javascript media-queries

How can I force a matching window.matchMedia to execute on page load?

I noticed a difference between css media query definition and the javascript window.matchMedia media query definition:

The css rules are apllied initially to a loaded page.

The rules defined in javascript are not executed after the page load, but only after a new condition is entered.

An example:

I have two different pages with equivalent media query definitions, the first one defined in css and the second one defined in javascript:

the css version (defined in a style element):

@media (min-width: 401px) and (max-width: 600px) { body {background-color: red; } }
@media (min-width: 601px) and (max-width: 800px) { body {background-color: blue; } }

the javascript version (defined either globally or in a function called after body onload):

window.matchMedia("(min-width: 401px) and (max-width: 600px)")
.addListener(function(e) {
  if (e.matches) {
    document.body.style.background = "red";
  }
});

window.matchMedia("(min-width: 601px) and (max-width: 800px)")
.addListener(function(e) {
  if (e.matches) {
    document.body.style.background = "blue";
  }
});

When I load a page and the window is 700 px wide

the css version page is blue
the javascript version is white and changes its state only after a new condition is met, i.e. the window is sized below 601 px.

How can I force a matching window.matchMedia to execute on page load?

Solution

To fire a matchMedia on load, you could do like this instead (with a somewhat cleaner code base).

Stack snippet

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

  <head>
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">

    <script>
      document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(e) {
      
        // medias (as an array to make it a little easier to manage)
        var mqls = [
          window.matchMedia("(max-width: 400px)"),
          window.matchMedia("(min-width: 401px) and (max-width: 600px)"),
          window.matchMedia("(min-width: 601px) and (max-width: 800px)"),
          window.matchMedia("(min-width: 801px)")
        ]
        
        // event listeners
        for (var i=0; i<mqls.length; i++){
          mqls[i].addListener(mqh)
        }
        
        // matches methods
        function mqh(){
          if (mqls[0].matches) {
            console.log("CALLBACK (max-width: 400px)");
            document.body.style.background = "green";
          } else if (mqls[1].matches) {
            console.log("CALLBACK (max-width: 600px)");
            document.body.style.background = "red";
          } else if (mqls[2].matches) {
            console.log("CALLBACK (max-width: 800px)");
            document.body.style.background = "blue";
          } else if (mqls[3].matches) {
            console.log("CALLBACK (min-width: 801px)");        
            document.body.style.background = "gray";
          }
          console.log("window.innerWidth: " + window.innerWidth);
        }

        // call once on load
        mqh();
      });
      
    </script>
  </head>

  <body>
  </body>

</html>

Org. src: http://www.javascriptkit.com/javatutors/matchmediamultiple.shtml