set div width to remaining width of the browser

using float: left and float: right to build a two column page
layout.
<div style="float:left">column 1</div>
<div style="float:right">column 2</div>

then I set the width of the first column to a fixed size:
<div style="float:left; width:10em;>column 1</div>

how can I set the width of the 2nd column, the float:right div, to
fill the remaining space of its container?

I know I can use percentages, but I want the left column to always be
the same fixed length.

Is this a case where <tableis the obvious solution?

thanks,

-SteveDo you need this?

<div style="float:left; width: 10em; border: solid 1px red">
ZZZZZ
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 10em; border: solid 1px green">
www
<div>

Quote:

Originally Posted by

using float: left and float: right to build a two column page
layout.
<div style="float:left">column 1</div>
<div style="float:right">column 2</div>
then I set the width of the first column to a fixed size: <div
style="float:left; width:10em;>column 1</div>
>
how can I set the width of the 2nd column, the float:right div, to
fill the remaining space of its container?
>
I know I can use percentages, but I want the left column to always be
the same fixed length.
>
Is this a case where <tableis the obvious solution?
>
thanks,
>
-Steve
>

On Jun 15, 2:00 pm, Yuriy Solodkyy <y.dot.solod...@.gmail.comwrote:

Quote:

Originally Posted by

Do you need this?
>
<div style="float:left; width: 10em; border: solid 1px red">
ZZZZZ
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 10em; border: solid 1px green">
www
<div>
>

thank you. I just read of the margin technique in a very good book I
have:
http://www.amazon.com/CSS-Anthology...81932373&sr=8-1
a lot of CSS positioning seems to be a hack. esp if you dont want to
use javascript out of concern of complicating things even further.

I assume CSS does not allow one div to reference another for is
position and size? That would seem to be ideal for page layouts.
( where the height of div a is always the height of div b, div c
always has the same absolute X position of div d, ... )

thanks,

-Steve