use jQuery to set elements to have equal heights, factoring in min-heights and vertical padding

gistfile1.js

// call this to reset the size to the columns
function setColumnsEqualHeight()
{
	// some example items to measure and resize
	var $toMeasure = $("#content-left-shadow, #content-middle, #content-right-shadow, #secondary-nav");
	var $toResize = $("#content-bottom-container, #content-left-shadow, #content-middle, #content-right-shadow");
	setEqualHeight($toMeasure, $toResize);
}

// call the helper method for both ready and load to make sure stuff is sized as dynamically as possible
$(document).ready(function() {
	setColumnsEqualHeight();
});

$(window).load(function() {
	// make sure the height hasn't been affected by any other slow loading content (images, JS, etc)
	setColumnsEqualHeight();
});

// equal height code
function setEqualHeight($toMeasure, $toResize) {
	if ($toMeasure.length > 0 && $toResize.length > 0) {
		// set back to auto for dynamic content
		$toResize.css("height", "auto");
		
		var heights = [];
		for (var i = 0; i < $toMeasure.length; i++) {
			heights[i] = $toMeasure[i].offsetHeight;
		}
		var maxHeight = getMax(heights);

		// check max of min-height's + padding for objects to set (if possible)
		var minheights = [maxHeight];
		try {
			for (var i = minheights.length; i < $toResize.length; i++) {
				var newMin = getOffsetMin($($toResize[i]));
				if (!isNaN(newMin))
					minheights[i] = newMin;
			}
		} catch(e) {}
		maxHeight = getMax(minheights);
		
		$toResize.each(function (i) {
			var $this = $(this);
			$this.css("height", (maxHeight - getVPaddingOffset($this)) + "px");
		});
	}
}

function setEqualHeight($toMeasureAndResize) {
	setEqualHeight($toMeasureAndResize, $toMeasureAndResize);
}

function getMinHeight($object) {
	return parseInt($object.css("min-height"), 10);
}

function getVPaddingOffset($object) {
	var top = parseInt($object.css("padding-top"), 10);
	var bottom = parseInt($object.css("padding-bottom"), 10);
	return (top + bottom);
}

function getOffsetMin($object) {
	return (getMinHeight($object) + getVPaddingOffset($object));
}

function getMax(nums) {
	if (nums.length > 1) {
		var newMax = nums[0];
		for (var i = 0; i < nums.length; i++) {
			newMax = Math.max(newMax, nums[i]);
		}
		return newMax;
	} else if (nums.length == 1) {
		return nums[0];
	}
	return 0;	// error
}