Standardize existing tables

[eMan]

In Word 2007, I would like to apply the same attributes to all pre-
existing tables in a document (dozens and dozens). The attributes are:

Critical: paragraph (or text) style, table->indent from left, first
row, first colum, banded rows, banded columns, last row, last column,
allow row to break across pages, repeat header rows, total row.

Other properties are optional. I've seen some of the macro options
listed for Word 2000, but that sort of thing looks a little tough for
this situation, and I think the AutoText options are inapplicable.

Since I have so many existing tables with different indents, shading
and other variations, I'm afraid that the only thing I can do is
recreate every one of them, which would not be easy, since there a
variety of numbers of rows/columns, auto-fit settings, and other
properties.

Does anyone know of a way to avoid this work. TIA.

 

[Peter A]

In Word 2007, I would like to apply the same attributes to all pre-
existing tables in a document (dozens and dozens). The attributes are:

Critical: paragraph (or text) style, table->indent from left, first
row, first colum, banded rows, banded columns, last row, last column,
allow row to break across pages, repeat header rows, total row.

Other properties are optional. I've seen some of the macro options
listed for Word 2000, but that sort of thing looks a little tough for
this situation, and I think the AutoText options are inapplicable.

Since I have so many existing tables with different indents, shading
and other variations, I'm afraid that the only thing I can do is
recreate every one of them, which would not be easy, since there a
variety of numbers of rows/columns, auto-fit settings, and other
properties.

Does anyone know of a way to avoid this work. TIA.

You can define ne or more table styles that give the appearance you
want, then apply them to the various tables. There are some limitations
to what table styles can do, however.

 

[PamC]

Table styles work well for setting the grid, inside cell margins, banding,
identifying the heading row, table alignment, etc. Create a custom table
style based on Table Grid (the simplest of the styles, I think, and a
modifiable clone of Table
Normal--which apparently cannot be modified) with the attributes you want.

Avoid setting font attributes in a table style, though. You and other users
will just end up fighting with it later. I create custom paragraph styles
for tables (table heading, table text, and table bullets 1 & 2 usually
suffice.)

When modifying the tables,
- Select the whole table.
- Apply Table Grid style to clear of any table style that may have been
applied.
- Apply your custom table style.
- Deselect the table, select the heading row, and apply the table heading
style.

(as few as 6 clicks of the mouse)

If the existing tables are have simple content and are all of the same
type, you could easily make a macro to do this. If they are not, doing this
by hand allows you to, from the Table Design tab, turn heading rows, banding,
and other attributes on or off per individual table.

This method can greatly reduce the time it takes to reformat tables--even
though you still may have to go back and fix the fix bullet lists.

PamC

 

[eMan]

You can define ne or more table styles that give the appearance you
want, then apply them to the various tables. There are some limitations
to what table styles can do, however.

--
Peter Aitken
Author, MS Word for Medical and Technical Writerswww.tech-word.com- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yup, that worked. I had no idea the extent to which you could control
table styles.Thanks!

 

[PamC]

Oops! Please see the corrections:

When modifying the tables,
- Select the whole table.
- Apply Table Grid style to clear the table of any table style that may have
been
applied.
- Apply your custom table style.
**Apply your table text paragraph style
- Deselect the table, select the heading row, and apply the table heading
style.

**(as few as 7 clicks of the mouse)


If the existing tables are have simple content and are all of the same
type, you could easily make a macro to do this. If they are not, doing this
by hand allows you to, from the Table Design tab, turn heading rows, banding,
and other attributes on or off per individual table.

This method can greatly reduce the time it takes to reformat tables--even
though you still may have to go back and fix the fix bullet lists ** or
replace manual formatting.**

PamC

 

[Peter A]

Oops! Please see the corrections:

When modifying the tables,
- Select the whole table.
- Apply Table Grid style to clear the table of any table style that may have
been
applied.
- Apply your custom table style.
**Apply your table text paragraph style
- Deselect the table, select the heading row, and apply the table heading
style.

Generally speaking it is a bad idea to mix paragraph styles with table
styles. The formatting that you would define in a paragraph style can
all be done in the table style - mixing the two can cause weird
formatting problems. In some cases where you need rather complex
formatting it may be the only choice, however.

 

[eMan]

Oops! Please see the corrections:

When modifying the tables,
- Select the whole table.
- Apply Table Grid style to clear the table of any table style that may have
been
applied.
- Apply your custom table style.
**Apply your table text paragraph style
- Deselect the table, select the heading row, and apply the table heading
style.

**(as few as 7 clicks of the mouse)

If the existing tables are have simple content and are all of the same
type, you could easily make a macro to do this. If they are not, doing this
by hand allows you to, from the Table Design tab, turn heading rows, banding,
and other attributes on or off per individual table.

This method can greatly reduce the time it takes to reformat tables--even
though you still may have to go back and fix the fix bullet lists ** or
replace manual formatting.**

PamC

I found that a lot of settings didn't even require selecting the
entire table. All the setting I tried were able to be selected and put
into effect from any cell in the table. For example, you can select
attributes of top row, total row, first column and last column from a
cell in the middle of the table and they are retained with the style
you create.