Converting formatted text to table

[Tom Smith]

Word 2003 under Win XP.

I have created an interview protocol as text which I would now like to
convert to a table. The protocol consists of a series of numbered
questions--using an uncomplicated number style in a template.

In a test document I proceeded as follows: Table|Convert|Text to Table,
leaving me with a one column table. I then added a second column to the
left. To my surprise all the (empty) cells in that new column got a number,
and all the cells got numbered in sequence. Thus my original item numbered
one (in the 2nd column) became 2, the empty cell to its left got a number 1,
below that 3, and to 3's right, the former item 2, now numbered 4 (if that
makes sense).

I went through the newly created column and deleted all the numbers,
whereupon the table took on the form I wanted, and the items resumed their
original numbering.

Two questions: Does anyone know why this happened? And is the resulting
document (particularly this table) likely to be stable? I'd as soon abandon
the conversion if there are likely to be problems.

Thanks to any and all for help.

Tom

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

When you added a column, it took on the formatting of the existing one,
which included numbers. You could easily have selected either column and
clicked the Numbering button to turn the numbering off, or, if you were
using a specific numbered style in the second column, applied a different
style (Normal, say) to the first column.

 

[Lene Fredborg]

According to my experience, what you have seen is normal Word behaviour (i.e.
it is unlikely that it will cause the table to be unstable).

When you insert a column (to the left or to the right), Word seems to follow
these rules:
Each cell in the new column will be applied the same paragraph style as the
first paragraph in the cell immediately to the right - if there is no cell to
the right, the style of the cell to the left will be used.
In case of numbering, the numbering first goes across a row, then down.

--
Regards
Lene Fredborg
DocTools - Denmark
www.thedoctools.com
Document automation - add-ins, macros and templates for Microsoft Word

 

[Tom Smith]

Thanks Suzanne and Lene for your helpful information. I was away for a
couple of days and didn't have time to thank you both earlier. Tom