ACAD Tables help!

[chelsea1307]

Im trying to create a new table using the table command but i want it to look like the tables we generally creat at my work. attached is a basic table we would use and below is an inserted acad table. is it possible to format the lower table to resemble the upper, color and table style is important but table style is more important then color for now.

Drawing4.dwg

[BOB'27T]

Highlight the whole table. Pick the triangle on the upper right hand corner and pull it to the left. That seems to make it the right size as your example. As far as the spacing, the table editor will help with that. If you need more help, just let me know. We use these all the time.

[chelsea1307]

i can change the size of whole colums and rows or the whole table the part im having trouble with is trying to have one column with 11 rows and one with 12 and some rows with 12 columns and some with 25. any suggestions for that?

[lpseifert]

You can get it fairly close. I think all the lines will need to be the same color, but if you play with cell border properties, you can achieve double lines; also merge cells to achieve the effects of rows 2-3. You can insert blocks into the cell in column A. You can also set the text color,height and style for individual cells (or groups of cells).

[BOB'27T]

Give this a try: Hope this is what you need.

To use grips to modify cells in a table

1. Select one or more cells in a table that you want to change using one of the following methods:
   • Click inside a cell.
     
   • Hold down SHIFT and click inside another cell to select those two cells and all the cells between them.
     
   • Click inside the selected cell, drag to the cells you want to select, and release.

[*]To change the row height of the selected cell, drag the top or bottom grip. If more than one cell is selected, the row height changes equally for each row.

[*]To change the column width of the selected cell, drag the left or right grip. If more than one cell is selected, the column width changes equally for each column.

[*]To merge selected cells, click Merge Cells on the Table toolbar. If cells in more than one row or column are selected, you can merge by row or by column.

[*]Press ESC to remove selection.

[lpseifert]

Here's a start

tbl.dwg

[BOB'27T]

Another way of making a table with the right cells, is with an Excel spreadsheet. You can create a table from it by using the DATALINK function. It creates the table exactly as it appears in Excel. A little quicker and easier way to do it.

[chelsea1307]

thanks for the help I got it working

[chelsea1307]

It was working... if i need to change something like text alignment is there a way to do that without starting a new table? or change text style and size without starting a new table? and thanx lpseifert can you explain how to make the double lines so I can do that on my own next time.

[BOB'27T]

To create the double line: In the table setup, click paintbrush next to Table Style. In the Table Style select modify, select "Borders" tab. Then click double line. For the text, just select the text tab next to the borders tab. You can edit size and style there.

[chelsea1307]

I think this might be my last question. On the double line border is there a way to make the inside line a different color from the outside line?

[lpseifert]

Here's the way I did it...

Select the cells with a crossing window (not the whole table)

A 'Table' menu should pop up

Click on the Border button

Check Double line

Border type > Outline

OK

[chelsea1307]

is there a reason that when copying a table from one dwg to another you have to copy as block and if you try to explode the block it just deletes it?

[lpseifert]

I just tried copy/paste (Ctrl+C/Ctrl+v) and it worked without blocks, exploding, deleting...

[chelsea1307]

it might be something on my computer... it has issues sometimes... the deleting when exploding isnt limited to the tables it happens sometimes... I changed the linetype and exploded and it stayed... i have no idea why that made a difference but it did. do you know if you can change the color of the inside line of the double line border?

[lpseifert]

I don't think so.

[chelsea1307]

Now im trying the data links part, from what I've found on various posts here is that its a pain and you have to start over and create a new table if you make a change to your excel sheet. has anyone figured anything new out for it or are we stuck with creating new tables with every change

[BOB'27T]

If you type in datalinkupdate, it will revise the table to match the original Excel sheet.

[chelsea1307]

when i create a new table style is there a way to make it usable in all dwgs? Ive created a table style thats a basis of what our tables usually look like but, when i open a new dwg. or go to a different one the new table style is not there I have to re-create it. Is there a way to save it so its retrievable from any dwg?

[BOB'27T]

You may be able to save it into the designcenter or into the folder where you save all your blocks.