It would be really cool for jquery to make an exception for css('top') and css('left') where if they are not set or if they are set to auto it will find them. I've been forced to extend jquery to get the desirec effect:

get the top position of an element

$.fn.postop = function() {

var postop = 0;

var obj = this.get(0);

while(obj && obj != null) {

postop += obj.offsetTop; - obj.scrollTop

obj = obj.offsetParent;

}

return postop;

}

// get the left position of an element

$.fn.posleft = function() {

var posleft = 0;

var obj = this.get(0);

if(obj) {

posleft = obj.offsetLeft;

while((obj = obj.offsetParent) != null) {

posleft += obj.offsetLeft;

}

}

return posleft;

}