Absolutely Positioned Table in a Table Cell Rendered Incorrectly (217287)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows NT 3.51
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows NT 3.51
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 98 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 95 SP 1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 95 SP 2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for UNIX on Sun Solaris
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for UNIX on HPUX
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for UNIX on HPUX
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for UNIX on Sun Solaris
This article was previously published under Q217287

SYMPTOMS

Web pages that contain nested tables (a second table within a table cell) may not be rendered correctly when you are using absolute positioning for the inner table.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the nested (inner) table is in one of the outer table cells.

RESOLUTION

This behavior is correct according to the specifications for Cascading Style Sheets. The contents of an outer table cell inherit the settings of the cell, including such things as width. The sizing parent of a nested table is an outer table cell. Outer cells set the _sizeParent value for the contents of the cell, which forces the inner table to be rendered with the minimum width as opposed to the maximum width of the table cell.

In other words, according to the CSS specifications, the inner table width does not affect the size of the outer cell, but the size of the outer cell affect the size of the inner table width.

To work around this behavior, either change the "style=position:absolute" attribute of the nested table, or move the nested table to a different cell.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

CSS2 specifications are available at the following Web site:

http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-CSS2/

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/5/2003
Keywords:kbprb kbProgramming KB217287
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.