Setting z-index on draggable elements

Question

I am trying to set the z-index on draggable elements using jQuery. You can see what I am talking about and what I have so far here:

http://jsfiddle.net/sushik/LQ4JT/1/

It is very primitive and there are problems with it. Any ideas on how I would make the last clicked element have the highest z-index and rather than resetting all of the rest to a base z-index, have them step, so the 2nd to last clicked has the second highest z-index, etc..

Another problem I am having with it is that it only works on a full click event but the draggable functionality works by clicking and holding down. How could I have the class applied on that initial click down and not wait for the event of releasing the click?

Answer 1

All you need to do is use draggable({stack: "div"}) Now when you drag a div it will automatically come to the top.

Check working example at http://jsfiddle.net/LQ4JT/8/

Answer 2

Following code will fulfill your requirements. You need to stack your divs instead of setting z-indexes and secondly you need to show the div at top after simply clicking it not dragging it.

So for stacking you need stack: "div" and for showing the div element on the top by simply click, you need to use distance: 0.

By default the value is distance: 10 which means until you don't drag it 10 pixels, it won't show up on the top. By setting the value to distance: 0 makes it show on the top after a simple click.

Try the following code.

$('#box1,#box2,#box3,#box4').draggable({
    stack: "div",
    distance: 0
});

Working JSFiddle Here.

---

Edit:

Click the Run code snippet button below to execute this embedded code snippet.

$(document).ready(function() {

  $('#box1,#box2,#box3,#box4').draggable({
    stack: "div",
    distance: 0
  });

  $('#dragZone div').click(function() {
    $(this).addClass('top').removeClass('bottom');
    $(this).siblings().removeClass('top').addClass('bottom');

  });
});

#box1 {
  width: 150px;
  height: 150px;
  background-color: red;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0px;
  left: 0px;
  z-index: 0
}

#box2 {
  width: 150px;
  height: 150px;
  background-color: green;
  position: absolute;
  top: 20px;
  left: 50px;
  z-index: 0
}

#box3 {
  width: 150px;
  height: 150px;
  background-color: yellow;
  position: absolute;
  top: 50px;
  left: 100px;
  z-index: 0
}

#box4 {
  width: 150px;
  height: 150px;
  background-color: blue;
  position: absolute;
  top: 70px;
  left: 200px;
  z-index: 0
}

.top {
  z-index: 100!important;
  position: relative
}

.bottom {
  z-index: 10!important;
  position: relative
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.0/jquery.min.js"></script>
<script src="http://code.jquery.com/ui/1.12.1/jquery-ui.min.js"></script>

<div id="dragZone">
  <div id="box1"></div>
  <div id="box2"></div>
  <div id="box3"></div>
  <div id="box4"></div>
</div>

Answer 3

Here is a greatly simplified version of Mahesh's answer:

$(document).ready(function() {
  var a = 1;
  $('#box1,#box2,#box3,#box4,#box5,#box6,#box7').draggable({
    start: function(event, ui) { $(this).css("z-index", a++); }
  });
});

http://jsfiddle.net/LQ4JT/713/

Still seems to work well, unless I am missing something.

Answer 4

The easiest way I found to solve this problem was to use the appendTo and zIndex options.

$('#box1,#box2,#box3,#box4').draggable({
  appendTo: "body",
  zIndex: 10000
});

Answer 5

I have updated your CSS and Javascript. Don't use "!important" in css unless you are that much desperate.

http://jsfiddle.net/LQ4JT/7/

    $(document).ready(function() {
        var a = 3;
        $('#box1,#box2,#box3,#box4').draggable({
            start: function(event, ui) { $(this).css("z-index", a++); }
        });
    $('#dragZone div').click(function() {
        $(this).addClass('top').removeClass('bottom');
        $(this).siblings().removeClass('top').addClass('bottom');
        $(this).css("z-index", a++);
    });

});​

Though this answer works it has the limitation of max number of 2^31−1 in javascript. refer What is JavaScript's highest integer value that a Number can go to without losing precision? for more info.