3 columns, all need to expand to the tallest.

[scotchegg78]

Hi guys

 

I have 3 columns inside a main container div.

They all have a border, so if they are not all the same height then i have 3 varying looking heights.

 

What i would like is for the 3 columns to all drop in height to the longest one?

 

eg

 

    <div id="content_container">
<div id="column_left">some small content in 1 column</div>
<div id="column_center"> Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nam tempus, mi et sagittis tincidunt, massa urna fermentum est, id imperdiet erat turpis at neque. Nullam sit amet magna. Maecenas arcu leo, tempor at, condimentum et, placerat in, urna. Fusce sed nisl id est lobortis porta. Aenean commodo lectus eu augue </div>
<div id="column_right">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nam tempus, mi et sagittis tincidunt </div>
</div>

 

ignoring width colour etc what do i need to ensure the 3 columns all stay the same height as the tallest?

 

thanks

 

EDIT

 

if it helps this is the code so far...

#content_container {
float:left;
display:inline; /* god damn IE! */

}
#column_center { /*263 total width */

width:230px;
float:left;
margin-right:5px;
border:1px solid #CCCCCC;
text-align:left;
padding:15px;

}
* html #column_center {height:443px;}
#column_left { /*263 total width */

width:228px;
float:left;
margin-right:5px;
border:1px solid #CCCCCC;
text-align:left;
padding:15px;


}
* html #column_left {height:443px;}
#column_right { /*258 total width */


width:228px;
float:left;
margin-right:0px;
border:1px solid #CCCCCC;
text-align:left;
padding:15px;


}

 

 

[calabiyau]

since all your columns are fixed width you can use the faux columns technique by creating an image that is the full width of your container div but only a few pixels tall and block out the colors to match the width of each column

 

Say they are red, white, blue

 

Your image would look like

 

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

 

 

Set that as the background image of your container div and set it to background-repeat: repeat-y

 

Then make sure to clear your floated columns within the container div

with something like

 

<div style="clear: both;"></div>

 

 

[dbrimlow]

Here is the link to the faux columns technique ... it is the only way.

 

http://www.alistapart.com/articles/fauxcolumns/

 

You CAN do it with liquid percentage witdhs as well (just need to do a little math to figure out the px placement of the graphic's sections).