Borderless Tables (Word 2002)

[Samantha]

I frequently use tables in Word; however, I NEVER use the default borders around each cell. Occasionally I will use a border beneath the header row, or perhaps a single line under a column of figures, with a double line under the total. In essence, when I do want borders (rarely), they are custom borders that I apply as needed. It is a major pet peeve to have to undo borders every time I create a table.

How do I change the Word defaults so that my new tables are created without borders?

[StuartR]

> How do I change the Word defaults so that my new tables are created without borders?

If you ever find a method then please share it with the rest of us. The lack of table "styles" is one of my biggest personal hates in Word.

StuartR

[Andrew Lockton]

I use a macro to reformat tables after creation so that I apply a standard look.

Others on this forum have used autotext entries and preload their template with multiple layouts to cover most situations.

Either way is less than optimal but the macro path is pretty flexible and can do the majority of the work you would desire including adding a caption when one is not already present.

Note the following macro assumes you already have a couple of styles in the document for use in the table and the error catching is non-existent (eg doesn't like merged cells).
<pre>Sub TableFormat()
' Macro by Andrew Lockton
' Reformats selected tables to a standardised layout
' Word 97 specific as tables don't resize properly in Word 2000 or XP
Dim objTable As Variant
If Selection.Tables.Count > 0 Then
For Each objTable In Selection.Tables
With objTable
objTable.Select
'Checks the caption is correct style and may insert the caption
'if neither Caption nor Caption Table are present
With Selection
.MoveLeft Count:=2
Select Case Selection.Style
Case ActiveDocument.Styles("Caption"), ActiveDocument.Styles("Caption Table")
'Do Nothing
Case Else
.EndKey Unit:=wdLine
.TypeParagraph
With CaptionLabels("Table")
.NumberStyle = wdCaptionNumberStyleArabic
.IncludeChapterNumber = False
End With
.InsertCaption Label:="Table", TitleAutoText:="InsertCaption1", _
Title:="

[johnhutchison]

I don't know how to change the defaults, but here is a macro that will insert a borderless table. It actually inserts a table then deletes its borders. It prompts for the number of rows and cols.

Sub inserttable()
Dim NumberofRows As Integer
Dim Numberofcols As Integer
NumberofRows = InputBox("How many rows?")
Numberofcols = InputBox("How many cols?")
ActiveDocument.Tables.Add Range:=Selection.Range, NumRows:=NumberofRows, NumColumns:= _
Numberofcols, DefaultTableBehavior:=wdWord9TableBehavior, AutoFitBehavior:= wdAutoFitFixed
Selection.Tables(1).Select
Selection.Borders(wdBorderTop).LineStyle = wdLineStyleNone
Selection.Borders(wdBorderLeft).LineStyle = wdLineStyleNone
Selection.Borders(wdBorderBottom).LineStyle = wdLineStyleNone
Selection.Borders(wdBorderRight).LineStyle = wdLineStyleNone
Selection.Borders(wdBorderHorizontal).LineStyle = wdLineStyleNone
Selection.Borders(wdBorderVertical).LineStyle = wdLineStyleNone
Selection.Borders(wdBorderDiagonalDown).LineStyle = wdLineStyleNone
Selection.Borders(wdBorderDiagonalUp).LineStyle = wdLineStyleNone
Selection.MoveUp Unit:=wdLine, Count:=1
End Sub

I notice that there is a value in there : DefaultTableBehavior:=wdWord9TableBehavior

I tried to find out more about that in Help, but couldn't.

[Samantha]

Thanks John (& Andrew) for your macro suggestions.

I think that John's macro which prompts for the table size and then removes the borders will work nicely for me. That is very close to what I do now, but this automated version will keep me from gritting my teeth in frustration each time I undo all the borders immediately upon creating a table.

I also would like to be able to use Andrew's macro in some situations. Unfortunately when I tried to create a macro, I ran into another problem!! When in Word the Macro entry on the Tools menu is greyed out. I tried to investigate Word's help, but there was nothing I could find on activating the macro function. I'm assuming that macros were not enabled when Word 2002 (or more particularly Office XP) was installed.

I've only recently upgraded to Office XP, and I have not yet had a need to create any macros. I know that macros worked in my previous Office 2000 version; where did I go wrong when installing Office XP?

Should I reinstall Office XP? If so, what do I need to change in the settings to be able to work with macros?

Thanks,

[jeanweber]

Samantha Michael asked,

>I frequently use tables in Word; however, I NEVER use
>the default borders around each cell...
>How do I change the Word defaults so that my new tables
>are created without borders?

In Word 2002 (XP), you can set the default to be a borderless
table. Here's how:

1. On the menu bar, click Table > Insert > Table. On the Insert
Table dialog, click the AutoFormat button.

2. On the Table AutoFormat dialog, select Table
Normal in the Table styles list. The preview changes to show a
table with no formatting: no horizontal or vertical lines, no
colors, no bold or other font changes.

3. Click the Default button. On the Default Table Style dialog,
choose whether you want this default to affect only
the document you're working on or to be added to the Normal
template. Click OK twice.

You can use this same technique to set any table style as
the default.

Regards, Jean
Jean Hollis Weber
jean@jeanweber.com
The Technical Editors' Eyrie http://www.jeanweber.com/
-----------------
NEW - Taming Microsoft Word 2002, 120 pages of tips and tricks
for business and technical documents.
http://www.jeanweber.com/books/tameword.htm

[jeanweber]

StuartR laments The lack of table "styles" in Word.

Word 2002 (XP) has table styles. Unfortunately these styles
don't use paragraph styles for the text in the table cells,
but they do cover things like borders, among others.

Regards, Jean
Jean Hollis Weber
jean@jeanweber.com
The Technical Editors' Eyrie http://www.jeanweber.com/
-----------------
NEW - Taming Microsoft Word 2002, 120 pages of tips and tricks
for business and technical documents.
http://www.jeanweber.com/books/tameword.htm

[Phil Rabichow]

Hi Samantha:
I see you've received several suggestions, but let me expand on two more.

1. As Andrew mentioned, AutoText entries are one way. You can not only format your tables for no borders, but can set all sorts of properties. I have AutoText entries for 2 row tables with 2, 3, 4, etc. columns. I named them simply t2, t3, t4, etc. That way I get the right number of columns quickly. The top row has my headings & the second row is ready to accept the body of the table. I find I don't need more than 2 rows as they are added easily as text increaes.

2. As soon as you create a table, with the cursor in the table, press Alt+Ctrl+U. The borders will be removed instantly.

Cheers,

[johnhutchison]

I have just tested this and found also works in Word 2000, but not in 97.

[StuartR]

Thank you. That's really useful, I had never stumbled across it before.
Now if I could only add my own styles to the predefined list...

StuartR

[Phil Rabichow]

Hi John:
How did you do this in Word 2000? I could find no "TableNormal" in the AutoFormat dialog box, nor a default button (although you can make changes directly in normal.dot).

[StuartR]

I couldn't find a "TableNormal" but selecting any of the table styles and clearing the borders checkbox appears to insert a borderless table.
The default checkbox is on the Insert Table form

StuartR

[johnhutchison]

I am probably repeating what Stuart has said.
Table normal wasn't there, but I chose Simple1 then unchecked each of the options below.
Then set that as the default.

[Phil Rabichow]

Hi John & Stuart:
Thank you both. I have almost never used the Insert/Table dialog box because I use AutoText. The one thing that I now recall that I'm unable to do when using the dialog box is to format the table so that Table Properties/Table tab/Options/Automatically resize to fit contents is off. Invariably that box is checked & ticking "fixed column width" doesn't change it. Do you have the same experience?

[CarolL]

Actually, Word 2002 allows you to create your own table styles and makes them available in the list of auto formats. When you choose TABLE > AUTOFORMAT just click the new button to create your own. <img src=/S/bravo.gif border=0 alt=bravo width=16 height=30>