Table editing

[chrisbears]

Um, is it correct that I can't create a table by typing (width, height, number of columns/rows, width/height of columns/rows)  and instead have to try to drag the columns to the correct width with the mouse? 😧

[carl123]

The number of columns/rows can be set/typed by clicking on the double arrow icons on the table header columns/rows

The width/height of columns/rows can be set/typed in the Table Panel

[chrisbears]

Thanks, @carl123 that was very helpful.

[thomaso]

14 hours ago, carl123 said:

The width/height of columns/rows can be set/typed in the Table Panel

Is there a way to 'unlock' the total width of the table when one column width gets changed and to avoid an impact on other columns?

Example widths: A, B, C, D = 4 x 10 –> D gets increased to 15. The goal: prevent C from being auto-reduced by 5.

[Brian_J]

2 hours ago, thomaso said:

Is there a way to 'unlock' the total width of the table when one column width gets changed and to avoid an impact on other columns?

Not that I’m aware. If there is, I’d love to know how!

The width of a column can be changed without effecting other columns by Shift-click and dragging the separator in the table header. But in most cases, I want exact column width values, which usually requires entering column width values in the Table panel — if one column is resized, I have to re-enter the width values for all columns to the right of the one that was resized. It’s frustrating.

[carl123]

10 hours ago, Brian_J said:

if one column is resized, I have to re-enter the width values for all columns to the right of the one that was resized. It’s frustrating.

Make a mental note of the width of the last column in the table
Select the column you want to resize and CTRL+Click the last column in the table (so just these 2 columns are selected)
Use the Table Panel to input the size of the column you want to resize
Select just the last column and reinput the memorised column size back into the last column

Saves having to "re-enter the width values for all columns to the right of the one that was resized"

[thomaso]

14 hours ago, Brian_J said:

The width of a column can be changed without effecting other columns by Shift-click and dragging the separator in the table header.

4 hours ago, carl123 said:

Select the column you want to resize and CTRL+Click the last column in the table

Thank you both for this hints/workarounds! Strange, Serif seems to think that a change of column width should generally affect other columns and preserve the table width.

It reminds me to the according problem with columns in text frames: Does one of you know how to make its option "Preserve width" working if it's unselected, means to cause an automatic change of frame width if either the total number of columns or if a column width gets changed? To me in V1 this option never has an impact on the total frame width, it behaves as if it's always selected. Got this improved in V2?

[joe_l]

3 minutes ago, thomaso said:

Strange, Serif seems to think that a change of column width should generally affect other columns and preserve the table width.

Something I don't like about the tables. Holding the SHIFT key and manually preserving the width of other columns is not a good idea IMO.

[carl123]

23 minutes ago, thomaso said:

if either the total number of columns or if a column width gets changed? To me in V1 this option never has an impact on the total frame width, it behaves as if it's always selected. Got this improved in V2?

Preserve width has no effect on frame width when adding or deleting columns (it is not designed to)

Preserve width works correctly on Windows...

• when deselected the total frame width will change accordingly when adjusting columns or gutters 
• when selected the total frame width will never change when adjusting columns or gutters 

Also tested on V2 and it works the same

Maybe it was a Mac specific issue in V1

[Brian_J]

8 hours ago, carl123 said:

Make a mental note of the width of the last column in the table
Select the column you want to resize and CTRL+Click the last column in the table (so just these 2 columns are selected)
Use the Table Panel to input the size of the column you want to resize
Select just the last column and reinput the memorised column size back into the last column

Saves having to "re-enter the width values for all columns to the right of the one that was resized"

Thanks @carl123, that’s helpful!