10 Minute Guide to Word for Windows 95

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- 27 -
Tables

In this lesson, you'll learn how to add tables to your documents.

Uses for Tables

A table lets you organize information in a row and column format. Each entry in a table, called a cell, is independent of all other entries. You can have almost any number of rows and columns in a table. You also have a great deal of control over the size and formatting of each cell. A table cell can contain anything that a Word document can contain except another table-text, graphics, and so on.


Timesaver Tip: Why Tables? Use tables for columns of numbers, lists, and anything else that requires a row and column arrangement.

Inserting a Table

You can insert a new, empty table at any location within your document. Just follow these steps:

1. Move the insertion point to where you want the table.

2. Select Table Insert Table. The Insert Table dialog box, as shown in Figure 27.1, is displayed.

Figure 27.1
The Insert Table dialog box.

3. If you want to use the Table Wizard to create your table, click the Wizard button. Lesson 4 showed you how to use Wizards. Otherwise, continue with the next step.

4. In the Number of Columns and Number of Rows boxes, click the arrows or enter the number of rows and columns the table should have. (You can adjust these numbers later if you wish.)

5. In the Column Width box, select the desired width for each column, in inches. Select Auto in this box to have the page width evenly divided among the specified number of columns.

6. Select OK. A blank table is created with the insertion point in the first cell. Figure 27.2, for example, shows a blank table with 4 rows and 3 columns.

Figure 27.2
A blank table with 4 rows and 3 columns.


Timesaver Tip: Quick Tables To quickly insert a table, click the Table button on the Standard Toolbar, then drag over the desired number of rows and columns.

Working in a Table

When the insertion point is in a table cell, you can enter and edit text as you would in the rest of the document. Text entered in a cell automatically wraps to the next line within the column width. Navigate in a table using the special key combinations listed below:
Press this To
Tab Move to the next cell in a row.
Shift+Tab Move to the previous cell in a row.
Alt+Home Move to the first cell in the current row.
Alt+PgUp Move to the top cell in the current column.
Alt+End Move to the last cell in the current row.
Alt+PgDn Move to the last cell in the current column.
If the insertion point is at the edge of a cell, you can also use the arrow keys to move between cells.

Editing and Formatting a Table

Once you've created a table and entered some information, you can edit its contents and format its appearance to suit your needs.

Deleting and Inserting Cells, Rows, and Columns

You can delete individual cells, erasing their contents and leaving a blank cell. You can also delete entire rows and columns. When you do so, columns to the right or rows below move to fill in for the deleted row or column.


Timesaver Tip: Fast Select! To select an entire cell, click in the left margin of the cell, between the text and the cell border. The mouse pointer changes to an arrow when it's in this area.

To delete the contents of a cell:

1. Select the cell.

2. Press Del.

To delete an entire row or column:

1. Move the insertion point to any cell in the row or column to be deleted.

2. Select Table Delete Cells. A dialog box is displayed (see Figure 27.3).

Figure 27.3
The Delete Cells dialog box.

3. In the dialog box, select Delete Entire Row or Delete Entire Column.

4. Select OK. The row or column is deleted.

To insert a single row or column:

1. Move the insertion point to a cell to the right of where you want the new column or below where you want the new row.

2. Select Table Insert Columns to insert a new, blank column to the left of the selected column. Select Table Insert Rows to insert a new, blank row above the selected row.


Timesaver Tip: It Varies! The commands on the Table menu change according to circumstances. For example, if you have selected a column in a table, the Insert Columns command is displayed but the Insert Rows command is not.

To insert more than one row or column:

1. Select cells that span the number of rows or columns you want to insert. For example, to insert three new rows between rows 2 and 3, select cells in rows 3, 4, and 5 (in any column).

2. Select Table Select Row (if inserting rows) or Table Select Column (if inserting columns).

3. Select Table Insert Rows or Table Insert Columns, as appropriate.

To insert a new row at the bottom of the table:

1. Move the insertion point to the last cell in the last row of the table.

2. Press Tab. A new row is added at the bottom of the table.

To insert a new column at the right edge of the table:

1. Click just outside the table's right border.

2. Select Table Select Column.

3. Select Table Insert Columns.

Moving or Copying Columns and Rows

Here's how to copy or move an entire column or row from one location in a table to another.

1. Select the column or row.

2. To copy, press Ctrl+C or click the Copy button on the Standard Toolbar. To move, press Ctrl+X or click the Cut button.

3. Move insertion point to the new location for the column or row. It will be inserted above or to the left of the location of the insertion point.

4. Press Ctrl+C or click the Paste button on the Standard Toolbar.

Changing Column Width

You can quickly change the width of a column with the mouse:

1. Point at the right border of the column whose width you want to change. The mouse pointer changes to a pair of thin vertical lines with arrowheads pointing left and right.

2. Drag the column border to the desired width.

You can also use a dialog box to change column widths:

1. Move the insertion point to any cell in the column you want to change.

2. Select Table Cell Height and Width. The Cell Height and Width dialog box is displayed (see Figure 27.4). If necessary, click the Column tab to display the column options.

Figure 27.4
The Cell Height and Width dialog box, with the Column tab showing.

3. In the Width of Column box, type in the desired column width, or click the up and down arrows to change the setting. To automatically adjust the column width to fit the widest cell entry, click the Autofit button.

4. Change the value in the Space Between Columns box to modify spacing between columns.

5. Click Next Column or Previous Column to change the settings for other columns in the table.

6. Select OK. The table changes to reflect the new column settings.

Automatic Table Formatting

The AutoFormat command makes it a snap to apply attractive formatting to any table:

1. Place the insertion point anywhere in the table.

2. Select Table Table AutoFormat. The Table AutoFormat dialog box is displayed (Figure 27.5).

Figure 27.5
Use the Table AutoFormat dialog box to apply table formatting.

3. The Formats box lists the available table formats. As you scroll through the list, the Preview box shows the appearance of the highlighted format.

4. In the lower section of the dialog box are a number of formatting options. Select and deselect options as needed until the preview shows the table appearance you want.

5. Select OK. The selected formatting is applied to the table.

In this lesson, you learned how to add tables to your documents. In the next lesson, you'll learn how to add graphics to your documents.


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