Table Frustration :-)

[Jan Martel]

<rant> Why are tables set up with "automatically resize to fit contents"
checked? And it takes two screens to get rid of it (and at first took me a
lot of searching to find that "options" tab to do it)?

Serious question:
I set up a table with 11 columns. I went and unchecked "automatically
resize." the table promptly spread itself out into my margin. Why? How can I
prevent this (or do I really have to manually resize all the columns? Can I
somehow define a style for tables that will solve this? (I spent a lot of
time setting up a brand new template for this document - learning a lot
along the way ;-), but I didn¹t do styles for tables because I didn't plan
to use tables in this doc. Then I decided one thing really called out for a
table. Maybe I should just do this with tabs instead of a table. At least I
know how to use those. TIA for any advice.

 

[Clive Huggan]

<rant> Why are tables set up with "automatically resize to fit contents"
checked? And it takes two screens to get rid of it (and at first took me a
lot of searching to find that "options" tab to do it)?

Er, I'll let someone else answer that. I'm not good at guessing at
motivations ...

Serious question:
I set up a table with 11 columns. I went and unchecked "automatically
resize." the table promptly spread itself out into my margin. Why? How can I
prevent this (or do I really have to manually resize all the columns? Can I
somehow define a style for tables that will solve this? (I spent a lot of
time setting up a brand new template for this document - learning a lot
along the way ;-), but I didn¹t do styles for tables because I didn't plan
to use tables in this doc. Then I decided one thing really called out for a
table. Maybe I should just do this with tabs instead of a table. At least I
know how to use those. TIA for any advice.

I haven't had to deal with problems like this since I created some AutoText
entries that give me the types of tables I want: in my case 1/4 point lines,
not 1/2; only horizontal lines (most people won't want this); no automatic
resize; no cell break allowed; and so on.

Broadly I did it this way: I formatted a single-column cell exactly as I
wanted, then selected it and gave it an AutoText name such as "1ch, 1 col
horiz lines". Now, whenever I want to have a table like this I just type
"1ch", hold down Shift, left-arrow three times to select, and key
Command-Option-v. Whammy! My lovely just-as-I-want-it table appears, ready
for me to add the number of rows I want by holding down the tab key.

After I did the single-column example, I formatted others with more columns
(from scratch, because I found it quicker than adding cells to "1cb"). So
"6cb" gives me six columns, and so on.

It's easy to change column widths in these examples, with or without the
Shift key held down.

(I also created a customized toolbar with icons showing the numbers of cells
-- so by clicking on "6" will insert a 6-column table -- but I only use it
in preference to the keystroke when I have many tables to insert.)

If this interests you, Jan, download my notes on Word, "Bend Word to your
Will" at www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/WordMac/Bend/BendWord.htm and look on page
76 for the full story (but read the introductory pages first).

(In checking page 76, I've just noticed that the reference to "2ch" should
have been "1ch". An updated version of the notes will probably be posted in
the next week or so, which will correct that error and add some comments
prompted by your query. That's why I like responding to queries like yours,
Jan -- they give me an opportunity to look at the way I do things through
fresh eyes.)

BTW, all the above took me only about 15 minutes to do -- a good investment
in time-saving (temper-saving?) for ever-and-a-day afterwards.


-- Clive Huggan
* Please post all comments to the newsgroup for the benefit of others who
may be interested.
* Remove "the" from my address above if you need to send an e-mail to me
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* If anyone is still reading down this far, here's a question: is it time
for you to back up your Normal template and all your Word settings (to a
medium other than your hard drive)?
============================================================

 

[Jan Martel]

Broadly I did it this way: I formatted a single-column cell exactly as I
wanted, then selected it and gave it an AutoText name such as "1ch, 1 col
horiz lines". Now, whenever I want to have a table like this I just type
"1ch", hold down Shift, left-arrow three times to select, and key
Command-Option-v. Whammy! My lovely just-as-I-want-it table appears, ready
for me to add the number of rows I want by holding down the tab key.

Thank you! That's a great solution and definitely worth the time to
implement. My computer thanks you too, because it was getting tired of
hearing me swear at it .