js

getClientRects()

html

<h3>A paragraph with a span inside</h3>
<p>
  Both the span and the paragraph have a border set. The client rects are in
  red. Note that the p has only one border box, while the span has multiple
  border boxes.
</p>

<div>
  <strong>Original</strong>
  <p>
    <span>Paragraph that spans multiple lines</span>
  </p>
</div>

<div>
  <strong>p's rect</strong>
  <p class="withClientRectsOverlay">
    <span>Paragraph that spans multiple lines</span>
  </p>
</div>

<div>
  <strong>span's rect</strong>
  <p>
    <span class="withClientRectsOverlay"
      >Paragraph that spans multiple lines</span
    >
  </p>
</div>

html

<h3>A list</h3>
<p>
  Note that the border box doesn't include the number, so neither do the client
  rects.
</p>

<div>
  <strong>Original</strong>
  <ol>
    <li>Item 1</li>
    <li>Item 2</li>
  </ol>
</div>

<div>
  <strong>ol's rect</strong>
  <ol class="withClientRectsOverlay">
    <li>Item 1</li>
    <li>Item 2</li>
  </ol>
</div>

<div>
  <strong>each li's rect</strong>
  <ol>
    <li class="withClientRectsOverlay">Item 1</li>
    <li class="withClientRectsOverlay">Item 2</li>
  </ol>
</div>

html

<h3>A table with a caption</h3>
<p>
  Although the table's border box doesn't include the caption, the client rects
  do include the caption.
</p>

<div>
  <strong>Original</strong>
  <table>
    <caption>
      caption
    </caption>
    <thead>
      <tr>
        <th>thead</th>
      </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
      <tr>
        <td>tbody</td>
      </tr>
    </tbody>
  </table>
</div>

<div>
  <strong>table's rect</strong>
  <table class="withClientRectsOverlay">
    <caption>
      caption
    </caption>
    <thead>
      <tr>
        <th>thead</th>
      </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
      <tr>
        <td>tbody</td>
      </tr>
    </tbody>
  </table>
</div>

css

strong {
  text-align: center;
}
div {
  display: inline-block;
  width: 150px;
}
div p,
ol,
table {
  border: 1px solid blue;
}
span,
li,
th,
td {
  border: 1px solid green;
}

js

function addClientRectsOverlay(elt) {
  /* Absolutely position a div over each client rect so that its border width
     is the same as the rectangle's width.
     Note: the overlays will be out of place if the user resizes or zooms. */
  const rects = elt.getClientRects();
  for (const rect of rects) {
    const tableRectDiv = document.createElement("div");
    tableRectDiv.style.position = "absolute";
    tableRectDiv.style.border = "1px solid red";
    const scrollTop =
      document.documentElement.scrollTop || document.body.scrollTop;
    const scrollLeft =
      document.documentElement.scrollLeft || document.body.scrollLeft;
    tableRectDiv.style.margin = tableRectDiv.style.padding = "0";
    tableRectDiv.style.top = `${rect.top + scrollTop}px`;
    tableRectDiv.style.left = `${rect.left + scrollLeft}px`;
    // We want rect.width to be the border width, so content width is 2px less.
    tableRectDiv.style.width = `${rect.width - 2}px`;
    tableRectDiv.style.height = `${rect.height - 2}px`;
    document.body.appendChild(tableRectDiv);
  }
}

(() => {
  /* Call function addClientRectsOverlay(elt) for all elements with
     assigned class "withClientRectsOverlay" */
  const elts = document.getElementsByClassName("withClientRectsOverlay");
  for (const elt of elts) {
    addClientRectsOverlay(elt);
  }
})();