Insert, move, or remove a table

Learn how to insert a table and know types of table variable in FrameMaker.

When you insert a new, empty table, you select a format for the table. Table formats are stored in a catalog, as are paragraph and character formats. You can apply a different format to any paragraph in any cell, and you can modify the format of any paragraph.

1. Click in the line of text to which you want to anchor the table. You can insert a table anywhere except in a footnote.

2. Choose Table > Insert Table.

3. If required, change the number of columns, rows, heading rows, or footer rows.

4. Select a format for the table. If the format you need is not in the list, you can import the format from another document.

5. Choose the table variable type (continuation or sheet) to insert. For more details on table variables, see Add continuation text.

6. Click Insert.

   An anchor symbol appears at the insertion point when text symbols are visible. Deleting the symbol deletes the table.

Know how to Insert a table element in structured documents in FrameMaker.

A table is anchored to a specific location in text. As you edit the text, the table moves in the document along with the text. An anchor symbol appears at the table’s anchor location in the document window.

When you insert a table, you specify where to anchor it. For example, you can anchor a table in a <p> element (as a child element of <p>) or you can anchor it in a <section> element (as a sibling to <p> and other elements in the section). It depends on how the elements are defined for your document type.

1. Click where you want to insert the table.

2. Select a table element in the Elements catalog, and click Insert.

   Note: To add other table-part elements to the table, use the Elements catalog as a guide.

3. If required, change the number of columns, rows, heading rows, or footer rows.

4. To change the table format, select a format in the scroll list. The table element can have a format preselected, but you can change the format and it is not considered a format rule override.

   Consult your developer before changing a table format. Your element catalog can have a separate element defined for each format you’ll need.

5. Choose the table variable type (continuation or sheet) to insert. For more details on table variables, see Add continuation text.

6. Click Insert. FrameMaker inserts an anchor symbol at the insertion point and a table with predefined descendant elements. The Structure View has bubbles for the new elements.

7. If the Attributes for New Element dialog box appears, enter attribute values for the table element and click Insert Element.

   Tip: Select cells in the table and then right-click to display a context menu for working with the cells. You can also use the QuickAccess bar as a quick way to apply table commands.

If no table element is available at the location you want, you can use an invalid element. After inserting the table, talk to your developer about making it valid at this location.

Know how to use an invalid table element in FrameMaker.

• To use a table that is valid in another part of the document, either insert the table in a valid location and then move it, or use the All Elements setting to make the table available everywhere and then insert the table where you want it.

• To insert an invalid table with default tags, choose Table > Insert Table and choose TABLE from the Element Tag pop-up menu. (This option appears in the menu if the document has no defined table elements.) The table and table parts have default tags, such as TABLE, HEADING, and ROW. After replacing the table with a valid table, change the table parts to valid elements.

Learn how to nest a table in a table cell in FrameMaker.

1. Click in the cell in which you want to nest a table.

2. Do one of the following:

   • Choose Insert > Anchored Frame.

     • For unstructured documents, this command creates an anchored frame that’s anchored below the current line. Try to set the width and height of the frame to be slightly larger than the width and height of the table you want to insert.

     • For structured documents, this command inserts an element. Choose a frame element from the Element Tag pop-up menu in the Anchored Frame pod.

   • Structured documents: Select a graphic element for empty anchored frames in the Elements catalog, and click New Frame.

3. If the anchored frame is wider than the cell, resize the column.

4. Use the Text Frame tool on the Tools pod to draw a text frame in the anchored frame.

5. Click in the text frame and choose Table > Insert Table.

Know how to copy, move, or remove a table in FrameMaker.

If you copy or move an unstructured table to a structured flow, the table is given a basic structure with default elements named <TABLE>, <HEADING>, <ROW>, and so on. If you copy or move a structured table to an unstructured flow, the table structure may no longer be valid.

1. Control-triple-click a cell to select the entire table or click the table bubble in the Structure View.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To copy the table, choose Edit > Copy.

   • To move the table, choose Edit > Cut. If a dialog box appears, click Remove Cells From Table, and click Cut. Then click where you want to move the table, and choose Edit > Paste. See the Elements catalog before pasting to ensure that you paste the table at a valid location.

   • To remove the table (without changing the contents of the clipboard), press Delete.

   Tip: You can also drag a table bubble in the Structure View to move the table, or Alt-drag the bubble to copy the table.