Table Properties

Using Table Properties Commands

Regardless of how you create a table, you probably will want to make changes. Using the commands on the Table Properties dialog box allows you to modify existing tables.

Opening the Table Properties dialog box

With your page open from the last exercise, click anywhere in your table. Then click Table, click Properties, and click Table as shown below.

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

Now practice modifying the appearance of your table

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

Layout options control table positioning and appearance

1. With the Table Properties dialog box open, change the 100 in the Specify width: box to 50. This reduces the width of your table by 50%. Click Apply.

2. Click in the checkbox to the left of the text Specify height:. Click the empty circle to the left of In percent; a black dot should now fill the circle. Change the 100 in the Specify height: box to 150. This increases the height of your table by 50%. Click Apply.

3. Click the down arrow in the box to the right of Alignment. Alignment specifies the table's horizontal positioning. There are four possible selections. Default specifies no special alignment (usually meaning left-aligned). Left and Right aligns the contents to the left or right margin. Center centers the contents. Select each choice and click Apply to see the effect. After you have seen all the positions, select Default and click Apply.

4. Float controls left and right positioning of the table with regard to text outside of the table. Clicking on the down arrow gives these choices. Default specifies no special alignment (usually meaning left-aligned). Left and Right align the table to the left or right margins. On your page, position the cursor below the table and type the sentence [This is a practice of the float control.]. Select each choice and click Apply to see the effect. After you have seen all the positions, select Default and click Apply.

5. Cell Padding indicates the number of pixels between the edges of each cell and its contents. Type the word [Cell] in each cell of your table. Now change the Cell Padding from 1 to 15 and then click Apply to see the effect. Then set the value back to 1 and click Apply.

6. Cell Spacing indicates the number of pixels between adjacent cells. Change the Cell Spacing from 2 to 10 and click Apply to see the effect. Then set the value back to 1 and click Apply.

Border options provide control over the table's border colors

1. Size specifies the thickness of a border that surrounds the table. A size of zero turns off both the border and interior grid. Change the Border Size to 5 and click Apply to see the effect.

2. Color specifies a solid color for drawing the border that surrounds the table. Light Border overrides the color of the top and left table borders. Dark Border overrides the color of the color of the right and bottom table borders.

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.

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 Border Size back to 1 and the Color, Light Border, and Dark Border all back to black and click Apply.

Background options provide control over the table's background picture or color

1. Use Background Picture gives the table a background picture. To use this feature, turn on the check box and specify the background picture's file name and location. Browse displays the Select Background Picture dialog box for finding a 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 clear (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, change both Specify width and Specify height values to 50 and click Apply and OK. Also, delete the sentence outside of the table