How Can I Get My Tables In Publisher To Look Like This?

[AntiqueFlaneur]

I'd like to create tables that look similar to this in publisher. Namely, that there are distinct cells with gaps between each cell. Bonux points if I can make the table cells other shapes. How can I do this?

[thomaso]

You can either assign fill & stroke to the cells of a table, or, instead using a table, create a shape as one cell and multiple copies (ctrl/cmd-J) for a table, with the advantage that the "cell" may have any shape you like … and the shapes of various cells may even vary.

[David in Яuislip]

1 hour ago, AntiqueFlaneur said:

Bonux points if I can make the table cells other shapes

The overall look isn't too hard but it's a bit of a fight, hopefully this'll get you started

Mainly use the Table panel
Set the top row height and left column width to suit the enlarged characters then select the rest and set the cell width/height the same. Empty squares and symbols bottom right done with the Glyph browser in unfilled cells

BlackSquares.afpub

[lacerto]

If you additionally have Designer, you can combine the Data Merge functionality, already quite powerful, with Symbols (available in Designer and in Publisher via Designer Persona), and build whatever compositions you wish within symbol folder and have it replicated on all pages of the document.

 

 

[AntiqueFlaneur]

On 3/7/2023 at 1:29 PM, David in Яuislip said:

The overall look isn't too hard but it's a bit of a fight, hopefully this'll get you started

Mainly use the Table panel
Set the top row height and left column width to suit the enlarged characters then select the rest and set the cell width/height the same. Empty squares and symbols bottom right done with the Glyph browser in unfilled cells

BlackSquares.afpub 410.05 kB · 2 downloads

Thanks so much for your help. Can you tell me why the lower right corner has a different "thickness" of black line between the cells?

 

BlackCalendarUpload.afpub

[AntiqueFlaneur]

On 3/7/2023 at 1:22 PM, thomaso said:

You can either assign fill & stroke to the cells of a table, or, instead using a table, create a shape as one cell and multiple copies (ctrl/cmd-J) for a table, with the advantage that the "cell" may have any shape you like … and the shapes of various cells may even vary.

A perhaps stupid question. Am I correct in thinking that "fill" is the color inside the cell, and the "stroke" is the interval between cells?

[thomaso]

10 hours ago, AntiqueFlaneur said:

"fill" is the color inside the cell, and the "stroke" is the interval between cells?

I wouldn't call the "stroke" an "interval" between cells but rather a coloured edge, border or frame of a cell. "Interval" sounds ambiguous: it could also mean the cell Inset – or the Gutter between cells in a Data Merge object (see above). The Stroke reduces the cell fill dimensions, while the Gutter is additional space between cells, and the Inset is a margin for the cell contents. Inset and Gutter can be transparent, Stroke doesn't.

https://affinity.help/publisher/English.lproj/index.html?page=pages/Panels/tablePanel.html?title=Table panel

[David in Яuislip]

5 hours ago, AntiqueFlaneur said:

Can you tell me why the lower right corner has a different "thickness" of black line between the cells?

Your table is 16" x 22.575, if you change this to 15.977 x 22.55 it looks about right
Note that the new cell size is 0.299 x 0.278, was 0.299 x 0.278 which seems weird
If you change document units to pixels then new cell size is 89.71 x 83.262, was 89.84 x 83.354
Note that the Table panel units don't update until you kill it then reshow it, more weirdness as the Transform panel updates immediately

Regarding the colours, your assumption is correct

[thomaso]

On 3/13/2023 at 4:05 AM, AntiqueFlaneur said:

Can you tell me why the lower right corner has a different "thickness" of black line between the cells?

Because they have a different stroke width assigned. (0.113 in | 0.0046 in)