Crop text too long inside div
To trim overflowing text and replace it with an ellipsis within a div
, you can employ CSS as follows:
Then, use the truncate
class on your div
:
Here, the CSS styles ensure that any excessive text beyond the box's boundary gets an elegant ellipsis (...), presenting your content in a neat and accessible format.
Understanding the components
Before expanding on the CSS code above, here are the key components it employs:
overflow: hidden;
- hides off-screen content, anything outside our 'TV screen'.text-overflow: ellipsis;
- applies a 'Hollywood cutting room' effect to off-screen text.white-space: nowrap;
- prevents the 'Marquee' effect, keeping all text on a single, unwrapping line.
Digging deeper
Handling variable content length
Our .truncate
class aims to handle text of any length. It avoids the need for JavaScript measuring or hardcoded character counts, offering a flexible text cropping system.
Responsive design considerations
For responsive designs, consider using max-width
in relative units like em
or vw
. This ensures scalability among different devices, acting like a 'one-size-fits-all' TV screen:
Fine-tuning display properties
Sophistication enters when you want to control the size of the div
. display: inline-block
or display: block;
along with a defined width
does the trick. Set a line-height
equal to the div
's height to ensure text stays on one line, just like on a theater stage:
Testing and content cut-off
To ensure effectiveness, always test on various devices and screen sizes. Beware, occasionally overflow: hidden;
might cut short the last visible letter - not the whole drama, but a small 'Editing Room' hiccup.
Adaptive text truncation
For responsive designs, using relative units (em
, vw
, etc.) for max-width
presents a flexible approach:
Special characters and different languages
Working with special characters or different languages? text-overflow: ellipsis;
might throw a wobbly. As with any staging operation, it's essential to rehearse with your specific script.
Incompatible browsers
Remember, not all audiences (read: browsers) appreciate our play. It's always best to check browser support for the text-overflow
property to ensure compatibility.
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