You need to wrap the text in a div element and include the absolutely positioned element inside of it.
<div class="container">
<div class="inner">
<div class="full-height"></div>
[Your text here]
</div>
</div>
Css:
.inner: { position: relative; height: auto; }
.full-height: { height: 100%; }
Setting the inner div’s position to relative makes the absolutely position elements inside of it base their position and height on it rather than on the .container div, which has a fixed height. Without the inner, relatively positioned div, the .full-height div will always calculate its dimensions and position based on .container.
* {
box-sizing: border-box;
}
.container {
position: relative;
border: solid 1px red;
height: 256px;
width: 256px;
overflow: auto;
float: left;
margin-right: 16px;
}
.inner {
position: relative;
height: auto;
}
.full-height {
position: absolute;
top: 0;
left: 0;
right: 128px;
bottom: 0;
height: 100%;
background: blue;
}<div class="container">
<div class="full-height">
</div>
</div>
<div class="container">
<div class="inner">
<div class="full-height">
</div>
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quidem.
</div>
</div>http://jsfiddle.net/M5cTN/