Open topic with navigation

Configuring Columns

After you add a table or layout grid object to your template, you can customize the object by adding, moving, and deleting columns and by configuring column properties, such as width and horizontal alignment.

When you configure a table object, you can also specify properties for column borders and shading. For more information, refer to Configuring Borders and Shading.

For more information about the properties that you can configure for columns in your table or layout grid object, refer to Columns Property Page.

ClosedInserting a New Column

You can insert a new column into your table or layout grid object by using the object's context menu or Columns property page.

ClosedTo insert a column by using the context menu

  1. Use the secondary mouse button to click a cell in a column that is adjacent to the location in the table or layout grid where you want to insert another column.

  2. Point to Insert, and then click New Column to the Left or New Column to the Right to insert the new column in the location that you want.

ClosedTo insert a column by using the Columns property page

  1. Open the table or layout grid Object Properties dialog. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, use the secondary mouse button to click the object, and then click Properties.

  2. In the navigation pane, click Columns to display the Columns property page.

  3. In the Columns pane, click to select an existing column, and then click to insert a new column to the left of the column that you selected. Alternatively, select an existing column, and then click to add a new column on the right side of the object.

ClosedDuplicating an Existing Column

You can duplicate an existing column in your table or layout grid object by using the object's context menu or Columns property page.

When you duplicate a column, a new column is inserted that has the same property settings as the currently selected column and that contains the same objects that the currently selected column contains.

ClosedTo duplicate a column by using the context menu

  1. Use the secondary mouse button to click a cell in the column that you want to duplicate.

  2. Point to Duplicate, and then click This Column.

ClosedTo duplicate a column by using the Columns property page

  1. Open the table or layout grid Object Properties dialog. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, use the secondary mouse button to click the object, and then click Properties.

  2. In the navigation pane, click Columns to display the Columns property page.

  3. In the Columns pane, click to select the column that you want to duplicate, and then click to add the duplicate column adjacent to the column that you selected.

ClosedMoving a Column to the Left or Right

You can move a column to the left or right within your table or layout grid object by using the object's context menu or Columns property page.

When you move a column, the objects in that column are also moved.

ClosedTo move a column to the left or right by using the context menu

  1. Use the secondary mouse button to click a cell in the column that you want to move.

  2. Point to Move, and then click This Column Left or This Column Right to move the column to the location that you want.

ClosedTo move a column to the left or right by using the Columns property page

  1. Open the table or layout grid Object Properties dialog. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, use the secondary mouse button to click the object, and then click Properties.

  2. In the navigation pane, click Columns to display the Columns property page.

  3. In the Columns pane, click to select the column that you want to move, and then click to move the column one position to the left in the object or to move the column one position to the right in the object.

ClosedDeleting a Column

You can delete a column in your table or layout grid object by using the object's context menu or Columns property page.

When you delete a column, the objects in that column are also deleted.

ClosedTo delete a column by using the context menu

  1. Use the secondary mouse button to click a cell in the column that you want to delete.

  2. Point to Delete, and then click This Column.

ClosedTo delete a column by using the Columns property page

  1. Open the table or layout grid Object Properties dialog. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, use the secondary mouse button to click the object, and then click Properties.

  2. In the navigation pane, click Columns to display the Columns property page.

  3. In the Columns pane, click to select the column that you want to delete, and then click to delete the column.

ClosedSetting Column Width

You can set the properties for a column's width by using the mouse or the Columns property page.

ClosedTo set column width by using the mouse

  • Point to a column border in the table or layout grid object until the cursor changes shape, and then drag the border until the two adjacent columns are the width that you want.

When you use the mouse to move a column border, the Width Mode property for the two adjacent columns is changed to Fixed if it was previously set to Auto. For more information about the Width Mode property for a column in a table or layout grid object, refer to Columns Property Page.

ClosedTo set column width by using the Columns property page

  1. Open the table or layout grid Object Properties dialog. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, use the secondary mouse button to click the object, and then click Properties.

  2. In the navigation pane, click Columns to display the Columns property page.

  3. In the Columns pane, click to select the column that you want.

  4. In the Column Properties pane, specify the Width Mode that you want, and then specify the properties that are related to that width mode. For more information about the available column width properties, refer to Columns Property Page.

When all columns are set to a Width Mode of Fixed, you cannot change the width of the table or layout grid object by using the mouse. However, you can change the width by using the Table property page or the Layout Grid property page.

ClosedSetting Horizontal Alignment

You can set horizontal alignment for the column by using the Columns property page.

ClosedTo set horizontal alignment for the column by using the Columns property page

  1. Open the table or layout grid Object Properties dialog. To do this, double-click the object. Alternatively, use the secondary mouse button to click the object, and then click Properties.

  2. In the navigation pane, click Columns to display the Columns property page.

  3. In the Columns pane, click to select the column that you want.

  4. In the Column Properties pane, click Horizontal Alignment, click , and then click to select Left, Center, or Right.

Related Topics