varying size of cells in a row

[bird lover]

I use three columns, ie. personal, office, todo. Information in cells
varies, anywhere from one to twenty lines. If I put twenty lines in column 3,
then column one expands proportionately which leaves lot of unnecessary white
space and lengthens the table.

Is there a way in which the cell in a column will expand only to the extent
I put data into that particular cell, while the size of the cell in rows in
other adjacent columns remains the standard size.

If not capable in MSWord, can it be done in MSACCess. I don't know excel.

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

I know of no software that will display data in that way. At least not
without some manipulation. You could for example after entering the data in
column 3, split the cells in column 1 (and 2).

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Jay Freedman]

I think if you want the cell lengths in the three columns to be independent,
then what you really want is three separate side-by-side one-column tables.

One way to do this is this:

- Turn on nonprinting characters by clicking the ¶ button.
- In a blank document, go to Format > Columns and choose three columns, with
0.16" spacing between columns (you may need to adjust this spacing later to get
the table borders to show but not get too much space between them).
- Press Enter three times.
- With the cursor between the first and second paragraph marks, go to Insert >
Break and choose Column Break.
- With the cursor between the second and third paragraph marks, again insert a
Column Break.
- With the cursor at the left end of the first column break, insert a 1-column
table. Move to the left end of the second column break, and insert another
1-column table.
- Turn off nonprinting characters by clicking the ¶ button again.

Another method would involve keeping the text as one column, but setting the
three tables as "floating" so they can appear side by side. Unfortunately that
sometimes results in tables that float out of position and are hard to control.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so all
may benefit.

 

[bird lover]

Thanks. It's a decent workaround.

I know of no software that will display data in that way. At least not
without some manipulation. You could for example after entering the data in
column 3, split the cells in column 1 (and 2).

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[StevenM]

To: Bird Lover,

How about creating one 3-column "layout" table and then put an individual
1-column table in each column of the "layout" table. The 3 columns would then
expand as you put in text in them indepentently of the other columns. One can
easily place a table inside another table using Word.

Steven Craig Miller

 

[StevenM]

Perhaps I could have been more clear.

One could create a 3-column-1-row "layout" table. This "layout" table would
have only three cells. Then one could insert a 1-column-many-rows table in
each cell of the "layout" table. Each column would then expand & contract
independently of the other columns.

Steven Craig Miller

 

[bird lover]

Your suggestion was brilliant. I made the borders of the mother table
invisible, then inserted the one column rows. It looks fine. Thanks.

 

[StevenM]

To: Bird Lover,

You're welcome.

A couple of other thoughts, depending on one's tastes. One could make the
"layout" table two rows, and use the first row as a header row. Also, one
could remove the cell margins in the "layout" table. Word usually adds a
small margin to the left and right sides of a table cell. If the cell margins
of the "layout" table were removed (modified to zero), then the sides of the
table inserted inside the "layout" table would almost invisibly rest next to
the sides of the "layout" table columns.

Steven Craig Miller