How do I get access to the <html> element in Javascript?

Question

IE displays a default scrollbar on the page, which appears even if the content is too short to require a scrollbar.

The typical way to remove this scrollbar (if not needed), is to add this to your CSS:

html {
  height: 100%;
  overflow: auto;
}

I'm trying to do the same thing in Javascript (without requiring that in my CSS), but I can't seem to find a way to get access to the <html> element. I know I can access the <body> element with document.body, but that doesn't seem to be sufficient, I need the wrapping <html> element.

Any tips?

This is what CSS is for. This is not what Javascript is for. Why are you trying to do it in Javascript? — eyelidlessness
– eyelidlessness, Commented Jun 9, 2010 at 1:00
I disagree. (Not that that's what CSS for, but disagreeing that there aren't reasons why you'd need to do this in javascript.) The question is sound: ... how do you access the element? (styles and CSS aside.) — Funka
– Funka, Commented Jun 9, 2010 at 1:41
I wanted to this this conditionally (instead of applying it all the time). If that were not the case, i would just do it in CSS. — kwyjibo
– kwyjibo, Commented Jun 9, 2010 at 15:43
Even if you want to do it conditionally, it's better to do with a CSS class than with Javascript access to the style properties. But even so if the condition is applied client-side, you'd obviously need access to the <html> element. To Funka, I never said the question is invalid, I asked for clarification. — eyelidlessness
– eyelidlessness, Commented Jun 9, 2010 at 18:31

SLaks · Accepted Answer · 2010-06-09 00:45:17Z

2

You're looking for the document.documentElement property.

answered Jun 9, 2010 at 0:45

SLaks

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1 Comment

Marcel Korpel Over a year ago

In IE, this element is only available in standards mode.

eyelidlessness · Accepted Answer · 2010-06-09 18:32:35Z

1

I guess for completeness' sake, I'll add another way to access it:

document.getElementsByTagName('html')[0];

Obviously this is a little more verbose, but it's always going to work regardless of the structure or standards-mode of your document.

answered Jun 9, 2010 at 18:32

eyelidlessness

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Comments

Sarfraz · Accepted Answer · 2010-06-09 00:55:14Z

0

You can also reach the HTML element with:

var html = document.body.parentNode;
alert(html.nodeName);

edited Jun 9, 2010 at 0:55

answered Jun 9, 2010 at 0:50

Sarfraz

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