Aligning tables with paragraph styles

[antimuon]

I noticed that a paragraph style applied to a table (cursor placed to the right of the table) is not indicated in the style list field and the status bar indicates that several styles are set. The only way to see the applied style seems to be in the XML code. Is this how it is supposed to work? Why is the style wrapping around a table not shown?

[Tim Green]

Every table occupies an entire paragraph on its own by default. The style of the container paragraph has no effect on the text within the table. It only defines the alignment and space before/after around the table -- i.e. the paragraph attributes, not the text attributes. The style of this paragraph is easiest to set before you insert a table into it. Afterwards, there are two ways to access the paragraph to format it:

• Put the cursor in the LAST character of the LAST cell in the table and press the right arrow key ONCE. The cursor is then in the container paragraph just outside the table.
• Click to the right of the table in the editor. This is only easily possible for tables that don't fill the entire page.

Make sure that show text marks is on for the paragraph marks in View > Program Options > Editor and always leave it on. This shows you the paragraph end marks for every paragraph (you won't see it for the table paragraph if the table fills the entire width). Having them on makes things like this a lot easier, and also shows you where you have forgotten empty paragraphs that are creating unwanted vertical space.

[Martin Wynne]

Afterwards, there are two ways to access the paragraph to format it:

• Put the cursor in the LAST character of the LAST cell in the table and press the right arrow key ONCE. The cursor is then in the container paragraph just outside the table.
• Click to the right of the table in the editor. This is only easily possible for tables that don't fill the entire page.

The way I access the paragraph containing a full-width table is:

1. right-click anywhere in the table.

2. Table > Select Table.

3. press the Home key on the keyboard.

You can then set the containing paragraph properties to whatever you want, without affecting the table contents.

This works for smaller tables too, although you can usually click outside them.

cheers,

Martin.

[Tim Green]

The way I access the paragraph containing a full-width table is:
1. right-click anywhere in the table.
2. Table > Select Table.
3. press the Home key on the keyboard.

That's a great trick! You can make it even easier by selecting the table with a single click to the left of the table instead. Then getting out of the table also works equally well with the Home and End keys (before and after the table).

[antimuon]

I was already aware of how to apply a style to a table paragraph (at least of Tim's way, more tricks are always welcome), my question was why such a style assignment is not shown in the styles list in the ribbon menu or in the status bar at the bottom. I'd expect that when I place the cursor in the correct place and set the style via the styles list, it is displayed as the currently selected style in the list, as there should only be one style applied for this paragraph. Instead, for the table paragraph the list shows a blank and the status bar section for the paragraph style indicates that multiple styles are set. It seems as if the program always considers a table paragraph to contain all the styles applied within the table and not just the one applied to this paragraph in particular, is this true? The only way I found to see which style is currently set for a table paragraph is to look into the XML code. Am I overlooking something?

[Martin Wynne]

The only way I found to see which style is currently set for a table paragraph is to look into the XML code. Am I overlooking something?

Hi,

Click here to see and edit the alignment settings for the containing paragraph:

hm_para_icon.png

(This icon could usefully be more prominent.)

A paragraph containing a table can't have any style settings because there is nothing to apply the style to -- it can contain only the table.

Each cell in a table is a separate RVF document with its own set of styles and settings.

cheers,

Martin.

[John Johann]

I' m not quite sure your 100% right on that -- all <para> seem to need a style.
For example, I have a TableParagraph style which I use to add a little space after the table. I also have another one which is indented so that the entire table is in line with step by step guides.
As antimuon wrote, the style of the table paragraph is not shown in the dropdown -- you have to check the XML.
Other paragraphs which contain additional formatting at least have something like Normal+.

[Tim Green]

(This icon could usefully be more prominent.)

Yes. Unfortunately, this is a clone of the MS Office ribbon and that is how it is handled there as well. It's just something you need to know, in both places. Not ideal, but there it is...

A paragraph containing a table can't have any style settings because there is nothing to apply the style to -- it can contain only the table.

Yes and no: It can have paragraph settings. In the case of table paragraphs that means indents and space before and space after. That can also be applied with a style, but the style won't actually be assigned to the paragraph with its name when you do that.