Modifying the Appearance of Tables

In general, the properties of tables are taken directly from the original source document, thus mirroring the look and feel of the original text. In some instances, you will probably prefer to have your online output look like your original source document. However, if you prefer to modify the appearance of your online content to reflect a unique look, you can do so without having to modify your original source documents.

Modifying tables is a little different than modifying other elements in your content, such as paragraphs. The properties of tables are essentially controlled by different layers; there are some objects that visually appear to be in front of – or behind – other objects within the table.

For example, the background property of the entire table is the first layer; the body and header properties reside on the next layer, which is essentially “on top” of the background property. Paragraph properties are above that, followed by character properties, which reside on the topmost layer.

Thus, when trying to control the appearance of a property and experiencing uncertainty as to why you are getting the result you are, you may want to experiment with the different property layers.

For example, if you are trying to create a transparent table, and you have modified the body background property properly – yet the table still isn’t transparent – you may want to check that the background property is properly set for all the different layers in the table.

The Prototype Style

The Prototype style is the parent to all other styles. When you set a property for Prototype, every other style inherits the value of that property. You can use Prototype to quickly apply a property change to all styles within your project.

Setting the Background Color of a Table

In general, ePublisher generates output based upon the properties of the content from the original source document, thus mirroring the look and feel of the original text. However, if you prefer to modify the appearance of your online content to reflect a unique look, you can do so without having to modify your original source documents.

To set the background color of a table:

Setting a Background Image in a Table

The background image for a table is essentially “behind” other elements in a table. Thus, if you have set a background color for the table, you will not be able to see the background image. Additionally, you must ensure that the image you want to use is properly associated with your project.

To set a background image in a table:

Setting the Height and Width of a Table

In general, ePublisher generates output based upon the properties of the content from the original source document, thus mirroring the look and feel of the original text. However, if you prefer to modify the appearance of your online content to reflect a unique look, you can do so without having to modify your original source documents.

To set the height and width of a table:

Setting the Vertical and Horizontal Alignment within a Table

Table cells allow for the vertical and horizontal alignment of content. Vertical control can be accomplished through table controls; modifying the horizontal alignment is accomplished through paragraph controls. The properties of this control are superseded if vertical alignment is used on a paragraph level or with the table Body, Header, or Footer controls.

To set the vertical alignment of content within a table:

To set the horizontal alignment of content within a table:

Setting the Border of a Table

In general, ePublisher generates output based upon the properties of the content from the original source document, thus mirroring the look and feel of the original text. However, if you prefer to modify the appearance of your online content to reflect a unique look, you can do so without having to modify your original source documents.

The border property will modify the appearance of the border that surrounds the outside of the table. However, some browsers will display this information differently. For example, in some browsers the color (but not the style) of the border property will be used to define all other relevant borders inside the table, unless that color has been previously defined.

For example, if you choose a red, dotted border for your table, the outer edge of the table will have a red, dotted border. All table cells inside of the table will have a red, solid border, unless the border properties for Body and Header (if applicable) have been defined. This is the behavior you will find in the Preview pane, but it is not necessarily what will occur in all browsers.

To set the outside border of a table:

Modifying the Table Padding

After creating the external borders for your table, you will be able to control their distance from the content within the table. This feature, which is enabled through CSS, is not supported by all browsers. It is best to test the resulting output in several different browsers. Currently, this feature is known to only work in Mozilla-based browsers (e.g., Firefox, Netscape, Safari, etc.).

To adjust the padding of a table:

Adjusting the White Space around a Table

You can control the amount of white space surrounding a table by adjusting the Margin.

Modifying the margin property will adjust the space outside of the border area; that is, if you have created a border for a table and you increase the size of the margins around the table, the border will remain the same distance from the table, although the size of the table may be altered since there will be an increase of white space between the modified table and other elements on the page.

To set the margin of a table:

Modifying Rows, Columns, or Cells of a Table

In addition to being able to modify the appearance of an entire table, you may want to modify portions of a table. A table can be broken down into four distinct sections: header rows, body rows, footer rows, and individual cells.

In order to control any of these sections, it is important to set up your table in your source document in such a way as to give you proper control over that section. For example, if you do not create a header row for a table in your source document, you will not have explicit control over the header row in your output (the first row of a table is not, by default, a header row).

Modifying Header Rows

Header rows are rows that contain information that help identify the content of a particular column. If the table spans several pages of a print layout, the header row will usually repeat itself at the beginning of each new page.

To create a header row for a table in Microsoft Word:

To create a header row for a table in Adobe FrameMaker:

Modifying the Padding of Header Rows

Padding creates extra space between the contents and the edge of a table cell.

To adjust the padding of a header row:

Do one of the following:

Next, from the Properties tab:

Setting the Vertical and Horizontal Alignment of Header Rows

Table cells allow for the vertical and horizontal alignment of content. Vertical alignment can be accomplished through table controls; modifying the horizontal alignment is accomplished through paragraph controls.

To set the vertical alignment of content in a header row:

To set the horizontal alignment of content in a header row:

Setting the Border of Header Rows

The border of each header cell will receive the property of the border property.

To modify the border of header rows:

Setting the Background Color of Header Rows

The header row sits on a layer above the background of a table. By modifying the color of a header row, you will be, in essence, applying an opaque color over the color of the background color. Additionally, other elements reside within the header row – such as paragraphs – and these may also need to be modified to get the desired results.

If you desire to make the header row transparent, but are unable to do so, you may want to check that the background property is properly set for all the different layers in the table.

To set the background color of header rows:

Setting the Background Image of Header Rows

Successfully creating a background image for a header row requires that you have the image you want to use properly associated with your project. All images that will be used with your project should be in the User Files directory.

To set a background image in a header row:

Setting Alternating Colors and Images of Header Rows

Alternate shading of rows is a useful layout to help minimize the number of lines and amount information displayed, while neatly organizing data in a way that users can easily read and understand.

To set alternate shading of header rows:

You can also choose to use an image instead of an alternate color in an alternate row/column scheme.

To use a background image with alternate shading in a header row:

Modifying Body Rows

Body rows are the rows of a table that contain the data. Generally speaking, the very first row of a table contains information that describes the data in the body rows. That first row is generally called a header row, although for the purposes of ePublisher Pro, unless that first row is explicitly designated as a header row, all rows are considered to be body rows. Thus, by controlling the body rows of a table, you are essentially controlling the entire table (with the possible exception of the header row(s)).

Setting the Padding of Body Rows

Padding creates extra space between the contents within a table cell and the edge of that cell.

To adjust the padding of body rows:

Setting the Vertical and Horizontal Alignment of Body Rows

Table cells allow for the vertical and horizontal alignment of content. Vertical alignment can be accomplished through table controls; modifying the horizontal alignment is accomplished through paragraph controls.

To set the vertical alignment of content in body rows:

To set the horizontal alignment of content in body rows:

Setting the Border of Body Rows

The border of each cell will receive the property of the border property.

To modify the border of body rows:

Setting the Background Color of Body Rows

To help visualize how properties are modified, it may be helpful to think of the body rows of a table sitting on a layer above the background of a table. By modifying the color of the body rows, you will be, in essence, applying an opaque color over the color of the background color. Additionally, other elements residing within the body row – such as paragraphs – may also need to be modified to get the desired results.

For example, if you desire to make the body row transparent, but are unable to do so, you may want to check that the background property is properly set for all the different layers in the table.

To set the background color of body rows:

Setting the Background Image of Body Rows

Successfully creating a background image for body rows requires that you have properly associated the image you want to use with your project. All images that will be used with your project should be in the User Files directory.

To set a background image in body rows: