Possible to disable Auto-sizing of columns, Word 2003??

[Brucer]

Hi,

I have been using tables for years, but in the 2003 version of Word, I am having problems with widths of columns.

I have a table created, and would now like to se individual columns to certain fixed widths (column 1 = 1/2 inch, column 2 = 2 inches, etc.). So, I select a column, go into Table Properties | Column and set the Preferred Width to the value I want. However, this doesn't seem to lock the value (as "preferred" might indiicate) so when I later size columns further to the right, some of my earlier values change.

Another behavior that I believe is related is when, for example, I set the width of column 1 to 1" and the width of column 2 to 2". In older versions of Word, if I selected the first column, the draged the edge of the column to the right by 1", I would now have a 2" column 1, and a 2" column 2, because column 2 would maintain its size and scoot over. (This is the behavior I want). In Word 2003, doing the above would leave me with column 1 of 2" and column 2 of 1" (the overall width of the table stays the same, so when column 1 gets bigger, the column next to it gets smaller by the same amount (Not the behavior I want).

I have also tried the Table | Autofit | Fixed Column Width option, but it seems to not have the desired affect. And, I have tried un-selecting the checkbox named Preferred Width for the entire table, under Table | Table Properties | Table, also to no apparent effect.

Is there someway I can disable all of this "automatic" help I am getting?

Anybody have any suggestions?

thanks in advance
bruce

 

[garfield-n-odie]

Hold down the Shift key while dragging a column border, and you will get
the behavior you want.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I assume you've already turned off auto resizing (Table Properties | Table |
Options). You can get more control over column widths by reverting to the
old Cell Height and Width dialog; see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/TablePropProbs.htm.

Also, as g-n-o pointed out, you get various results depending on how you
drag the column borders. These are spelled out in
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/TableBasics.htm

Hi,

I have been using tables for years, but in the 2003 version of Word, I am

having problems with widths of columns.

I have a table created, and would now like to se individual columns to

certain fixed widths (column 1 = 1/2 inch, column 2 = 2 inches, etc.). So,
I select a column, go into Table Properties | Column and set the Preferred
Width to the value I want. However, this doesn't seem to lock the value (as
"preferred" might indiicate) so when I later size columns further to the
right, some of my earlier values change.

Another behavior that I believe is related is when, for example, I set the

width of column 1 to 1" and the width of column 2 to 2". In older versions
of Word, if I selected the first column, the draged the edge of the column
to the right by 1", I would now have a 2" column 1, and a 2" column 2,
because column 2 would maintain its size and scoot over. (This is the
behavior I want). In Word 2003, doing the above would leave me with column
1 of 2" and column 2 of 1" (the overall width of the table stays the same,
so when column 1 gets bigger, the column next to it gets smaller by the same
amount (Not the behavior I want).

I have also tried the Table | Autofit | Fixed Column Width option, but it

seems to not have the desired affect. And, I have tried un-selecting the
checkbox named Preferred Width for the entire table, under Table | Table
Properties | Table, also to no apparent effect.

 

[Brucer]

Suzanne -- thanks for all of the great references -- EXACTLY what I was looking for

bruce

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Glad I could help.