Word Tables, Page 2

Page Contents

Changing
Column Width

Inserting
Cells

Split &
Merge Cells

Add Rows

Split Table
Horizontally

Spacing Between
Columns & Rows

Entering &
Formatting Text

Other Ways
to Use Tables

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Word Tables, Page 1

Table AutoFormat dialog box Word 97 can automatically format your tables for you. Select the entire table (Select Table in the Table menu), then select Table AutoFormat... in the Table menu or by clicking on the Table AutoFormat button on the Tables and Borders toolbar.

Click on any items of interest in the Formats: window on the left to preview formats in the right window. In the lower portion of the dialog box, select which features you want Table AutoFormat to apply to your table. And remember, if you hate it, you can always undo it!

Before committing to a format, print it first, then try making a photocopy. The copy may not look nearly as good as the original does. For tables that will be copied, simple is best.

Changing Column Width

When you first create a regular table in Word, the cells will all be of equal height and width. You can change the width of an entire column or row by selecting it, then entering a measurement in Cell Height and Width in the Table menu. Another option is to simply click on a line (vertical or horizontal) between cells and drag it to the width or height you want.

Another option is to use the Distribute Rows Evenly or Distribute Columns Evenly buttons on the Tables and Borders toolbar when you want all columns and/or rows to be exactly the same size.

Changing Width Manually

Move the cursor directly over one of the vertical lines in a table. Notice that the cursor changes from the familiar 'I' to an arrow, and then to a double vertical line with right-and-left pointing arrows. Position this last shape directly over the line, then click and drag the line to a new position. If no cells have been selected, your changes will affect the entire column.

Try selecting cells in one or two rows and moving the vertical lines in just the selected cells - you will find that you can change the size of a cell within a column without changing the entire column.

You might end up with something that looks like this (the three shaded cells in the bottom row were created by splitting the shaded area, which was one cell originally):

Table with split cell

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Inserting Cells

Another of Word 97's amazing tricks with tables: you can add cells to one or more rows without adding them to all rows. Look (strange, isn't it!) The white cell between the shaded cells in the bottom row was inserted. In the second row, I deleted a cell and shifted the remaining cell to the left:

Table with random cells added

Table 2 - Insert Cells 1. Select a cell or cells next to where you want to insert one or more new cells.

2. Right click in the selected area then left click on Insert Cells... Or you can select Insert Cells in the Table menu, or click on the Insert Cell button.

The dialog box shown here will open and you can specify which way you'd like the existing cells shifted when the new ones are inserted. You are also given the option of inserting entire rows or columns instead of cells.

If you've selected a single cell, a single cell (or row or column) will be inserted. To insert multiple rows or columns, select the appropriate number of rows or columns in your table.

For example, if you want to insert three rows, highlight three rows beneath where you want the new ones to appear before selecting Insert Rows.

Splitting and Merging Cells and Tables

Split Cells:

A better way to add a cell without creating a really strange table is to split an existing cell.

Position the cursor in the cell you want to split, or select several cells if you want to split more than one.
Click on the Split Cells button on the Tables and Borders toolbar or select Split Cells... in the Table menu.
In the Split Cells dialog box, specify the number of cells to create out of the selected cell. If you selected multiple cells, the number will reflect the total number of cells in the selected range after the split.

Merge Cells:

Use Merge Cells to combine two or more cells into a single large cell.

Table with Split & Merged Cells

Add a Row to a Table

If you hit the [Tab] key in the very last cell of the table, the one at the bottom right, Word 97 automatically adds another row.

And you can add rows anywhere in a table this way:

Select one or more rows just under where you want the new row(s) to be inserted.
Right click in the highlighted area.
Select Insert Rows from the context menu. The row(s) will be inserted just above the row(s) you highlighted in the first step.

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Split a Table Horizontally

If you enter data into a single table and then decide that, for clarity and/or consistency, you would prefer to show the data in two or more tables, it's easy to split the table.

Place the cursor in the row where you want the new table to start.
Select Split Table from the Table menu.

If you change your mind, you can rejoin the halves by deleting the paragraph symbol between the split tables (use the Show/Hide button (¶) on the toolbar, or press [Ctrl + Shift + *] (asterisk), to show paragraph and space codes).

Spacing Between Columns

Increase the space between columns (actually, the inside left and right cell margins) to leave some white space between vertical lines and text to improve readability.

1. Click somewhere inside the table.

2. Select Cell Height and Width... in the Table menu.

3. Select the Columns tab, then increase or decrease the Space Between Columns setting to add or delete space between the text in the column and the edge of the cell. This is particularly useful when you don't want to print vertical lines between columns.

Change the cell height

To change the cell height, select Cell Height and Width in the Table menu. Adjust the height of the row by selecting the Row tab and changing the number in the appropriate text box.

The height of the top row in the table shown below was set to Automatic - just enough room for the text, with a little white space around it.

The second row was adjusted as follows: cell height was set at 24 pt. with a 10 pt. font. Then I selected the row and used the Center Vertically button on the Tables and Borders tool bar to center the text vertically in the row.

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Entering & Formatting Text in Tables

To enter text in a table, simply click in the cell where you want to begin and start typing.

You can format table text just as you would regular text. Highlight a block of text (or a whole column or row) and change the font, alignment, or add text enhancements (bold, italics, etc.).

Using Tabs & Indents in Tables

You can set and use tabs in tables (almost) the same way that you do in regular text. Use the ruler bar to set the tabs (see the article on formatting documents in Word 97).

To use them, you must use the [Tab] key with the [Control] key (remember, the [Tab] key alone will move you to the next cell).

You can set paragraph indents or indent the first line of an entry (long text entries will wrap automatically), set hanging indents, or even create tabbed columns within a cell (if the cell is wide enough).

To maintain consistency, select an entire column or row and apply text formatting or set tabs at the same time for all the entries in that column or row. The cells can, of course, be formatted individually.

Using Shading

Use shading to enhance the appearance of your tables. Alternating shaded and unshaded rows or columns can make tables easier to read, especially if you don't print interior grid lines.

Select a row or column, then use the Shading Color button on the Tables and Borders toolbar

Click on the arrow next to the paint can icon to open the Shading Color palette and see the colors that are available.

Hold the mouse pointer over a color to see a tool tip with the color name - especially important when choosing shades of gray (see below).

Click on a shading color to select it and apply it to the highlighted cells in your table.

Unless you have a color printer available, use gray for shading effects in tables. Keep in mind that what may look good coming out of your printer will be much too dark if you make photocopies of it. 5-10% gray works well if you plan to make copies and want the text in the cells to be easy to read.

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Other Ways to Use Word 97 Tables

Using tables can simplify formatting of some text types. For example, look at this list of definitions:

plow n. 1. An implement used for breaking up, turning over, and cutting soil. 2. An implement functioning like a plow, esp. a snowplow. -v. 1. To break up, turn over, and cut (soil) with a plow. 2. To remove snow (from) with a snowplow. 3. To move or advance forcefully or laboriously.

harrow n. An implement with sharp teeth or upright disks for breaking up and smoothing soil. -v. 1. To pulverize (soil) with a harrow. 2. To distress greatly.

till v. To plow, harrow, and fertilize (land) before planting.

The definitions were formatted using a table (the gridlines are hidden and will not print). You could get the same effect with hanging indents, but this is extremely easy to set up and use, and it looks very tidy and professional.

Tables work well any time you need to format data in columns with minimal fuss, muss, and bother. And if you have to rearrange data, it's easy to drag text from one cell to another.

We've already seen examples of forms created using tables. If you've ever set up a form to be filled in on the computer - using text and underscores - I shouldn't have to explain the advantages of using tables instead.

For one thing, if you use fields in your form, you can keep users from accessing labels and other text you don't want them to be able to change; they can only type where you have inserted fields (see the article on Forms & Automating Documents for complete instructions).

And even better, no matter how much you type in a cell, the underline will stay where you put it!

Converting Text to Tables

If you already have tabbed columns set up in a document and want to convert them to tables, it's easy to do (save yourself some possible frustration later by cleaning up the original first):

Click on the Show/Hide button to show the tab and paragraph marks in the existing document.

Make sure there is no more than one tab mark (the little arrows) between each column. Your columns may not look particularly beautiful when you remove any extra tabs, but it's only temporary.

Highlight all the column text that you want to put into a table, then select Convert Text to Table in the Table menu.

In the Convert Text to Table dialog box, enter the number of columns and/or rows that you want in the table. You can also specify a column width and select an AutoFormat for the new table.
In the Separate text at portion of the dialog box, click the appropriate separator. If you're converting tabbed columns, select Tabs.
When you click OK, your tabbed columns (or paragraphs, etc.) will be converted to table format. You might have to make some adjustments, but they should be easy, especially if you remember to use drag and drop to arrange entries the way you want them.

You can likewise convert tables to text by selecting the table, then clicking on Convert Table to Text... in the Table menu. You will be asked how you want to separate the text - tabs, paragraph marks, commas. Select one, then click OK.

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