Bootstrap 3 modal vertical position center

1. How can you position the modal vertically in the center when you don't know the exact height of the modal?

To absolute center the Bootstrap 3 Modal without declaring a height, you will first need to overwrite the Bootstrap CSS by adding this to your style sheet:

.modal-dialog-center { /* Edited classname 10/03/2014 */
    margin: 0;
    position: absolute;
    top: 50%;
    left: 50%;
}

This will position the modal-dialogs top-left corner in the center of the window.

We have to add this media query or else the modal margin-left is wrong on small devices:

@media (max-width: 767px) {
  .modal-dialog-center { /* Edited classname 10/03/2014 */
    width: 100%;
  }
} 

Now we will need to adjust its position with JavaScript. To do that we give the element a negative top and left margin equal to half of its height and width. In this example we will be using jQuery since it is available with Bootstrap.

$('.modal').on('shown.bs.modal', function() {
    $(this).find('.modal-dialog').css({
        'margin-top': function () {
            return -($(this).outerHeight() / 2);
        },
        'margin-left': function () {
            return -($(this).outerWidth() / 2);
        }
    });
});

Update (01/10/2015):

Adding on Finik's answer. Credits to Centering in the Unknown.

.modal {
  text-align: center;
  padding: 0!important;
}

.modal:before {
  content: '';
  display: inline-block;
  height: 100%;
  vertical-align: middle;
  margin-right: -4px; /* Adjusts for spacing */
}

.modal-dialog {
  display: inline-block;
  text-align: left;
  vertical-align: middle;
}

Notice the negative margin-right? This removes the space added by inline-block. That space causes the modal to jump to the bottom of the page @media width < 768px.

2. Is it possible to have the modal centered and have overflow:auto in the modal-body, but only if the modal exceeds the screen height?

This is possible by giving the modal-body an overflow-y:auto and a max-height. This takes a bit more work to get it working properly. Start with adding this to your style sheet:

.modal-body {
    overflow-y: auto;
}
.modal-footer {
    margin-top: 0;
}

We will use jQuery again to get the window height and set the max-height of the modal-content first. Then we have to set the max-height of the modal-body, by subtracting the modal-content with the modal-header and modal-footer:

$('.modal').on('shown.bs.modal', function() {
    var contentHeight = $(window).height() - 60;
    var headerHeight = $(this).find('.modal-header').outerHeight() || 2;
    var footerHeight = $(this).find('.modal-footer').outerHeight() || 2;

    $(this).find('.modal-content').css({
        'max-height': function () {
            return contentHeight;
        }
    });

    $(this).find('.modal-body').css({
        'max-height': function () {
            return (contentHeight - (headerHeight + footerHeight));
        }
    });

    $(this).find('.modal-dialog').css({
        'margin-top': function () {
            return -($(this).outerHeight() / 2);
        },
        'margin-left': function () {
            return -($(this).outerWidth() / 2);
        }
    });
});

You can find a working demo here with Bootstrap 3.0.3: http://cdpn.io/GwvrJ EDIT: I recommend using the updated version instead for a more responsive solution: http://cdpn.io/mKfCc

Update (30/11/2015):

function setModalMaxHeight(element) {
  this.$element     = $(element);  
  this.$content     = this.$element.find('.modal-content');
  var borderWidth   = this.$content.outerHeight() - this.$content.innerHeight();
  var dialogMargin  = $(window).width() < 768 ? 20 : 60;
  var contentHeight = $(window).height() - (dialogMargin + borderWidth);
  var headerHeight  = this.$element.find('.modal-header').outerHeight() || 0;
  var footerHeight  = this.$element.find('.modal-footer').outerHeight() || 0;
  var maxHeight     = contentHeight - (headerHeight + footerHeight);

  this.$content.css({
      'overflow': 'hidden'
  });

  this.$element
    .find('.modal-body').css({
      'max-height': maxHeight,
      'overflow-y': 'auto'
  });
}

$('.modal').on('show.bs.modal', function() {
  $(this).show();
  setModalMaxHeight(this);
});

$(window).resize(function() {
  if ($('.modal.in').length != 0) {
    setModalMaxHeight($('.modal.in'));
  }
});

(Updated 30/11/2015 http://cdpn.io/mKfCc with above edit)

My solution

.modal-dialog-center {
    margin-top: 25%;
}

    <div id="waitForm" class="modal">
        <div class="modal-dialog modal-dialog-center">
            <div class="modal-content">
                <div class="modal-header">
                    <button type="button" class="close" data-dismiss="modal" aria-hidden="true">×</button>
                    <h4 id="headerBlock" class="modal-title"></h4>
                </div>
                <div class="modal-body">
                    <span id="bodyBlock"></span>
                    <br/>
                    <p style="text-align: center">
                        <img src="@Url.Content("~/Content/images/progress-loader.gif")" alt="progress"/>
                    </p>   
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>

.modal {
  text-align: center;
}

@media screen and (min-width: 768px) { 
  .modal:before {
    display: inline-block;
    vertical-align: middle;
    content: " ";
    height: 100%;
  }
}

.modal-dialog {
  display: inline-block;
  text-align: left;
  vertical-align: middle;
}

And adjust a little bit .fade class to make sure it appears out of the top border of window, instead of center