change column widths within a single row

[Dennison]

I'm sure the instruction is simple - but I cannot find in Help, Videos or Forums

 

How to change the column widths in a single row, leaving column widths in adjacent rows untouched.

 

Thanks for any help,

Dennison

[GarryP]

Dennison: Your question would have been better asked in the appropriate “Questions” section of the forums rather than the “Tutorials” section as the “Tutorials” section is for people posting tutorials for other people to follow. A moderator will probably move this thread for you so there’s no need to duplicate this elsewhere.

[Dennison]

ok, my apologies

 

[carl123]

55 minutes ago, Dennison said:

How to change the column widths in a single row, leaving column widths in adjacent rows untouched.

There is a columns section in the Text Frame panel that may do what you want, but your question is a bit vague

Or do you mean Table columns?

[Alfred]

For columns in a text frame, untick ‘Preserve width’ if you want to adjust a column without forcing the overall width of the frame to remain the same. This will allow the widths of adjacent columns to be unaffected.

Affinity Publisher Help: Text Frame panel

For columns in a table, Shift-click and drag on a separator in the header area between two adjacent columns.

Affinity Publisher Help: Editing tables

[Dennison]

Thanks for your prompt replies.  Apologies if I was not clear - Table Cells.  (I was not aware Text Frames could have rows)

Here are two samples.    

TOP - standard table

BOTTOM - the effect I'm trying to achieve with specific rows having different column widths

(this sample was doctored to show result)

 

thanks,,

Den

[carl123]

For something like this you need to think ahead to calculate the total number of columns you need (6)

Then use Table > Merge Cells to create the final pattern

 

[Dennison]

okay I see. That's a good work around.  Many thanks.

[Alfred]

35 minutes ago, carl123 said:

For something like this you need to think ahead to calculate the total number of columns you need (6)

Well, only 4 in this particular scenario, Carl: A+B in your screenshot can be a single column, as can E+F. Then the middle two cells can be merged together for rows 1 and 3, and the left-hand one of those two can be merged with the leftmost cell for rows 2 and 4.

33 minutes ago, Dennison said:

That's a good work around.

I don’t think you should regard this as a mere workaround. It’s pretty standard table functionality.

[Wosven]

11 minutes ago, Alfred said:

Well, only 4 in this particular scenario, Carl: A+B in your screenshot can be a single column, as can E+F. Then the middle two cells can be merged together for rows 1 and 3, and the left-hand one of those two can be merged with the leftmost cell for rows 2 and 4.

That's the logical way, but for people who had to struggle and try to win against columns's width living their own live, in term of spend time, @carl123 's way can be the fastest

[Wosven]

4 minutes ago, Wosven said:

can be the fastest

… in some other app in which each entry of the right-click menu can be done hitting the underlined character representing its shortcut ("f" in this example).

But Affinity apps lack this simple functionality on Windows.

 

In this case, it's the 1st option, so it's easy to click, but it would be better to have this for all the options.

[Alfred]

49 minutes ago, Wosven said:

… in some other app in which each entry of the right-click menu can be done hitting the underlined character representing its shortcut ("f" in this example).

But Affinity apps lack this simple functionality on Windows.

That’s an important accessibility feature, so it should be available.

50 minutes ago, Wosven said:

In this case, it's the 1st option, so it's easy to click, but it would be better to have this for all the options.

It’s only easy to click if you’re using a mouse! With only a keyboard but no keyboard shortcuts you have to use the arrow keys to move the focus to the option that you want, and then press Enter to confirm your choice.

[Wosven]

53 minutes ago, Alfred said:

It’s only easy to click if you’re using a mouse! With only a keyboard but no keyboard shortcuts you have to use the arrow keys to move the focus to the option that you want, and then press Enter to confirm your choice.

Exactly. I've got combo of shortcuts I do simply right-clicking and hitting the keys looking at the keyboard (years spend using one, and I keep needing looking at it...), not needing to look at the menus.

I suppose it's why some of us complain about too many clicks to do in those apps...