Creating and Editing Tables in the HTML Editor

The HTML editor provides tools that make it easy to create and edit tables in your HTML pages.

To create a table

1. From the Table menu, choose Insert Table.
   
   
2. In the Insert Table dialog box, set the number of rows and columns you want the table to include.
   
   
3. Set any other table attributes you need, and then choose OK.

Tip   If the table does not have a border, you can make it easier to work with in Design view by choosing the Visible Borders button in the Design toolbar.

Browsers do not display table cells that have no content. Therefore, the HTML editor puts a non-breaking space into each cell so that the table will be visible in Design view and Quick view. If you remove the non-breaking space and do not replace it with other text, the cell is collapsed.

To edit the contents of a cell

• Place the insertion point in the cell and type. You can place the insertion point in a cell that is collapsed (because it has no content), but the insertion point will be very small until you have added content.

Note   If you delete the contents of all cells in a row, the entire row is collapsed, and you will not be able to place the insertion point into the row at all. However, you can still edit the table in Source view.

You can add rows, columns, and cells to an existing table.

To add or delete rows, columns, and cells

1. Place the insertion point into the row or column where you want to add.

   Note   Placing the cursor inside a cell is sufficient to select that cell, column, or row. You do not need to select the entire contents of the cell, column, or row.

2. From the Table menu, choose the appropriate command to add the element you want. New rows are added above the current row. New columns and cells are added to the left of the current cell.

You can also split or merge cells.

To split cells

1. Place the cursor in the cell.
   
   
2. From the Table menu, choose Split Cell.

   The current cell is split into two cells that fit within the existing column.

To merge cells

1. Select text across the cells you want to merge. You do not need to select all the text in each cell. The cell is selected as long as at least one character in the cell is selected.
   
   
2. From the Table menu, choose Merge Cells.

Some operations, such as setting properties or specifying absolute positioning, require that you select the entire table.

To select the entire table

• Move the insertion point over the edge of the table until it turns to a move cursor, and then click.