Cell Properties

Using Cell Properties Commands

After you create a table, you probably will want to make adjustments to individual cells or groups of cells. Using the commands on the Cell Properties dialog box allow you to modify cells in existing tables.

Opening the Cell Properties dialog box

Select the top left cell in your table. Then click Table, click Properties, and click Cell.

After following these steps, the Cell Properties dialog box appears as shown below.

Now practice modifying the appearance of your table

The Cell Properties dialog box is split into three parts: Layout, Borders, and Background

Layout controls determine how objects in the selected table cell or cells are displayed

1. Specify width: signifies that a minimum width is in effect and Specify height: signifies that a minimum height is in effect. To use these settings, you must turn on the check box, specify a value, and indicate a unit of measure. In Pixels indicates that the text box contains a value in pixels and In Percent indicates that the text box specifies a percentage of table size.

a. Make note of the current value in the Specify width: box and make sure the button to the left of In Percent is selected.

b. Click the check box to the left of Specify height: box and make sure the button to the left of In Percent is selected. Now change the value to 100 and click Apply to see the effect.

c. Now go back to the original settings. Uncheck the check box to the left of Specify height: box and change the Specify width: value back to it's original value and click Apply.

2. Horizontal Alignment controls lateral positioning of the cell's contents. Clicking on the down arrow gives these choices. Left aligns the cell's contents to the left border (this is the default). Center positions the cell contents an equal distance from the left and right borders. Right aligns the cell's contents to the right border. Select each choice and click Apply to see the effect. After you have seen all the positions, select Default and click Apply.

3. Vertical Alignment controls vertical positioning of the cell's contents. Clicking on the down arrow gives these choices. Top aligns the cell's contents to the top of the cell. Middle distributes any vertical white space half above and half below the cell's contents (this is the default setting). Bottom aligns the cell's contents to the bottom of the cell; any white space appears at the top. Select each choice and click Apply to see the effect. After you have seen all the positions, select Default and click Apply.

4. Rows Spanned indicates the height of the cell in terms of normal table rows. Change the value from 1 to 2 and click Apply to see the effect. Now change the value back to 1 and click Apply.

5. Columns Spanned indicates the width of a cell in terms of normal table columns. Change the value from 1 to 2 and click Apply to see the effect. Now change the value back to 1 and click Apply.

Information, no practice. Header Cell indicates, if turned on, that the selected cell contains headings. This normally causes any text to appear in bold. No Wrap indicates, if turned on, that the browser mustn't wrap text in the selected cell.

Borders. This feature controls the border colors of the selected cell

1. Color specifies a solid color for drawing the cell border. Light Border specifies a color for drawing the top and left cell borders. Dark Border specifies a color for drawing the right and bottom cell borders.

a. Change the Color from black to red and click Apply to see the effect.

b. Change the Light Border from red to green and click Apply to see the effect.

c. Change the Dark Border from red to blue and click Apply to see the effect.

d. Change Color, Light Border, and Dark Border all back to black and click Apply.

Background. This feature controls the background picture or color for the selected cell.

1. Color controls the color of the cell's background . Use Background Picture indicates, if turned on, that the cell will have a background picture. The associated text box specifies the background picture's file name and location. Browse presents a dialog box for finding a background picture. Properties displays the Picture Properties dialog box which alters the properties of the specified background picture.

a. Click the Use Background Picture check box to turn this feature on. Now enter the following URL in the text box, [http://www.theflagpole.com/images/rosie-flag_sm.jpg] and click Apply to see the background picture.

b. You can alter the properties of this image by clicking Properties. The Picture Properties dialog box is now displayed and gives you options to alter the properties of the background picture.

c. Now uncheck the Use Background Picture check box and click Apply to turn this feature off. This allows you to see the effect of Background Color.

2. Background Color controls the table's background color. Change the Color from (automatic) to red and click Apply to see the effect. Now change it back to clear (automatic).

3. To prepare your table for the next lesson, delete the text from all of the cells.