20 July 2015</time></span></h2>
<div data-fill-with="spec-metadata">
<dl>
<dt>This version:
<dd><a class="u-url" href="http://dev.w3.org/csswg/css-multicol/">http://dev.w3.org/csswg/css-multicol/</a>
<dt>Latest version:
<dd><a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-multicol/">http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-multicol/</a>
<dt>Previous Versions:
<dd><a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/2011/CR-css3-multicol-20110412/" rel="previous">http://www.w3.org/TR/2011/CR-css3-multicol-20110412/</a>
<dd><a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/2009/CR-css3-multicol-20091217/" rel="previous">http://www.w3.org/TR/2009/CR-css3-multicol-20091217/</a>
<dd><a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/2009/WD-css3-multicol-20090630/" rel="previous">http://www.w3.org/TR/2009/WD-css3-multicol-20090630/</a>
<dd><a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/2007/WD-css3-multicol-20070606/" rel="previous">http://www.w3.org/TR/2007/WD-css3-multicol-20070606/</a>
<dd><a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/WD-css3-multicol-20051215/" rel="previous">http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/WD-css3-multicol-20051215/</a>
<dd><a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/WD-css3-multicol-20010118/" rel="previous">http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/WD-css3-multicol-20010118/</a>
<dd><a href="http://www.w3.org/1999/06/WD-css3-multicol-19990623" rel="previous">http://www.w3.org/1999/06/WD-css3-multicol-19990623</a>
<dt>Feedback:
<dd><span><a href="mailto:www-style@w3.org?subject=%5Bcss-multicol%5D%20YOUR%20TOPIC%20HERE">www-style@w3.org</a> with subject line “<kbd>[css-multicol] <var>… message topic …</var></kbd>” (<a href="http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-style/" rel="discussion">archives</a>)</span>
<dt>Test Suite:
<dd><a href="http://test.csswg.org/suites/css-multicol-1_dev/nightly-unstable/">http://test.csswg.org/suites/css-multicol-1_dev/nightly-unstable/</a>
<dt>Issue Tracking:
<dd><a href="https://github.com/w3c/csswg-drafts/issues/">GitHub</a>
<dt class="editor">Editor:
<dd class="editor p-author h-card vcard"><a class="p-name fn u-email email" href="mailto:howcome@opera.com">Håkon Wium Lie</a> (<span class="p-org org">Opera Software</span>)
</dl>
</div>
<div data-fill-with="warning"></div>
<p class="copyright" data-fill-with="copyright"><a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Legal/ipr-notice#Copyright">Copyright</a> © 2015 <a href="http://www.w3.org/"><abbr title="World Wide Web Consortium">W3C</abbr></a><sup>®</sup> (<a href="http://www.csail.mit.edu/"><abbr title="Massachusetts Institute of Technology">MIT</abbr></a>, <a href="htt
5DC1
p://www.ercim.eu/"><abbr title="European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics">ERCIM</abbr></a>, <a href="http://www.keio.ac.jp/">Keio</a>, <a href="http://ev.buaa.edu.cn/">Beihang</a>). W3C <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Legal/ipr-notice#Legal_Disclaimer">liability</a>, <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Legal/ipr-notice#W3C_Trademarks">trademark</a> and <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Legal/copyright-documents">document use</a> rules apply.
</p>
<hr title="Separator for header">
</div>
<h2 class="no-num no-toc no-ref heading settled" id="abstract"><span class="content">Abstract</span></h2>
<div class="p-summary" data-fill-with="abstract">
<p>This specification describes multi-column layouts in CSS, a style sheet language for the web. Using functionality described in the specification, content can be flowed into multiple columns with a gap and a rule between them.</p>
<a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS/">CSS</a> is a language for describing the rendering of structured documents
(such as HTML and XML)
on screen, on paper, in speech, etc.</div>
<h2 class="no-num no-toc no-ref heading settled" id="status"><span class="content">Status of this document</span></h2>
<div data-fill-with="status">
<p>
This is a public copy of the editors’ draft.
It is provided for discussion only and may change at any moment.
Its publication here does not imply endorsement of its contents by W3C.
Don’t cite this document other than as work in progress.
</p>
<p>
The (<a href="http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-style/">archived</a>) public mailing list
<a href="mailto:www-style@w3.org?Subject=%5Bcss-multicol%5D%20PUT%20SUBJECT%20HERE">www-style@w3.org</a>
(see <a href="http://www.w3.org/Mail/Request">instructions</a>)
is preferred for discussion of this specification.
When sending e-mail,
please put the text “css-multicol” in the subject,
preferably like this:
“[css-multicol] <em>…summary of comment…</em>”
</p>
<p>
This document was produced by the <a href="http://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/members">CSS Working Group</a>
(part of the <a href="http://www.w3.org/Style/">Style Activity</a>).
</p>
<p>
This document was produced by a group operating under
the <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Patent-Policy-20040205/">5 February 2004 W3C Patent Policy</a>.
W3C maintains a <a href="http://www.w3.org/2004/01/pp-impl/32061/status" rel="disclosure">public list of any patent disclosures</a>
made in connection with the deliverables of the group;
that page also includes instructions for disclosing a patent.
An individual who has actual knowledge of a patent which the individual believes contains <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Patent-Policy-20040205/#def-essential">Essential Claim(s)</a>
must disclose the information in accordance with <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Patent-Policy-20040205/#sec-Disclosure">section 6 of the W3C Patent Policy</a>.
</p>
<p>
This document is governed by the <a href="http://www.w3.org/2014/Process-20140801/" id="w3c_process_revision">1 August 2014 W3C Process Document</a>.
</p>
<p>
</p></div>
<div data-fill-with="at-risk"></div>
<h2 class="no-num no-toc no-ref heading settled" id="contents"><span class="content">Table of Contents</span></h2>
<div data-fill-with="table-of-contents" role="navigation">
<ul class="toc" role="directory">
<li><a href="#introduction"><span class="secno">1</span> <span class="content">
Introduction</span></a>
<li><a href="#the-multi-column-model"><span class="secno">2</span> <span class="content">
The multi-column model</span></a>
<li><a href="#the-number-and-width-of-columns"><span class="secno">3</span> <span class="content">
The number and width of columns</span></a>
<ul class="toc">
<li><a href="#cw"><span class="secno">3.1</span> <span class="content">
<span class="property">column-width</span></span></a>
<li><a href="#cc"><span class="secno">3.2</span> <span class="content">
<span class="property">column-count</span></span></a>
<li><a href="#columns"><span class="secno">3.3</span> <span class="content">
<span class="property">columns</span></span></a>
<li><a href="#pseudo-algorithm"><span class="secno">3.4</span> <span class="content">
Pseudo-algorithm</span></a>
<li><a href="#stacking-context"><span class="secno">3.5</span> <span class="content">
Stacking context</span></a>
</ul>
<li><a href="#column-gaps-and-rules"><span class="secno">4</span> <span class="content">
Column gaps and rules</span></a>
<ul class="toc">
<li><a href="#column-gap"><span class="secno">4.1</span> <span class="content">
<span class="property">column-gap</span></span></a>
<li><a href="#crc"><span class="secno">4.2</span> <span class="content">
<span class="property">column-rule-color</span></span></a>
<li><a href="#crs"><span class="secno">4.3</span> <span class="content">
<span class="property">column-rule-style</span></span></a>
<li><a href="#crw"><span class="secno">4.4</span> <span class="content">
<span class="property">column-rule-width</span></span></a>
<li><a href="#column-rule"><span class="secno">4.5</span> <span class="content">
<span class="property">column-rule</span></span></a>
</ul>
<li><a href="#column-breaks"><span class="secno">5</span> <span class="content">
Column breaks</span></a>
<ul class="toc">
<li><a href="#break-before-break-after-break-inside"><span class="secno">5.1</span> <span class="content">
<span class="property">break-before</span>, <span class="property">break-after</span>, <span class="property">break-inside</span></span></a>
</ul>
<li><a href="#spanning-columns"><span class="secno">6</span> <span class="content">
Spanning columns</span></a>
<ul class="toc">
<li><a href="#column-span"><span class="secno">6.1</span> <span class="content">
<span class="property">column-span</span></span></a>
</ul>
<li><a href="#filling-columns"><span class="secno">7</span> <span class="content">
Filling columns</span></a>
<ul class="toc">
<li><a href="#cf"><span class="secno">7.1</span> <span class="content">
<span class="property">column-fill</span></span></a>
</ul>
<li><a href="#overflow"><span class="secno">8</span> <span class="content">
Overflow</span></a>
<ul class="toc">
<li><a href="#overflow-inside-multicol-elements"><span class="secno">8.1</span> <span class="content">
Overflow inside multicol elements</span></a>
<li><a href="#pagination-and-overflow-outside-multicol"><span class="secno">8.2</span> <span class="content">
Pagination and overflow outside multicol elements</span></a>
</ul>
<li><a href="#acknowledgments"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">
Acknowledgments</span></a>
<li><a href="#conformance"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">
Conformance</span></a>
<ul class="toc">
<li><a href="#conventions"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">
Document conventions</span></a>
<li><a href="#conformance-classes"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">
Conformance classes</span></a>
<li><a href="#partial"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">
Partial implementations</span></a>
<li><a href="#experimental"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">
Experimental implementations</span></a>
<li><a href="#testing"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">
Non-experimental implementations</span></a>
</ul>
<li><a href="#index"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">Index</span></a>
<ul class="toc">
<li><a href="#index-defined-here"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">Terms defined by this specification</span></a>
<li><a href="#index-defined-elsewhere"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">Terms defined by reference</span></a>
</ul>
<li><a href="#references"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">References</span></a>
<ul class="toc">
<li><a href="#normative"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">Normative References</span></a>
<li><a href="#informative"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">Informative References</span></a>
</ul>
<li><a href="#property-index"><span class="secno"></span> <span class="content">Property Index</span></a>
</ul></div>
<main>
<h2 class="heading settled" data-level="1" id="introduction"><span class="secno">1. </span><span class="content">
Introduction</span><a class="self-link" href="#introduction"></a></h2>
<p>(This section is not normative.)</p>
<p>This module describes multi-column layout in CSS. By using
functionality described in this document, style sheets can declare
that the content of an element is to be laid out in multiple
columns.</p>
<p>On the Web, tables have also been used to describe multi-column
layouts. The main benefit of using CSS-based columns is flexibility;
content can flow from one column to another, and the number of columns
can vary depending on the size of the viewport. Removing presentation
table markup from documents allows them to more easily be presented on
various output devices including speech synthesizers and small mobile
devices.</p>
<p>Multi-column layouts are easy to describe in CSS. Here is a simple example:</p>
<div class="example" id="example-e7a75e71"><a class="self-link" href="#example-e7a75e71"></a>
<pre>body { column-width: 12em }</pre>
<p>In this example, the <code class="html">body</code> element is
set to have columns at least <span class="css">12em</span> wide. The exact number of
columns will depend on the available space.</p>
</div>
<p>The number of columns can also be set explicitly in the style sheet:</p>
<div class="example" id="example-fd2d457b"><a class="self-link" href="#example-fd2d457b"></a>
<pre>body { column-count: 2 }</pre>
<p>In this case, the number of columns is fixed and the column widths
will vary depending on the available width.</p>
</div>
<p>The shorthand <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-columns">columns</a> property can be used to set either,
or both, properties in one declaration.</p>
<div class="example" id="example-9446e61b"><a class="self-link" href="#example-9446e61b"></a>
In these examples, the number of columns, the width of columns, and
both the number and width are set, respectively:
<pre>body { columns: 2 }
body { columns: 12em }
body { columns: 2 12em }
</pre>
<p>However, as described below, setting both the width and number of
columns rarely makes sense.</p>
</div>
<p>Another group of properties introduced in this module describe
gaps and rules between columns.</p>
<div class="example" id="example-20797e8f"><a class="self-link" href="#example-20797e8f"></a>
<pre>body {
column-gap: 1em;
column-rule: thin solid black;
}
</pre>
<p>The first declaration in the example above sets the gap between two
adjacent columns to be 1em. Column gaps are similar to padding areas.
In the middle of the gap there will be a rule which is described by
the <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-rule">column-rule</a> property.</p>
</div>
<p>The values of the <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-rule">column-rule</a> property are similar to those of
the CSS border properties. Like <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="http://dev.w3.org/csswg/css-backgrounds-3/#border">border</a>, <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-rule">column-rule</a> is a
shorthand property.</p>
<div class="example" id="example-a88b22db"><a class="self-link" href="#example-a88b22db"></a>
In this example, the shorthand <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-rule">column-rule</a> declaration from the
above example has been expanded:
<pre>body {
column-gap: 1em;
column-rule-width: thin;
column-rule-style: solid;
column-rule-color: black;
}
</pre>
</div>
<p>The <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-fill">column-fill</a> and <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-span">column-span</a> properties give style sheets a
wider range of visual expressions in multi-column layouts.</p>
<div class="example" id="example-514a2a3d"><a class="self-link" href="#example-514a2a3d"></a>
In this example, columns are set to be balanced, i.e., to have
approximately the same length. Also, <code>h2</code> elements are set
to span across all columns.
<pre>div { column-fill: balance }
h2 { column-span: all }
</pre>
</div>
<p>This specification introduces ten new properties, all of which
are used in the examples above.</p>
<p>To indicate where column breaks should (or should not) appear, new
keyword values are introduced.</p>
<div class="example" id="example-936a8c3f"><a class="self-link" href="#example-936a8c3f"></a>
In this example, <code>h1</code> elements will always have a column
break before them, but the formatter will try to avoid column breaks
inside and after the element.
<pre>h1 {
break-before: column;
break-inside: avoid-column;
break-after: avoid-column;
}
</pre>
</div>
<p>If all column properties have their initial value, the layout of
an element will be identical to a multi-column layout with only one
column.</p>
<h2 class="heading settled" data-level="2" id="the-multi-column-model"><span class="secno">2. </span><span class="content">
The multi-column model</span><a class="self-link" href="#the-multi-column-model"></a></h2>
<p>A <dfn data-dfn-type="dfn" data-export="" data-lt="multi-column element|multicol element" id="multi_column-element">multi-column element<a class="self-link" href="#multi_column-element"></a></dfn>
(or <em>multicol element</em> for short)
is an element whose <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-width">column-width</a> or <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-count">column-count</a>
property is not <a class="css" data-link-type="maybe" href="#valdef-column-width-auto">auto</a> and therefore acts as a container for
multi-column layout.</p>
<p>In the traditional CSS box model, the content of an element is
flowed into the content box of the corresponding element. Multi-column
layout introduces a new type of container between the content box and
the content, namely the <dfn data-dfn-type="dfn" data-noexport="" id="column-box">column box<a class="self-link" href="#column-box"></a></dfn> (or <em>column</em> for
short). The content of a multicol element is flowed into its column
boxes.</p>
<p>Column boxes in a multi-column element are arranged
into <em>rows</em>. Like table cells, the column boxes in a row are
ordered in the inline direction of the multicol element. The
<em>column width</em> is the length of the column box in the inline
direction. The <em>column height</em> is the length of the column box
in the block direction. All column boxes in a row have the same column width, and all
column boxes in a row have the same column height. Within each row in the multi-column element,
adjacent column boxes are separated by a <em>column gap</em>, which
may contain a <em>column rule</em>. All column gaps in the same row
are equal. All column rules in the same row are also equal, if they
appear; column rules only appear between columns that both have
content.</p>
<p>In the simplest case a multicol element will contain only one row
of columns, and the height of each column will be equivalent to the
used height of the multi-column element’s content box.</p>
<div class="example" id="example-25d4812e"><a class="self-link" href="#example-25d4812e"></a>
Column gaps (yellow) and column rules (green) are shown in this
sample rendition of a multi-column element with padding (blue). The
blue and yellow is present for illustrational purposes only. In actual
implementations these areas will be determined by the background.
<div class="cols">
<div class="col" style="">
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc<br>
def g hij klm nopqrs<br>
tuv wxy z. Abc de fg<br>
hi jklmno. Pqrstu vw<br>
x yz. Abc def ghi jkl.<br>
M nop qrst uv wx yz.<br>
<br>
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc<br>
def g hij klm nopqrs
</div>
<div class="col" style="left: 175px">
tuv wxy z. Abc de fg<br>
hi jklmno. Pqrstu vw<br>
x yz. Abc def ghi jkl.<br>
M nop qrst uv wx yz.<br>
<br>
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc<br>
def g hij klm nopqrs<br>
tuv wxy z. Abc de fg<br>
hi jklmno. Pqrstu vw<br>
x yz. Abc def ghi jkl.<br>
</div>
<div class="col" style="left: 350px">
M nop qrst uv wx yz.<br>
<br>
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc<br>
def g hij klm nopqrs<br>
tuv wxy z. Abc de fg<br>
hi jklmno. Pqrstu vw<br>
x yz. Abc def ghi jkl.<br>
<br>
M nop qrst uv wx yz.<br>
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
Pqr stu vw xyz.
</div>
<div class="gap" style="left: 150px"></div>
<div class="gap" style="left: 325px"></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>If the multi-column element is paginated, the height of each row is
constrained by the page and the content continues in a new row of
column boxes on the next page; a column box never splits across pages.</p>
<p>The same effect occurs when a <em>spanning element</em> divides the
multi-column element: the columns before the spanning element are
balanced and shortened to fit their content. Content after the
spanning element then flows into a new row of column boxes.</p>
<div class="example" id="example-9c96d912"><a class="self-link" href="#example-9c96d912"></a>
<div class="cols">
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc<br>
<br>
<br>
M nop qrst uv wx yz.<br>
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc<br>
def g hij klm nopqrs<br>
tuv wxy z. Abc de fg<br>
hi jklmno. Pqrstu vw<br>
<div class="col" style="left: 175px">
def g hij klm nopqrs<br>
tuv wxy z. Abc de fg<br>
<br>
<br>
x yz. Abc def ghi jkl.<br>
M nop qrst uv wx yz.<br>
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc<br>
def g hij klm nopqrs<br>
tuv wxy z. Abc de fg<br>
</div>
<div class="col" style="left: 350px">
hi jklmno. Pqrstu vw<br>
x yz. Abc def ghi jkl.<br>
<br>
<br>
hi jklmno. Pqrstu vw<br>
x yz. Abc def ghi jkl.<br>
M nop qrst uv wx yz.<br>
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz.
</div>
<div class="rep" style="width: 490px; height: 20px; background: silver; font-size: 1.5em; padding: 5px">A spanning element</div>
<div class="gap" style="left: 150px"></div>
<div class="gap" style="left: 325px"></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>Column boxes are block container boxes. That
is, column boxes behave like block-level, table cell, and inline-block
boxes as per CSS 2.1, section 10.1, item 2 <a data-link-type="biblio" href="#biblio-css21">[CSS21]</a>. However, column
boxes do not establish block container boxes for elements with ''position:
fixed<span class="css"> or </span>position: absolute''.</p>
<div class="example" id="example-3694c0ea"><a class="self-link" href="#example-3694c0ea"></a>
In this example, the width of the image is set with these rules:
<pre class="css">img { display: block; width: 100% }
</pre>
<p>Given that the width is calculated relative to the column box, the
image will be as wide as the column box:</p>
<div class="cols">
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
def g hij klm nopqrs<br>
tuv wxy z. Abc de fg<br>
<div class="col" style="left: 175px">
hi jklmno. Pqrstu vw<br>
x yz. Abc def ghi jkl.<br>
M nop qrst uv wx yz.<br>
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc<br>
def g hij klm nopqrs<br>
tuv wxy z. Abc de fg<br>
hi jklmno. Pqrstu vw<br>
x yz. Abc def ghi jkl.<br>
M nop qrst uv wx yz.<br>
</div>
<div class="col" style="left: 350px">
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc<br>
def g hij klm nopqrs<br>
tuv wxy z. Abc de fg<br>
hi jklmno. Pqrstu vw<br>
x yz. Abc def ghi jkl.<br>
M nop qrst uv wx yz.<br>
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz.
</div>
<div class="rep" style="width: 150px"></div>
<div class="gap" style="left: 150px"></div>
<div class="gap" style="left: 325px"></div>
</div>
</div>
<p>Floats that appear inside multi-column layouts are positioned with
regard to the column box where the float appears.</p>
<div class="example" id="example-5c1712e2"><a class="self-link" href="#example-5c1712e2"></a>
In this example, this CSS fragment describes the presentation of the image:
<pre class="css">img { display: block; float: right }
</pre>
<div class="cols">
<div class="col" style="">
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc<br>
def g<br>
hij klm<br>
nopq<br>
rs tuv<br>
wxy x<br>
yz. Ab <br>
cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc
</div>
<div class="col" style="left: 175px">
def g hij klm nopqrs<br>
tuv wxy z. Abc de fg<br>
hi jklmno. Pqrstu vw<br>
x yz. Abc def ghi jkl.<br>
M nop qrst uv wx yz.<br>
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc<br>
def g hij klm nopqrs<br>
tuv wxy z. Abc de fg<br>
hi jklmno. Pqrstu vw<br>
</div>
<div class="col" style="left: 350px">
x yz. Abc def ghi jkl.<br>
M nop qrst uv wx yz.<br>
Ab cde fgh i jkl. Mno<br>
pqr stu vw xyz. A bc<br>
def g hij klm nopqrs<br>
tuv wxy z. Abc de fg<br>
hi jklmno. Pqrstu vw<br>
x yz. Abc def ghi jkl.<br>
M nop qrst uv wx yz.<br>
</div>
<div class="rep" style="left: 50px"></div>
<div class="gap" style="left: 150px"></div>
<div class="gap" style="left: 325px"></div>
</div>
<p>The black box represents the image.</p>
</div>
<p>A multi-column element establishes a new block formatting context,
as per CSS 2.1 section 9.4.1.</p>
<div class="example" id="example-eb804584"><a class="self-link" href="#example-eb804584"></a>
A top margin set on the first child element of a multicol element will not collapse with the margins of the multicol element.
</div>
<p>Nested multi-column elements are allowed, but there may be
implementation-specific limits.</p>
<p class="note" role="note">Note: It is not possible to set properties/values on column boxes. For
example, the background of a certain column box cannot be set and a
column box has no concept of padding, margin or borders. Future specifications may add additional
functionality. For example, columns of different widths and different
backgrounds may be supported.</p>
<p class="note" role="note">Note: Multicol elements with column heights larger than the viewport may pose accessibility issues.</p>
<h2 class="heading settled" data-level="3" id="the-number-and-width-of-columns"><span class="secno">3. </span><span class="content">
The number and width of columns</span><a class="self-link" href="#the-number-and-width-of-columns"></a></h2>
<p>Finding the number and width of columns is fundamental when laying
out multi-column content. These properties are used to set the number
and width of columns:</p>
<ul>
<li><a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-count">column-count</a>
<li><a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-width">column-width</a>
</ul>
<p>A third property, <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-columns">columns</a>, is a shorthand property which sets both
<a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-width">column-width</a> and <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-count">column-count</a>.</p>
<p>Other factors, such as explicit column breaks, content, and height
constraints, may influence the actual number and width of columns.</p>
<h3 class="heading settled" data-level="3.1" id="cw"><span class="secno">3.1. </span><span class="content">
<a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-width">column-width</a></span><a class="self-link" href="#cw"></a></h3>
<table class="definition propdef" data-link-for-hint="column-width">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Name:
<td><dfn class="css" data-dfn-type="property" data-export="" id="propdef-column-width">column-width<a class="self-link" href="#propdef-column-width"></a></dfn>
<tr class="value">
<th>Value:
<td class="prod">auto <a data-link-type="grammar" href="http://dev.w3.org/csswg/css-values-3/#comb-one">|</a> <a class="production css" data-link-type="type" href="http://dev.w3.org/csswg/css-values-3/#length-value"><length></a>
<tr>
<th>Initial:
<td>auto
<tr>
<th>Applies to:
<td>non-replaced block-level elements (except table elements), table cells, and inline-block elements
<tr>
<th>Inherited:
<td>no
<tr>
<th>Percentages:
<td>N/A
<tr>
<th>Media:
<td>visual
<tr>
<th>Computed value:
<td>the absolute length, zero or larger
<tr>
<th>Animatable:
<td>as <a class="production css" data-link-type="type" href="http://dev.w3.org/csswg/css-values-3/#length-value" titl
685C
e="Expands to: "><length></a></table>
<p>This property describes the width of columns in multicol elements.</p>
<dl>
<dt><dfn class="css" data-dfn-for="column-width" data-dfn-type="value" data-export="" id="valdef-column-width-auto">auto<a class="self-link" href="#valdef-column-width-auto"></a></dfn>
<dd>
means that the column width will be determined by other properties
(e.g., <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-count">column-count</a>, if it has a non-auto value).
<dt><dfn class="css" data-dfn-for="column-width" data-dfn-type="value" data-export="" id="valdef-column-width-length"><a class="production css" data-link-type="type" href="http://dev.w3.org/csswg/css-values-3/#length-value" title="Expands to: "><length></a><a class="self-link" href="#valdef-column-width-length"></a></dfn>
<dd>
describes the optimal column width. The actual column width may be
wider (to fill the available space), or narrower (only if the
available space is smaller than the specified column width). Specified values
must be greater than 0.
</dl>
<div class="example" id="example-bc6e6793"><a class="self-link" href="#example-bc6e6793"></a>
For example, consider this style sheet:
<pre>div {
width: 100px;
column-width: 45px;
column-gap: 0;
column-rule: none;
}
</pre>
<p>There is room for two 45px wide columns inside the 100px wide element. In
order to fill the available space the actual column width will be
increased to 50px.</p>
</div>
<div class="example" id="example-6ea6a4bc"><a class="self-link" href="#example-6ea6a4bc"></a>
Also, consider this style sheet:
<pre>div {
width: 40px;
column-width: 45px;
column-gap: 0;
column-rule: none;
}
</pre>
<p>The available space is smaller than the specified column width and
the actual column width will therefore be decreased.</p>
</div>
<p>To ensure that <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-width">column-width</a> can be used with vertical text,
column width means the length of the line boxes inside the columns.</p>
<p class="note" role="note">Note: The reason for making <a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-width">column-width</a> somewhat flexible
is to achieve scalable designs that can fit many screen sizes. To set
an exact column width, the column gap and the width of the multicol
element (assuming horizontal text) must also be specified.</p>
<h3 class="heading settled" data-level="3.2" id="cc"><span class="secno">3.2. </span><span class="content">
<a class="property" data-link-type="propdesc" href="#propdef-column-count">column-count</a></span><a class="self-link" href="#cc"></a></h3>
<table class="definition propdef" data-link-for-hint="column-count">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Name:
<td><dfn class="css" data-dfn-type="property" data-export="" id="propdef-column-count">column-count<a class="self-link" href="#propdef-column-count"></a></dfn>
<tr class="value">
<th>Value:
<td class="prod">auto <a data-link-type="grammar" href="http://dev.w3.org/csswg/css-values-3/#comb-one">|</a> <a class="production css" data-link-type="type" href="http://dev.w3.org/csswg/css-values-3/#integer-value"><integer></a>
<tr>
<th>Initial:
<td>auto
<tr>
<th>Applies to:
<td>non-replaced block-level elements (except table elements), table cells, and inline-block elements
<tr>
<
3D3D
th>Inherited:
<td>no
<tr>
<th>Percentages:
<td>N/A
<tr>
<th>Media:
<td>visual
<tr>
<th>Computed value:
<td>specified value
<tr>
<th>Animatable:
<td>as <a class="production css" data-link-type="type" href="http://dev.w3.org/csswg/css-values-3/#integer-value" title="Expands to: "><integer></a></table>