get width of a div that changes dynamically

[leftpeg]

I have a div whose width depends on the length of the longest string I put into it using innerHTML. so my div contents look like

a_string
a_longer_string
the_longest_string
short_string

I would like to get the width of this div. How can I do this?

document.getElementById("myDiv").style.width returns nothing.


Thanks.

[Kor]

document.getElementById("myDiv").style.width returns nothing, because you have no style and no width. Try the readonly offset attributes

document.getElementById("myDiv").offsetWidth

Important note:the return value is decimal number
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On the other hand... hm... If no width declared, the div (as it is a block-level element) will always take the width of it's parent, thus I can not see how your div can "expand/contract" depending on it's childs' width.

[Apostropartheid]

If you float a div without a width set, it'll take the width of its child :)