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Tables
Tables are great for changing the layout of your page and presenting information. They can give you more control over where things are placed on the page. Tables are also the way to place graphics where you want on the page. However, sometimes they can be very difficult to setup.
Add a Table
Click on the table button.
Choose the number of rows and columns from the menu
Click OK.OR, click on the table button and drag down and right to define the rows and columns.
Adding Text and Graphics to the Table
Type text in the table as normal.
To add a graphic, click in the table, then add the graphic as described before.
To add text or graphics already on the page, select the text or graphics and drag it until you see the blinking cursor in the cell where you want the text or graphics placed.
NOTE: the cell will take the amount of space of the text (or returns) within it.Edit the Table
Click on the edge of the table so it is selected as shown below:
Be sure your are viewing the inspector. (Remember on the Mac, choose Window,Show Inspector. On the PC, choose View, Show Inspector.) When the whole table is selected, the inspector will be as shown to the right.
Width Allows you to change the relative or fixed width of the table. I usually change the width to 80-90 percent.
Note: Be careful with using pixels to define the width of the table. The lower end browsers and screens can only view about 600 pixels across. If you want to set it to a specific width, I'd suggest 500 or less. Percent is a better way to define the width and height because it will adapt to the size of the browser screen.
Border Lets you change the lines around the table. 0 will make it invisible (I use this to help layout). The greater the number the thicker the line.
Spacing and Padding Changes the space between the lines of the table and the text. If I have text in a table, I always set these to 5. (This is measured in pixels).
Edit the Cell
Double click in a cell so the cursor is blinking within it. Then click in the middle of the cell and drag to the left so the cell(s) is(are) selected as shown below:
Be sure you are viewing the inspector. (Remember on the Mac, choo
se Window, Show Inspector. On the PC, choose View, Show Inspector.) When one or more cells are selected, the inspector will be as shown to the right.
Width will let you change the width of that cell/column. I usually do this by dragging the column divider instead of setting it with numbers as described below.
Vertical Align Changes the vertical alignment of the text (top, middle, bottom)
Horizontal Align Changes the horizontal alignment of the text (left, middle, right)
Background Changes the background color of the selected cell(s).
Other Editing Features
You can change the width and height of columns and rows by moving the mouse over the table dividers till they change to a double arrow. Click and drag in the direction you want. (This is setting pixel sizes).
When you have one or more cells selected, you can also add rows and columns by using the following buttons on the menu:
Insert Column
Delete Column
Insert Row
Delete Row
Join Cells (this one works only with more than one cell selected)
To Change the Alignment of the Whole Table
Click on the very edge to select the whole table.
The select object box will appear around the table.
Use the same alignment buttons you used for text and graphics.
© 2000 Instructions created by Janine Lim for Berrien County Intermediate School District and shared with AVLN by permission.
